UNC congratulates Minister Tewarie on swift and decisive action
The United National Congress takes this opportunity to congratulate Planning Minister Dr Bhoe Tewarie for the swift and decisive manner in which he acted in firing with immediate effect Jaishima Leladharsingh from the Board of the Chaguaramas Development Authority.
The firing comes in the wake of an abominable racist online rant allegedly made last year by the CDA Board member. Those statements have no place in the UNC and the party condemns them utterly.
By acting so decisively, Minister Tewarie has lived up to, and acted in accordance with the highest principles of our party, which recognizes that all citizens in our multi-ethnic society must be treated with utmost dignity and respect and there must be no compromise whatsoever on this principle.
The party therefore fully supports Dr Tewarie in his view that divisive statements like those allegedly attributed to Mr. Leladharsingh “would not be tolerated under any circumstances” either in the UNC or in the People’s Partnership government.
Dr. Tewarie’s decisiveness, like those of our leader Mrs. Kamla Persad Bissessar when confronted with malfeasance in her government, stands in stark contrast to that of Dr Rowley who when confronted with similar reprehensive, racist and divisive comments made regarding the “Calcutta Ship” took no significant action to condemn them. In fact his first reaction to it was to praise the speaker as a role model for the youth of Tobago.
It will be recalled that in the last THA election Mr. Hilton Sandy stated on a PNM platform that voters should be concerned about fellow citizens whom he referred to as coming on the “Calcutta Ship” to take their properties. “To date Dr Rowley has not, in our view, convincingly and decisively condemned those remarks” Rodney Charles, PRO of the UNC said Wednesday.
Dr. Rowley spoke after Mr. Sandy’s repulsive racist statement on the political platform and told the audience, ”Send him back to the THA…Let him bring his experience to guide the youngsters who would put him there.” We note that Mr. Sandy was subsequently employed by the PNM led THA.
Once the UNC is confronted with divisive and racists comments, we condemn them immediately, publicly and decisively. The PNM, on the other hand, has a history of turning a blind eye to divisive comments made by its members whether it be Eric Williams’ “recalcitrant minority” made years ago or today’s PNM talk show hosts, bloggers and calypsonians.
The UNC also wishes to state that our party does not have any paid bloggers as alleged by a daily newspaper. “We have a constitution and party office holders and it is mischievous to seek to align any blogger with the UNC,” Charles said.
We challenge Dr Rowley to join with us, and our Political Leader, in building a society of which generations of citizens, including those yet unborn, can be justly proud.
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For further information please contact: Rodney Charles, PRO/Campaign Chair
Phone: (868) 322-1766 – email: rod_char@hotmail.com