Akash Samaroo
Government Senator Renuka Sagramsingh-Sooklal vehemently defended the People’s National Movement’s racial diversity. She also accused the Opposition of only purporting to be the champions of people of East Indian descent when in reality the PNM has more talent amongst that ethnic group.
Draped in Indian wear in the Upper House yesterday, Sagramsingh-Sooklal took issue with a comment that was made the day prior by Opposition Senator Jearlean John.
John on Tuesday inferred that the PNM’s base support will reject Stuart Young as political leader because he is seen as an “elite.”
Going on the offensive Sagramsingh-Sooklal said, “it seems that if you belong to another race, that is not the base of the PNM that you don’t have a chance to lead this party.”
Referring to the PNM’s recently held General Council meeting Sagramsingh-Sooklal said she is willing to break the confidence of that meeting to set the record straight.
“Whoever their informer should have pusur and told them is that our political leader reminded us that the PNM is a movement of all people for the people of T&T. So, he does not just mount a political platform and speak about unity, our political leader in behind the closed doors of his home which is inside Balisier House he will speak to us about the PNM having a place for every single citizen,” she declared in the Senate.
Standing next to Senator Richie Sookhai Sagramsingh-Sooklal added, “I am a representative that there is a place for east Indian Hindu young women in the PNM. Senator Richie Sookhai is an indicator that there is a place for bright young Hindu men in the PNM. Avinash Singh, don’t talk about our bright boy Vyash Nandlal.”
Senator Sagramsingh-Sooklal argued that the UNC purports to be the “premier East Indian party of Trinidad and Tobago” to appeal to their base support.
However, she said they seem to lack talent in that ethnic group.
“Every time there is the absence of a senator, poor Uncle Tim (Gopeesingh) they have to call him back to come and represent from retirement,” she said to the laughter of her colleagues.
Sagramsingh-Sooklal said that is not a problem for the PNM which has a wealth of talent from people of Indo-Trinidadian descent.
“If today or tomorrow I am to leave this office for whatever reason trust me when I say it have a hundred bright young Indian people lined up waiting to come and defend the PNM,” she loudly declared to tumultuous desk thumping.
Sagramsingh-Sooklal added that the PNM is also very clear about who its political leader is.
“For those who are asking who our leader is, Dr the Honourable Keith Christopher Rowley, who will make sure every citizen is taken care of,” she said to the Opposition bench which asked that question on Tuesday.
Opposition Senator David Nakhid responded to Sagramsingh-Sooklal.
“Who cares if it’s an East Indian follow you, if it’s a Chinese, Portugese or Lebanese, who cares? If all of you all could make vacuous contributions like you all had, who cares?” Nakhid added.
Meanwhile, UNC deputy leader Dr Roodal Moonilal told Guardian Media that Senator Sagramsingh-Sooklal’s comments were childish.
“I find those observations very infantile in the context of the real problems facing this country where people dressed in school uniforms robbed a shop last evening, a police officer was gunned down. So I think those issues the lady senator raised pale in comparison to the crime, joblessness, poverty and the collapse of health care,” he said.
Moonilal, however, added that while the PNM boasts of diversity in the Upper House, it’s another story in the House of Representatives.
“By the same token in the lower elected House the closest the PNM has to a Hindu MP is Mr (Faris) Al-Rawi, they do not have a Hindu member of the Lower House,” he said.
He added the description of Stuart Young as an “elite” has to do with his attitude and not his race.
And Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar said the UNC was a “national party”. She added, “Persons are selected according to competence. It is not about race.”
But political analyst Derek Ramsamooj admonished both parties for continuing to perpetuate the race rhetoric.
“With the young Gen Z voters, you need representatives who are passionate and committed to building a future for T&T. Our political parties must evolve in their structure to meet the needs of our society. This is not a question of Indian or African heritage, this is a question of being committed and capable and having the public trust. That should be your motivator. Not the political rhetoric of decades gone by,” he argued.
The political analyst said it is a shame that younger politicians are aspiring to “pre-independence political thinking.”