Worst to come for Indo-Trinis

THE WORST is yet to come for the Indo-Trinidad community in Trinidad and Tobago, according to Couva South MP Kelvin Ramnath. He made this gloomy prediction in his feature address at the formal launch of the Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin’s (GOPIO) National Awards Programme at the Divali Nagar Site, on Monday night. The Opposition Parliamentarian claimed that a group of people in the country was “using  power, reach and contacts in the various sectors of the economy  to control almost every area of lucrative activity  as they do not wish to have an Indian-supported Government in power.” “If we as a united group of businessmen, intellectuals, theologians  and other professionals do not understand the threat we face, we will have no one but ourselves to blame for what is to come.

“The worst is yet to come with the massive windfall gains due to buoyant oil prices that will swell the Treasury beyond its seams, because as you know this year’s Budget was based on an oil price of $25 per barrrel. “What that spending spree will be like, and who will benefit from that windfall is clear to see if we are to judge by the kind of profligate spending already being done and the amount of taxpayers’ dollars missing from where they ought to be.” Ramnath urged on Indian entrepreneurs “to strive and level the playing field  affording a fair opportunity for all who wish to participate in the various sectors of the economy.” Ramnath said newspaper headlines in recent years, such as “The ULF Grab for Power,”  “The Indianisation of the Government,”  and “Chutney Rising,”   were sufficient “to upset and excite the population, keeping the Indians under constant suspicion by other segments of the society.”

Ramnath said there were some in the country who felt “they have a God-given right to rule and to control the commanding heights of the economy but all of us have contributed to national development and there is sufficient pie for all of us to go around.” He referred to the last population census which showed that East Indians are now in the majority  in the country. However, he warned “that can be reduced politically by the manipulation of electoral boundaries as well as the use of Government’s funding for housing to plant supporters and change the demographics.” Ramnath said he was disappointed that the country’s Indian intellectuals did not raise their voice “when the lights were taken out of Caroni (1975) Limited and 9,000 workers were sent on the breadline.” The UNC MP commended the GOPIO’s launch of its own national awards, saying it was “propitious  as the Indian population has been significantly under-represented” in the Independence Day National Awards. “What GOPIO has done is to move in a timely fashion on a matter of public concern taking issues into its own hands to resolve matters within the framework of the law of our land,” Ramnath said.