161 YEARS LATER

Since 1995, May 30 has been celebrated as a national holiday in this country to mark that arrival after I had successfully moved a motion to that effect in the House of Representatives. I recall that about six years ago the Guyanese Home Ministry, which is responsible for the declaration of public holidays in that country, requested a copy of my Hansard contributions in the debate in the Parliament here which I duly provided. Apparently persuaded by the cogency of my arguments which were equally applicable to Guyana, the Government there declared a year ago that May 5 be celebrated as a national holiday in commemoration of that historic occasion.

The official national significance accorded to May 30 in this country and May 5 in Guyana is indeed welcome. It acknowledges and recognises the presence of this substantial sector of the populations in both countries of East Indian descent and the circumstances under which they came to the Caribbean.

While it is a symbolic gesture, symbolism is an important ingredient in the consciousness of a people. The task now is to go beyond symbolism in both societies and develop a culture and ethos and establish the institutions which would foster respect, acceptance, equality, justice, freedom from fear and a sense of security and belonging for the descendents of the indentured. But that goal remains a distant aspiration for this latter group and, if it is to be achieved at all, it must be done through inflexible determination, robust endeavour and focused struggle. There is need for sober and realistic reflection.

The history of the people of East Indian descent in this part of the diaspora has not been a happy one. In Guyana, state sponsored violence and oppression had been unleashed against them in the 1960’s and continued for three decades as Caribbean countries turned a blind eye to their plight. Person and property were under constant threat such that the exodus of Indo-Guyanese became a flood. As a result today only 43 percent of Guyanese are of East Indian descent compared to 55 percent in the 1960’s. And while free elections have been held, democracy restored to Guyana and an Indo Guyanese dominated government is in office, the situation of Indo Guyanese remains highly problematic. Planned violence against them has been perpetrated by numerous gangs on a regular basis and the protective services overwhelmingly Afro Guyanese in composition remain inert and indifferent. There is a palpable air of insecurity, anxiety and fear which has enveloped the Indo Guyanese population and the future seems uncertain, if not, ominous.

In Trinidad and Tobago, the situation of citizens of East Indian descent is hardly any different. There is a huge gap between the aspiration enshrined in the Constitution that every creed and race shall find an equal place and the current reality of the Indo-Trinidadian existence. This column does not wish to be alarmist but Indo Trinidadians have adopted a siege mentality and feel threatened and targeted as a group by uncontrollable crime, violence, banditry and an oppressive state machinery.

They have long accepted that there will be discrimination against them in the availability of employment opportunities or advancement in the public service, statutory authorities and state enterprises. In many instances Afro Trinidadians of lower qualifications are favoured by the Service Commissions and there has been regular complaints by Indo Trinidadians who have felt aggrieved. The same trend is observed in the selection of foreign service officers, recruitment into the Police Service and denial of promotion for deserving Indo Trinidadian officers.

Prime Minister Manning made it abundantly clear a few years ago that his biggest mistake in office was his perceived failure to look after his party supporters which means by and large, Afro Trinidadians. It is a mistake which he vowed never to repeat again.

The effect was to institutionalise discrimination against Indo Trini-dadians in favour of Afro Trinidadians.

Mr Manning has used his considerable veto powers under the Consti-tution to debar Indo Trinidadians from appointment or confirmation as Permanent Secretaries, Heads of Department, Chief Technical Officers and other positions. Many of these decisions have been challenged in the Courts.

The discrimination against Indo Trinidadian interests have also extended to the cultural and religious sphere. An application by the Maha Sabha for a radio licence has been denied while an Afro dominated organisation sympathetic to the PNM has been granted a licence post haste. A Carnival Theatre and two Centres for the Performing Arts primarily for the use and benefit of Afro Trinidadians are being proposed but a request for the establishment of an Indian Cultural Centre receives no support. In terms of facilities for recreation and sports, the PNM Government’s proposals in the last Budget has almost exclusively focused on Afro Trinidadian areas of residence. The list could go on but the pattern of discrimination is patent and well-established.

Many have commented that the Afro dominated administration seems bent on promoting an agenda “to lick up every Indian in this country.” It has moved from mere discrimination against Indo Trinidadians in employment, housing, state-scholarships, provision of facilities and amenities etc to another level which is the deliberate profiling of them. Firstly it is purveyed to the PNM’s supporters and the wider community that Indo Trinidadians cannot be trusted to behave properly in high office. Secondly that Indo Trinidadians are “ethically challenged”, inherently corrupt and will seek every opportunity to advance their own fortunes. Thirdly there is a presumption that Indo Trinidadians are more likely to transgress the law and thus have to be more closely monitored especially with regard to the trade in illegal goods whether drugs or other items. Thus Indo Trinidadians are seen by agents of the Afro dominated state as legitimate targets for special attention, harassment and humiliation. My own experience with the security officers of the so-called national airline BWIA will be reserved for another column.