Sharma supports GOPIO National Awards

FYZABAD MP Chand-resh Sharma accused the Patrick Manning Admin-istration of being racist and acknowledged that he is in full support of the Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) National Awards. Speaking with Sunday Newsday yesterday, Sharma noted that he was in full support of the Indian awards because, “Over the years and more recent times the PNM Government has been demonstrating the highest levels of discrimination, tokenism and racism in same awards, meaning the Indepen-dence Awards.

“In fact the People’s National Movement goes beyond the awards, the awards to the selection of CEPEP contractors, when one looks at the employment practices in state bodies, for example, TTEC, WASA and Petrotrin, to whom I refer to as Petro Jones, it is a clear find that the national community of Trinidad and Tobago cannot feel what the National Anthem wants us, as citizens, to feel and experience — Every Creed and Race Find an Equal Place.” Sharma said that GOPIO must be congratulated and encouraged for its very brave and timely move to host Gopio National Awards on Monday night at the Divali Nagar, Chagua-nas. “This is largely because the PNM Administration must be forced to recognise that Trinidad and Tobago is a rainbow country and all matters, which the State must host must reflect the same,” he said.