TT I’M SORRY

In a segment of the show, which was aired on CNN last Sunday, Bourdain sat down with the Sabga-Aboud family at their home in Bayshore, Westmoorings where he was told by (Mario) Sabga-Aboud that while the Syrian/Lebanese community is the smallest ethnic group in the country, it is the most powerful.

In a statement addressed to his ‘fellow citizens’, Sabga-Aboud yesterday described his words as “careless” as he ended up misrepresenting himself and his values.

“I have never taken for granted the blessing to be a born and bred Trinbagonian.

I am and have always been humbled by the opportunities and support I have received in my over 30 years in business in TT. Over these many years, I have met with many people across the wider society who in one way or another have positively impacted and enriched my life. This is testament to the amazing people of this country and as a Trinbagonian, I cherish that and I offer my deepest apologies to anyone whom I offended.” “I always treat with appreciation, love and respect the members of my staff, many of whom are like my family because they have been with me for over 25 and 30 years and are fundamentally the reason for my accomplishments.

This was a regrettable moment where my excitement led me to misrepresent myself as boastful instead of proud. Though I cannot retract my words, I hope that you all recognise my remorse and accept my sincere apology,” he said.

At that same dinner, businessman Peter George told Bourdain that one measure of concern they had is that at one time there used to be a huge middle class, which he said, was a sort of a security or buffer for any possible conflict between, ‘the haves and the have nots.’ “But now that’s eroding and they are getting poorer, so they started to get angry,” George said.

It was these statements which caused an uproar among citizens with many taking to social media to express their anger.

One man even held a protest yesterday in front of Rituals, a business owned by Sabga- Aboud on Maraval Road. Ian Smart called on citizens to boycott the business following Sabga-Aboud’s statements aired for all the world to hear on Bourdain’s programme.

Former Arima Mayor Ghassan Youseph, in a Facebook post, said there was a bit of “showing off” in that segment with the Sabga-Abouds and he felt that apologies were in order. “The way they said what they said is a disservice to the rest of us,” Youseph said. He added though that people need to be careful not to target a community of 5,000 in a country of 1.3 million.

Downtown Owners and Merchants Association (DOMA) President Gregory Aboud also joined in the discussion saying what was said did not represent anything his parents and grandparents taught him. “We share space in our country with many others and true power is the recognition of the rights and needs of everyone else. Being proud of our accomplishments need not be accompanied by boasts of power especially in an environment where so much suspicion and innuendo exists,” Aboud said.

Poet and artiste Muhammed Muwakil, who was also featured in the show, said the comments kept him awake. “The man spoke his truth, he spoke plainly...but I was really taken aback by his description of the middle class as, ‘a security’. I say to you sir that where I come from we have not a moment for anything other than love itself. So let this meet you with such dispensation.

“I want you to know that it is more than within your scope and ability to change the situations about which you lament.

And as you rise, so will we all. My hope is that you and others of your ilk recognize that you have as much a role to play as we, the powerful, in making this a safe country for all of us,” Muwakil said.

The show officially aired on Sunday on CNN, but citizens got an opportunity to watch it online a week early. A link from 13th Street Promotions to the 42-minute production appeared on Facebook on June 20 and quickly went viral. The video has had more than 500,000 views and more than 21,000 shares.

Bourdain who visited this country in January met with many people including choreographer La Shaun Prescott.

He spent time at Phase II’s panyard in Woodbrook with its arranger Len ‘Boogsie’ Sharpe and pan historian Kim Johnson.

Bourdain also met with the former TT High Commissioner to India Chandradath Singh and his family at Caura River as well as Calypso Queen of the World, Calypso Rose (McCartha Linda Sandy- Lewis)