Carrat Shed bar owner: ‘Why do we only unite around Carnival time?'

Allan Campbell – owner of Carrat Shed Bar in Marabella – says racism is unacceptable and questioned why the unity seen in TT during Carnival celebrations is not seen throughout the year.

For 30 years, the bar’s motto has been: One race – human. He said the recent increase in racial tension and racist comments on social media proved the public needed a reminder, which led to him hanging a banner outside the business, along with writing saying, “End the stupidness.”

Speaking with Newsday on Saturday morning, Campbell said people need to remember “we are all human beings.

“We keep fighting each other around election time. After election, we go back in our own little niche, we eat from one another, we drink from one another. You know, Carnival doesn’t have this. Around Carnival time, there is no race war. It’s more pronounced around election time – local government or general.”

He said it still baffles him why these issues continue to occur in TT.

“We have to learn to respect each other. Why should I be annoyed with you and want to kill you because you are of a different race?

“I could look out my monitor right now and I can see African and Indian people conversing. But election day you want to kill and you want to fight because some politician pushed a knob. Then after election, you back to normal.”

He said racism in TT needs to end now, adding that if the seniors don’t want to make such changes, he hopes the younger generations do.

“Our motto has always been: One race – human. And that’s how we in business for over 30 years. We treat customers as they ought to be treated. I don’t care if you Indian, white, pink, green or African or what, I will treat you as a customer.”