Abandon racial politics once and for all

THE EDITOR: As the nation staggers through round after round of racial brawling, we should not forget that national disunity continues because of the broken promises of the “Father of the Nation,” the Rt Hon Patrick A Manning. The colonial “divide and rule” policies planted negative stereotypes in the minds of the two main races, and post-independence politicians have continued to exploit the divide. The NAR and UNC both wasted their chances to abandon racial politics once and for all. The last and best chance for unity, though, was cynically discarded by Mr Manning.

After the defeat of the UNC in 2002, many Indo-Trinis felt let down by both Panday and Ramesh. Many were heartened by Mr Manning’s promise that “Indians had nothing to fear.” They hoped that Mr Manning was big enough to walk away from the racial politics that had put him in power and welcome Indo-Trinis into the national community as equals.

RAVINDRA SOOKLAL
Cunaripo