PM: ‘Reject racism’

THE Prime Minister has called on citizens to reject all forms of racism.

Dr Keith Rowley made this call in response to an audio recording of a woman named “Nalini Ramai” making racist statements about him and people of African descent which was circulated on social media.

In a subsequent audio recording, which was also posted on social media, Ramai apologised to Rowley.

In a tweet, Rowley said, “The audio clips, which have now been widely circulated, tell us that racism is alive and flourishing as hate in some quarters.”

He added, “Let us be alert to it and reject it in all its manifestations.”

In the first recording, Ramai spoke to an Amplia customer service representative identified as “Keron.”

Ramai is heard complaining about ZEE TV being pulled from her package and seeing local programmes with Rowley.

She then made several racist and obscene remarks.

Keron then asked Ramai for her contact information, so he could help her, and Ramai gave him her phone number and address.

After Keron said Amplia has no power regarding the rights to any TV show, Ramai made an obscene remark and ended the call.

Efforts to contact Amplia and TSTT for comment were unsuccessful.

In a second audio clip, Ramai is heard talking to a woman who identifies herself as a staffer at the Office of the Prime Minister.

“This is Nalini Ramai. I am calling to apologise for the racial statement that I made on social media,” she said.

Ramai apologised to Rowley, government ministers and the rest of the population.

“Yes, I made a racial statement about the Prime Minister and his officials,” Ramai added.

She said she made the statement because she was upset, and was now scared because her phone number and address had been posted on social media.

“I have people who keep calling me and threatening me.”

Ramai claimed because of this she had to disconnect her phone, and asked for a way to contact Rowley.

The OPM staffer told Ramai she could write a letter, e-mail or call the PM.

The clip ended with the staffer promising to send Ramai an e-mail address and phone number.

Ramai could not be reached to verify the contents of both audio clips.

On his Facebook page, United National Congress activist Devant Maharaj said on the heels of Rowley’s tweet, Ramai “saw the error of her wicked ways and repented with another call.”

He asked how she got a number for the OPM, and claimed Ramai appeared to be a “a well planted and orchestrated distraction” by the People’s National Movement (PNM)

He further alleged that Keron’s voice sounded like one used in a recent pro-PNM social media post.

Maharaj claimed Ramai was nothing but a political ploy to “push a racial button to get the nation divided,” saying this was not impossible because the PNM was employing media strategists in the OPM, and PNM financiers wielded “unnatural influence in mainstream media newsrooms.”