By Linda E. Edwards
November 14, 2006
According to headlines in the major dailies, and substantiated in the accompanying articles of Nov.12, 2006; people of Indo-Trinidadian descent are besieging the visiting Vice-president of India for relief from the discrimination suffered daily in Trinidad and Tobago at the hands of the Afro-Caribbean and other people. This letter is in response to those pleas.
To: Her Excellency Bhairoon Singh Shekhawat
Vice President of India
Government of India:
Madame:
On your return to India, please request of your Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, that he dispatch Indian passenger ships, (with Indian Navy escorts to prevent piracy in the Indian Ocean) to Trinidad and Tobago to offer immediate repatriation to all “Indians” who are not Trinidadians, and who have suffered in this country as a beleaguered minority for more than one hundred and fifty years. It would of course be necessary for the Navy ships to wait outside the territorial limits of Trinidad and Tobago’s waters (12 miles) which means they cannot come into the Gulf of Paria, but could wait off the North Coast. It would also be necessary to seek the permission of the Colossus to the North, who calls itself the world’s greatest democracy, never mind that more Indians vote freely in elections than their entire population. This colossus regards the Caribbean Sea as its private lake, so if permission is not sought for the Navy Escorts, their being in the Caribbean could be seen as a hostile act, with bad consequences, if shooting starts, for all the innocent people who have never done India or that other Big Power any harm.
It will not be necessary to evacuate every Indo-Trinidadian. Some have integrated into the society. We had one who recently passed on, The late Excellency Noor Hassanali who was the president of the republic for five years. His wife will most likely stay, but you should ask her. All the others who claim to be “Indian” and not Trinidadian or Tobagonian, should be evacuated to their original villages, if they have a record of where they came from. Many could be settled in Kerala which is still mostly agricultural, and which has had a long contact with Christianity, but those who are most hostile to faiths other than Hindutva should be settled, at the pleasure of the government in those underpopulated central parts of the Deccan. The major cities of Mumbai and others may be too crowded already, and immigrants do not usually do well in big cities. They are likelier, from my studies, to do better in small towns and rural areas.
For more than one hundred and fifty years, these people have lived in Trinidad and Tobago, and reached the highest level of achievement that any can reach- in the Arts- the Nobel Prize For Literature, 2001; in the judiciary- Chief Justice of the High Court, in Business – now beleaguered criminals some of them, and politics- leader of the Opposition and Prime Minister. Despite this, they are a discontented people, forever trying to invite foreign governments- like yours, to interfere in the politics of Trinidad and Tobago, and have harmed the country internationally.
Specifics: About twenty years ago, Trinidad and Tobago enjoyed great relations with Canada. Trinbagonians could migrate there easily, and prosper. That was until a few Indo-Trinis went there on visitors’ visas and claimed to be refugees fleeing persecution.
At first, the Government of Canada “rescued” them, gave then the statutory allowance for refugees and helped them resettle When word got back to TnT that they were given living allowances and housing, a flood of “Indians” from TnT besieged Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal, as well as Vancouver. This forced the Government of Canada to revise its policy of immigration from Trinidad. Now the line waiting for visas to visit relatives in Canada is almost as long as the one outside the American Embassy- where they stand in the sun for hours like cattle waiting to be herded somewhere, in a line reaching around the block. Trinidadians of other descents went to Canada and integrated into the society, becoming educators at all three level, engineers, businessmen, actors. Some “Indians” from Trinidad and Tobago did not integrate but kept their wife murdering and drug dealing ways, increasing the crime rate exponentially in Canada’s major cities. Although the Government of Canada does not generally keep statistics based on race or country of origin, it should be easy for your computer whiz kids to gather the information to back what I say.
Recently, some Indian businessmen were treated badly on an international flight, for being loud and drunk. Dutch officials explained that they thought they were from Trinidad. That says it all!
