T&T needs to embrace Prime Minister Rowley's appeal

Thursday, September 17, 2015, Source

An indication of the difficult task facing Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley in ending race-based politics in Trinidad and Tobago emerged this week when racial comments against him were posted on social media.

It is natural that after an election, particularly if the contest was bruising, supporters of the losing party, or parties, will feel some amount of disappointment. Some people are unable to cope with that kind of loss and, as a result, they can be most vitriolic in their comments.

However, there is no place for the nastiness that was spewed at Prime Minister Rowley, some of which, we are told, was posted on the website of the United National Congress (UNC).

The leader of the UNC, Mrs Kamla Persad-Bissessar, whom Dr Rowley has now replaced as chief executive, has said the comments were unauthorised and, in fact, would never be authorised by the party.

We don't doubt Mrs Persad-Bissessar, for we are confident that the UNC leadership would not stoop to that level of depravity.

Prime Minister Rowley has, we believe, responded to the attack in a most mature and civil manner, telling journalists that, while having not seen the comments, he had more important matters to deal with, including the delivery of a national budget before the end of this month.

We are also encouraged by the response of other politicians and religious leaders who have described the attacks as unacceptable.

We share the view of Mr Prakash Ramadhar, the leader of the Congress of the People, that Trinidad and Tobago should not allow any space for such divisive and hateful messages to be spread in the country's national conversation and thinking, whether it is fuelled by sentiments based on winning or losing elections.

Mr Ramadhar, a former legal affairs minister, also stated that regardless of who is in power, the country must not allow the bitterness that is evident among a few to infect the youth and future generations.

We couldn't agree more, because, although Dr Rowley is head of one political party, he is now prime minister of every citizen of Trinidad and Tobago, regardless of whom they voted for in the general election.

Indeed, Prime Minister Rowley signalled that he was well aware of his responsibility when, immediately after his party triumphed in the general election of Monday, he said: "We are all in this together... and while we form the Government, you of the UNC will form the Opposition, but we all expect you to act as a part of the Government because your responsibility is awesome. If we accept that we are all in this together, then all of us will come out of our difficulty together."

That is an appeal that all Trinidadians and Tobagonians should welcome and embrace.