President appointing ‘race’ committee ‘profoundly disturbed’ by ethnic rift

President George Maxwell Richards is so alarmed to hear claims of racial division in Trinidad and Tobago, that he will personally set up a President’s Committee to investigate. He disclosed this to Indian Arrival Day dinner held by the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha at its St Augustine headquarters on Thursday evening. President Richards said: “I am profoundly disturbed by commentators saying that the two major ethnic groups are more polarised than ever.” Saying there was much work to be done to investigate these claims, he announced that he would soon be appointing a President’s Committee which would research the question and then systematically present its findings to the country in 12 months time. He said any local ethnic tensions could be dispelled by understanding the history of the “arrivals.”The President asserted: “Many in the national community will be astounded by what they do not know about Indian arrival.” President Richards welcomed the fact this country contained diverse differences, but urged that on the major issues the whole county should be united.