Every time an Indian official visits Trinidad and Tobago, The “Indians” in Trinidad redefine themselves as a separate people from the “others”. I first saw this phenomenon in the 1960’s when your late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi visited Trinidad. While no one faulted the waving of Indian flags, we had waved enough British flags when out colonial masters came visiting, including on honeymoon trips, many “other” Trinidadians were disturbed at the attitude of separateness that the “Indians” of Trinidad showed. This has been repeated with each visit of an Indian dignitary, including various swamis and religious teachers. Afro-Trinidadiand do not do this when presidents of African republics come visiting. News coverage of the visits of Thabo Mbeki of South Africa and Olusegun Abasanjo of Nigeria could prove this. Racial slurs and ridicule were offered to the Most Rev. Desmond Tutu of South Africa, when he came visiting in 1987. His name was compared to an Indian word for shit, by some amused “Indians”. No radio report can claim that any swami or guru was offered such insults by “other” Trinbagonians.
Whenever someone in Trinidad and Tobago of Indian ancestry commits a crime, the race card is raised to try to affect the course of justice. This is true even in cases of wife murder, which is prevalent in that community. You may be aware since your government doubtless monitors such things, that the former Chief Justice is accused of trying to pervert the course of justice by interfering in matters that were to appear before magistrates and junior judges who report to him. That matter has now reached the Privy Council of England, where these former colonials believe they could get justice, above the justice of Trinidad and Tobago. India is a republic within the British Commonwealth. Do all of your big cases go to the British Privy Council also, or is it that the “Indians” in Trinidad and Tobago cannot bear to be adjudged by someone who is not Indian unless that person is a White Massa from our colonial past? Had these been citizens of India, would not your government regard them as being disloyal to the state and thus guilty of possibly traitorous conduct?
You may well ask, Madame, what the government and people of Trinidad and Tobago done to ameliorate the conditions of the former indentures?
I invite you to look at our calendar of national holidays. You would see three devoted to Indian celebrations, Divali, Eid Ul Fitr and Indian Arrival Day. I invite you to examine our schools that are not “Indian” schools, and you would see Indian children integrated into all of them. The reverse is not true of other children attending “Indian” schools. There are a few. You should interview some of them before sending those ships.
A sports team is appointed: The Soca Warriors- no “Indian” complains, soccer is not their thing, cricket is. The team goes to the world cup, and without winning a single goal distinguishes itself for our country and are given a monetary reward. Immediately the complaining starts that there are no Indians on the team. Immediately questions are asked why not give it to cricketers too? Our internationally recognized white artistes and sportsmen, also begin questioning and agitating, where once there was peace.
Our highest national award was removed from consideration this year, based on a lawsuit filed by “Indians” that it was a Christian award designed to promote the Christian religion. The award was instituted at Independence based on the name of the country. This year, we gave no awards.
Serious minded and concerned Trinidad and Tobago Citizens are coming to the conclusion that there is no abiding these people. They will not be satisfied, no matter what. Many have never integrated into the society, and never will and apparently are proud of that.
Now we are all a nation of immigrants, all brought there under inhumane conditions by the former British Raj, but some wear they complaints on their sleeves, as the beggars at the temple doors who hold up their scars for the world to see.
It is time Trinidad and Tobago forges ahead building one society on the prosperity of our oil and gas finds, the education of our people and our respect for international law. It is time we build one society that lives up to our national anthem- “Every Creed and Race Finds an Equal Place; and May God Bless Our Nation” and to our motto: Discipline, Production and Tolerance. This tolerance should not be extended to those who make traitorous statements to foreign governments and so damage our democracy.
So Madame, I plead with you, send ships to reverse the journey across the Kali Pani. Take the Indians home to their ancestral villages, and leave the Trinbagonians to enjoy a multi-racial society in the Southern Caribbean that we boast of as being a model of all people dwelling together in unity. They could be asked to draw up their own list. Remember Uganda and Kenya? Nothing was learned apparently, by the “Indians” who were living there either.
This letter has been years in the making, and I do not ask this of you lightly. I do not represent any government office, nor party. I am simply an educated Trinbagonian who has come to the sad realization that in some societies, divorce papers for ethnic groups are a necessity. Years ago, I came to the same realization in my personal life, and took the necessary steps.
