Ashworth Jack must also call for resignation of Devant Maharaj

Mr. Sandy made some unfortunate comments during the election campaign in Tobago and has been rightly condemned for them. But what disgust me is the hypocrisy of the UNC, TOP and it's leader Ashworth Jack in calling for Mr. Sandy to withdraw from the election. Where was Ashworth Jack when Devant "Parsuram" Maharaj wrote an article entitled "Secrets of the census in Trinidad and Tobago" back in 2005? This article which can be found from a simple Google search, revealed what Mr. Maharaj truly thought of Afro Trinbagonians back then, Tobagonians in particular. He was not concerned about national unity then but about the ethnic domination of the East Indian. 

The following excerpt is from Mr. Devant Maharaj's article, "Dr Morgan Job has been attempting to influence the people of Tobago to seek a federal relationship with Trinidad. He even advocates outright independence. I say let the 44,190 (Tobago) go independent if they wish or, for that matter, let them join a federal relationship with Grenada and let Morgan Job be president. The result will make the African population of Trinidad a smaller minority by another two per cent. With the Tobago figure taken out of the 2000 census figures, the Indian majority will climb to 41.85 per cent while the African will slip to 35.04 per cent. These census figures that are being suppressed have serious implications for the disbursement of funds for education, culture, regional development and other State realignments." You can read the entire article at this link >>>>>> http://www.southasianoutlook.com/issues/2005/may/indocarib0409.html 

As you can see back then Mr. Maharaj who was a prominent member of the Maha Saba now a government Minister under the People's Partnership Government was not interested in national unity at all. He was only interested in the ethnic dominance of the East Indian. As a matter of fact Mr. Maharaj wanted Tobago to go their way just for the simple fact of reducing the Afro population in the unitary state Trinidad and Tobago. Yet still Mrs. Kamla Persad Bissessar leader of the United National Congress deemed Mr. Devant Maharaj a suitable candidate for her so called "multi-ethnic" government. How could Mrs. Bissessar appoint someone with the philosophy of Devant Maharaj? And he is functioning as a current PP Minister serving all ethnicities without fear or favour? If he can do that after making these comments why can't Mr. Sandy serve after making his comments? 

How can someone who wanted to get rid of Tobago just because of the Afro population across there, be a valid member of a government which claims to want to give Tobago autonomy and which claims they are inclusive of all races in Trinidad and Tobago. I eagerly await an explanation from Mr. Ashworth Jack of Mr. Devant Maharaj's presence in the People's Partnership Government.

Under a State of Curiosity

I find it extremely curious that under a State of Emergency certain sectors of this country can protest "without police permission" to have a duly appointed school principal removed from her position, and no action is taken against them. I find it curious that under a state of emergency the board of a denominational school can disregard the instruction of a government commission and refuse to allow a school principal to return to school. I find it curious that under a state of emergency a board of a denominational school can put chains on a school to prevent a government appointed school principal from entering a school thereby putting the education of children in jeapordy & disturbing the peace.

I find it curious that under a state of emergency a goverment minister will go to the police station to support a 'friend' on the board of a denominational school that is engaged in disregarding instructions from both the Ministry of Education and Teaching Service Commission. I find it curious that under a state of emergency people can come on our national television and insight violence with impunity. I find it curious that under a state of emergency the Government of Trinidad and Tobago seem unable to bring the board of a denominational school to order yet they claim to be taking on criminal "big fish". I'm under a state of curiosity.

Panday staying true to his word

I honestly don't know why everyone is jumping on Panday's back because he refuses to step down as Opposition Leader despite receiving a sound cut tail from Mrs. Biessessar.

Mr. Panday is after all staying true to this word, many would recall last week that Panday said if Kamla wins the UNC will mash up in six months. I guess many of you neglected to read the fine print which read as follows..... ( if Kamla wins I Basdeo Panday will mash up the UNC within six months.) ©

National Awards Politically Motivated

While Devant Maharaj and dem odder boys who obsessed with race try to pollute the minds of the uneducated and ignorant in this country Panday, Manning and all their Indo, Afro, Chinee and Syrian big boy friends tiefing de money of the poor TRINIDADIAN!

There is something extremely sinister on the horizon when people start to talk about STATISTICAL MAJORITY in a multi-ethnic society! - Oke Zachary ©

"Last week, the Indo-Trinbago Equality Council, which is headed by Maha Sabha executive member Devant Maharaj, issued a statement claiming that with "Indians constituting a statistical majority of the national population of over 43 per cent as compared to the 38 per cent for their African counterpart, it is inconceivable how and why Indians only receive a mere 10 per cent or 25 per cent of the national awards handed out annually." (Maharaj's population figures are inaccurate: according to the 2000 census, persons of Indian descent make up 40 per cent of the populace, and persons of African descent 37.5 per cent.)

