PNM and UNC must get pass race card

THE EDITOR: The United National Congress (UNC) is the only political party that is capable of giving the People’s National Movement (PNM) a true run for the governance of TT.

It is my respectful view that both the PNM and the UNC have to get past the playing at race cards. Why? Because with only 1.4 million citizens of several races they have to be extremely careful about being judged as appearing unnecessarily racially offensive.

It is my personal, unsolicited unpaid view that Member of Parliament Rodney Charles is kneeling on the political neck of the UNC, stifling his party from being attractive to Afro-Trinidadian/Tobagonian voters. Or is he just stifling himself?

Charles's comments that the PNM does not care about black people are particularly offensive. He apportions blame regarding crime and criminal behaviour in TT to one race only – Afro-Trinidadians/Tobagonians, who are allegedly all supporters of the PNM.

Is it that only a UNC-led government will see a TT that is free of any type of violence? Since when are Indo-Trinidadians/Tobagonians so squeaky clean regarding violence? Not even guilty of domestic violence? Does MP Charles even view black citizens as basically intelligent as other races?

In order to win an election all members of the electorate should be viewed as equals. Charles appears to be of the view that Afro-Trinidadians/Tobagonians are stupid, which is why they vote PNM. Call no man a fool, sir. Only a fool does anything so foolish.

Ask yourself this: If poor black citizens are being short-changed by an Afro support-based political party, why do they keep supporting the PNM? Is Charles imputing that racial inferiority is the motivation behind crime and criminal behaviour?

This unfortunate supposition is damaging to a UNC that would like to win the general election of 2025.

An indelible fact of TT political life for the UNC is that it is difficult to win without being part of a coalition.

Why do so many non-Afro-citizens and an appreciable number of sensitive, educated Indo-Trinidadians/Tobagonians vote for the PNM?

The word respect has great meaning. All races find equal respect within the PNM.

It is my view that the side effects of slavery have been more pernicious than the pain of indentureship. Greater societal damage occurred with slavery.

Like all parents, the PNM parents love their own children the best. And the PNM children love them right back.

LYNETTE JOSEPH

Diego Martin