Please launch Operation Rescue for all the “Indians” in Trinidad and Tobago at once. They are not going to Canada, the US or Britain, they are to be repatriated “Home” to India. All Trinbagonians will thank you. I thank you in advance.
Yours sincerely,
Linda E. Edwards
Nov. 12, 2006
Boy Mawtawmar, you look like you make the most sense when you falling asleep. That is not to say that I agree 100% with you. You make many points that I had to sift through to understand what you saying. One thing you said is to basically put the shoe on the other foot. And yes, I agree, if african nationalists (don’t know if there’s such a thing because there is no country called Africa) were complainin the way these people are, how I would feel. Boy I one better you on that and I say, if I was afto-trini how I would feel right now. And to tell you, I would be pissed. Especially if I never knowingly do anything to offend/persecute indo-trinis. I know that is how some of my friends must feel. THey too polite to tell me anything but I know. And I said it before, I agree, the request was out of place.
You say I keep jumping around but you miss the point of me drawing on all these examples. But like you and Edwards only want to say that is all ah we indian doing this. Sure, Edwards say only the ones who don’t want to integrate but by her language, she referring not just to those.
Yes, I also agree that by nature indians like to keep seperate. But really, you can’t say the ecopnomy and social structure of the county is jepordized by people holding onto their religion, language, food, clothes etc.
Boy everybody in Triidad does complain and feel victimized. Look at the baptists. So much people does make fun of them up to recently, they were thrown out of a hotel for no reason. Now, as a afro-Trini, you would see that as victimization easily but not so easily for an indo-trini to see it because it does not affact him. Same way, indo-trinis see victimization from people like say for e.g. Cro Cro and Abu Bakr. Afro-trinis may not see it so easily because they are not directly affected.
Now it have the other end of the spectrum, men like Salwyn Cudjo who claim that indo-trini teachers don’t teach afro-trini children good in school. In this very blog, there is a guy (A. Hotep I think) who says that doctors encourage afro-trini women to tie their tubes as a sinester means of cutting the african population in Trinidad. (see the Story on the quadruplets). It also have people like Gopio who go and do stupidness like this. THen it have people like Sat Maraj who was actually victimized with the radio licence issue but because he himself victimize other people in the past by his words, not too many people take him on.
Now what about people like HCU Harry? THe man keeping seperate…encouraging indian people to keep they money in one place but he also hires afro-trinis and gives loans to afro-trinis and does businees with them. He even invested in the nation’s only African inspires newspaper – the Uhuru. He contributed to the Ethiopian arc bishop’s visit. He doing that with plenty “indian” people money yuh know. This man (although I don’t like him personally) is an excellent examply of indians who seperate themselves to preserve their culture and yet integrate with the rest of society. But people like Edwards would consider him for the boat back to india.
I hope you see what I’m saying. Gopio is screwed up….it is an international org. but the Trini arm doesn’t know what the rest of the branches do i.e. primarily help with charity in India and provide consultation to world govt’s and legal advice. The Trin arm seems a bit militant. Again gopio doen;t speak for all indians the same wqay the National empowerment (i can;t rememeber the full name) of African People does not speak for all afro trinis. And it’s only when both sides stop this finger pointing and tit-for-tat will the troubles end. Please don’t get vex with indo-trinis for what you call seperating themselves….that “seperating” as you call it is how the indian community anywhere in the world helps each other and that is why in countries like France, UK, Canada, England, Hong Kong etc. indians are able to be successful in business and as professionals despite entering countries in some cases, with little to no money.
The KKK and other White racists used similar arguements raised by Linda Edwards to suggest that Blacks be repatriated to Africa during the Civil Rights movement in the United States. This was a time when Blacks in the US sought the support of African and other World leaders in their quest for equality .
If it is the perception of Indian political leaders in Trinidad that Indians are being discriminated against, then it is within their rights to complain to whomever they so desire.The people in Trinidad of whatever race know better!
It is better to ignore the grandstanding of politicans than to allow oneself to be embroiled in the what appear to be racist rantings of Ms. Edwards.