But, says Dumas, "I don't know that we should go on the basis of giving awards on the basis of racial quotas." As to whether there is racial bias in the awards, he suggests, "I would like to see what happened under the Panday regime." In fact, during the UNC's five-year tenure, only 29 per cent of the National Awards went to Indo-Trinidadians. As Table 1 shows, there was no systematic racial pattern in the awards given out between 1996 and 2000, when the UNC held office."

Read the full story at Trinidad Express

Mr. Maharaj You Are Wrong

Secretary general of the Maha Sabha, Satnarayan Maharaj, has out rightly confused me by his support for President George Maxwell Richards and his condemnation of the Law Association's call for the President's resignation. Mr. Maharaj's position is one of utter contradiction because on the one hand he does not support calls for the President's resignation asking rhetorically of the Law Association to show him a person in public life who has not made a 'mistake'. He then goes on to say that the Law Association should instead spend it's time criticizing the wanton wastage of public funds and alleged procurement breaches by officials involved in these projects.

Mr. Maharaj's position is one of direct contradiction because the President's actions, or in my personal opinion 'negligence' is in fact tied directly to the wanton wastage and procurement breaches to which Mr. Maharaj claims to be concerned about. Quite frankly I'm not surprised by Mr. Maharaj's comments that all public officials make mistakes, which seems to endorse President Richard's remarks that to 'err is human'. Mr. Maharaj is after all a religious man, and his position seems to be that of 'who is without sin cast the first stone'. In my own secular opinion I would like to indicate to Mr. Maharaj that in the case of a public official, especially one who holds a high an office as the President, the word mistake cannot be used as a 'synonym' for 'negligence' and gross negligence at that. Not ignoring the fact that Mr. Maharaj is a Hindu, I just want to indicate to him that in the Bible Judas, the apostle who betrayed Jesus hanged himself when the full brunt of his actions registered on his conscience. We are not asking that the President hangs himself, however when one makes a mistake, especially a material mistake one is expected to take full blame for that mistake and then take whatever necessary action is required to redeem oneself. In the case of President Richards that would be to resign. One writer in the daily newspaper even made reference to the fact that ancient Romans use to commit suicide, however his view is that they were running away from their errors. From what I have read of the ancient Romans, my view is that Romans were people who valued their honour and their names, so much so that they preferred to be dead than to live with a sullied character.

The Presidents appointment of Father Charles to the Integrity Commission, knowing fully well that this is someone who willfully committed a breach of academic ethics was not a mistake. It was a willful act on the part of the President as Father Charles himself said that the President indicated to him that 'it was no big thing'. A former university principal now president saying that plagiarism is no big thing is not a 'mistake'. As a matter of fact, that act of the President calls into question his own integrity. If Mr. Maharaj sees this as no reason for Mr. Richards to resign then this would mean that plagiarism is also no big thing for Mr. Maharaj. I would then have to check myself when reading Mr. Maharaj's weekly columns in the newspaper, need I say more? Then there is the issue of the appointment of Mr. McFarlane whom the President introduced as holding positions on several state boards. The President was aware of Mr. MacFarlane's state board positions, and if it is as the President indicated it is his 'prerogative' to appoint members of the Integrity Commission then shouldn't the President familiarize himself with the contents of the legislation which grants him the authority to do such? This again cannot be described as a mistake, it was a dereliction of duty on the part of the President.

Mr. Maharaj confuses me most when he says that the Law Association should focus on the cost over runs and procurement breaches. Doesn't Mr. Maharaj realize that the Integrity Commission is in fact one of the Institutions that would be involved in any investigation concerning the misappropriation of funds in any of these large projects? And if the Integrity Commission is one of the Institutions that guards the public purse then shouldn't it's commissioners be men of standing, men of integrity? If Father Charles can claim he committed his acts of plagiarism because of time constraints, what would time constraints cause him to do in his capacity as an Integrity Commission Mr. Maharaj? And for someone who has fought against victimization by the current ruling government how can Mr. Maharaj say that the appointment of someone to the Integrity Commission, who sits on three state boards and who is a direct employee of the state is no reason for the President to resign because it's a mistake? Mr. McFarlane is Calder Hart's employee, can Mr. McFarlene then without prejudice adjudicate on any matter that comes before him concerning Mr. Calder Hart?

As someone who is the head of an organization that represents a significant section of our population, Mr. Maharaj needs to evaluate his positions very carefully, for like the President he may very well bring the organization which he represents into disrepute in the eyes of the civil minded citizens of this country. ©