UNC condemns PNM attack on Baptist community

THE United National Congress (UNC) has condemned what it describes as an assault on the Spiritual Shouter Baptist community by the Keith Rowley-led Opposition.

A release issued Tuesday roundly condemned the position of the Opposition over its statement that “the United National Congress (UNC) temporary Senator Barbara Gray Burke was reckless and outrageous for saying that the PNM never gave the Baptist faith anything’.”

The Opposition statement described the construction of schools for the Spiritual Shouter Baptist community as “political favours”.

The UNC, however, condemned the Rowley-led Opposition, calling their claims against Burke and the Baptist community “an insult they started in Government and are now continuing in Opposition.”

“The statement is appalling; it is tantamount to accusing the Spiritual Shouter Baptist community of being bought, rather than recognizing that the community is finally achieving a long-held desire for education institutions for their children.”

The UNC further stated: “It was Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar who advocated for these schools for the Spiritual Shouter Baptist community and delivered the schools after the previous Government spent almost a decade ignoring these simple requests. The land for the school was allocated in the year 2000 by the then Prime Minister Basdeo Panday, but the previous Government bluntly refused to build schools for the Spiritual Shouter Baptist community, which is why construction started immediately as the Prime Minister came to office.”

“The Prime Minister has led an unprecedented advance of education at all levels and has ensured there is equity for all stakeholders and interest groups, ending years of neglect and outright discrimination of children of rural communities by the previous Government.”

The UNC added: “It is the Persad-Bissessar Government that has built more than 83 schools in just four years, including the only Shouter Baptist Primary School and Early Childhood Care and Education Centre. And it was this Government that finally delivered the Biche High School which the previous Government denied children for almost a decade.”

“In fact it is the Persad-Bissessar administration that has built schools for other denominations as well, including the Pentecostal and Hindu communities. Had the Rowley-led Opposition truly dedicated time and resources to education, there would not have been the need to build so many schools across Trinidad & Tobago.”

—

For further information please contact: Rodney Charles, PRO/Campaign Chair
Phone: (868) 322-1766 – email: rod_char@hotmail.com