One should also realize that the Indian civilization and culture is one the oldest in the universe.Indians, no matter where they live in the world, perpetuate and demonstrate thousands of years of cultural conditioning.
So Ms. Edwards, chill out,and cool down, unless of course, you write to evoke the responses which you succeeded in getting.
So, Maureen…where do we even start with you.
Other than the fact that u love to lie like crazy and ur extremely racist!.. so here’s the deal i am doing a paper on the cultural diversity in Trinidad and wat ur implying here is not helping my paper at all..currently Trinidad is known for the diversity etc. and wat u WANT is going completely against this.
So if you would do us all a favor and leave Trinidad alone oh forget Trinidad…just leave the world alone! You would make the world a better place by doing this!
thank you!
I find it interesting all the talk about “integration”. Everyone makes up the society regardless of their value systems or culture. There is no question about integration. Everybody does not have to fit to a single mould. The talk about integration may just be non-acceptance of a particular culture as being part of the society.
One more thing. There was no Aryan invasion, or invasion of any kind. Indian populations were indigenous as genetic and archaeological research shows (> 2Million years old). Aryan invasion theory is woefully outdated.
Linda what do you mean when you say integrate? What exactly is this culture Indians must integrate into? Indians, or any other ethnic or racial group, aren’t meant to integrate into this society. Trinidad is a new born nation, in the scheme of things we aren’t even a toddler society. Trinidad has yet to create a national culture. And the national culture we do create should reflect all the etnicities which comprise our country. Indians should not have to integrate! They should be part of the process of creating a national identity!
Quite frankly i find all of you quite petty. This discussion contributes nothing to national development. For people who claim to be educated you are all showing a propensity for basking in filthy ignorance.
Race is the trump card in the power play of politicians. Rise above the illusion and take control of your society, seek to create and build nationalism and a sense of identity instead of sinking your minds in this rubbish.
love
i am an Indo- Trinidadian male. I take pride in the fact that my ascendents were from India. My grandfather was one of the last immigrants from India. Trinidad and Tobago would not be the unique and beautiful place that it is without the contributions of all the ethnic groups which our population is comprised off. Trinidad has offered my race a beautiful opportunity for economic, cultural and national upliftment. Not to say that it cannot be achieved in one of our motherlands (India or Africa ) being the two prominent ones but Trinidad with its bountiful resources and beautiful people provided a unique opportunity. Hostile argument between races is counterproductive. There will always be a few bad eggs who will encourage stereotyping and xenophobia. Ms. Edwards and other bloggers(Irregardless of race), most of your comments are not inclusive and it defies the principles upon which our democracy is based. Maybe you could leave our beautiful island ( all irrational misguided bloggers) and go somewhere like Afghanistan or Zimbabwe where plurality is not accepted. Miss Edwards, you are only Trini by documentation, your stereotypical tendencies reveal that you are not Trini in your heart, because a true Trini of whatever race will not allow such hatred and intolerance to fester within their psyche.
Well I really don’t see any worth in this post, in my opinion it’s a reflection of the very people you are critical of. I somewhere recall you don’t reside in Trinidad, and if that is true. please tell me of what purpose is this waste of bandwidth. You write to India and Africa for…………….? There’s more Christian holidays in T&T than anything else. And the Protestants in the USA believe Afros are cursed. The sons of Ham.
Everywhere I go in T&T a black person asks, “Gimme a 2 dollars nah”. Who is committing the majority of hard crime? Just the other day they said they’re building an Afro only school in POS. Theres so much bigotry in this land, mainly from the elderly, on both sides.
Sat was denied a radio lic. while Lees Sing was granted one. Indo’s are the target of the vast majority of the kidnappings. Afro’s have run this country the majority of the time and look at the state it is in.I see you did not post a reply to my post in “Do not follow the U.S. prison system”.
With all that said, I will not post on this topic again, as it is worthless.
And Ma’am I am not an Indo, I just simply have not a bigoted bone in my body. Utter garbage, BASURA!!!
