Kamla is Right !

The Caribbean Is One Nation.

Trinidad PM,Kamla Persad-Bissessar,

The decision by Trinidad and Tobago, Prime Minister Kamla Persad – Bissessar, to fire the Minister of the People , Mr. Glenn Ramdharsingh and to accept the resignation from her cabinet ,  of  Minister of Tourism ,Mr. Chandresh Singh is supported by the Mahogany Coconut Group. We note that both these gentlemen have effectively ruined their political careers by a form of violence against women.  Mr. Singh was accused of groping the breast of an airline worker during a flight from Tobago. In the case of Mr. Ramdharsingh, he apparently inflicted physical violence against his former lover. It is known that the MCG has been in the forefront of calling for stricter laws to deal with acts of violence against women, children and the elderly.

MCG has warned that acts of violence against women are not the preserve of any one class or group of citizens. We note here that both of the perpetrators are of East Indian origin and they cannot claim to be from the underclass or to be uneducated. They are well educated, powerful men, who would have solicited women to vote for them or in some way contribute to their political ascendancy. In this instance, one of the deviants is married with children.  While others may suggest, with good reason, that the Prime Minister is using the actions of the two ministers as a tool to rebuild or at the very least maintain some form of support, as the country moves toward the 2015 general elections; we prefer to  posit that she has acted wisely.

We have also maintained that violence of women is a Caribbean problem and must be arrested before it gets beyond our collective control. We recall a senior lawyer, in the island of Barbados dropping his pants and “mooning” a female jurist. We note that he is still functioning as a legal heavy weight and the incident is now almost forgotten. In the same Barbados, we were shocked when the current Minister of Finance, Mr. Chris Sinkler, publicly stated that Opposition Leader, Ms. Mia Mottley could be expected to go through the capital city of Bridgetown, with her clothes off, in order to get attention. This was not the first time that the loquacious Mr. Sinkler had been most disrespectful when engaging in public sentiments about women.

We therefore hope that the actions of Prime Minister Persad- Bissessar will in some way send the message to powerful men that women must be respected regardless of skin color, religion, profession and social/economic standing. We understand the political currency to be gained from her decisions but the bigger picture cannot be overlooked. “Fruit comes best from a twisted bough.”