The author of this article seems to be either a funny chap or an ignorant one… I came across this article cos I was searching about Indians in Trinidad and Tobago because the west indian team is playing in India and had a few players whose name sounded like Indian names…so was a bit curious and the first article or link I got when searched for Indians in T&T was this…but I knew about T&T or atleast Jamaica (not sure how both are related though) maybe when I was 12 or 14 years or so cos of reggae music.. to which I was somehow attracted.
I could guarantee that the letter which was claimed to be given to the VP doesnt even exist, and I have a feeling that this article has been made with a malicious intent. I also believe that the author has heavily used her perceptions in writing this article rather than facts or figures. If you are a professional writer by some chance (I dont think so) then you are not fit for this job.
Being a Global ( I keep runnin around India, UK and US) Indian and maybe since I am from Kerala (since it was mentioned in the article) I think I need to correct some issues here …
1) Sonia Gandhi was elected as the prime minister but she voluntarily refused to accept the job and is the president of the ruling party in India
2) Someone (I think its the author) made a comment about Indians in/from India not accepting Indians from T&T… I think this info is utter crap… Indians are proud of their heritage and easily accepts or rather I should say without any second thoughts or naturally accepts other Indians or that matter of fact any south asians.
3) I should presume that like in Uganda and Fiji, though the Indians were a minority, the economy was in the hands of the Indians… this could be the same scenario in T&T. By the way steel baron mittal is an Indian who left uganda during the uprising and has ended up as the third richest person in the world… it just shows Indians have a natural inclinations towards business… and they are very successful as well.
4) Previosly or rather a long while back India had caste problems… but that was a part of our culture however… it is no longer there… atleast among the educated Indians… even religious tolerance is the best…. a sikh as our prime minister… a muslim as our president and a christian as the head of the ruling party… and I am a christian as well.
At some point in time I was planning for a carribean cruise… just to experience the culture… cos I am heavily into reggae music… but now might have rethoughts.. as an Indian Citizen… I should say that I would be more than happy to welcome my brethrens… back into their home lands… plus India is growing at a very fast pace…. and its here to stay…. the times when Indians used to migrate is fading off.. and now its reverse brain-drain….
I also should say that maybe outside T&T or countries where Indians and Afrikans stay together…. they tend to be best of mates… at least thats from my experience…
and a note to the author: its the 21st Century: Wake Up!!!
Ms. Edwards I totally agree with this article. These ‘Indians’ should be sent back to India and let the TRUE TRINIS remain. For too long now they have been using ‘race’ as an issue to get there way! It must stop! Although I am only 22 years old, what I have seen in my 8 years studying and working in the education system has convinced me that these ‘Indians’ have no respect for other Trinidadians. I attended a ‘prestige school’ in port of spain and I remember quite well, the discriminatory attitude of some of these inidan males who orginated from south of the caroni. Most of them spewed blatant ‘rascism talk’ from their mouths, clearly influenced by certain opposition leaders. Why should young people be engaging in such racial behaviour?
I even spoke to older Trinidadians of indian desent, and some them confessed that indians were never discriminated against, and it is only within recent times that this propoganda is being indoctrinated into people’s mind.
You are also spot on with the whole Soca warriors thing…! Take a look at the young footballers of Trinidad…the majority of them are of African descent who, train hard in the hopes of attaining a sport scholarship to go abroad! There is No racial discrimination in the composition of the football teams, it is simply a case of more afro Trinidadians turning to football as their avenue for success.
These ‘indians’ need to stop this foolishness….LEAVE!
today is the first day i’ve come across this web-page. very interesting topics.
i’m a white-trini (living in trini). while trinidad is economically forward, it is also plagued with crime at this time.
just a few issues….. who owns standards, hi-lo, ansa mcal, etc? who owns the restuarants? who owns the used-car lots, hardwares, trucks, etc? who occupies most space at the prisons?
please note – i am not racial, nor do i have a bias. i just look at the facts.
In the emerging world of internet comment on articles of interest, some readers seem to be of the view that if they say something, the author of the article on which they comment should say something in response. A kind of tit-for-tat or ping pong. I do ntot see that happening in the comment section of the US, UK or Middle Eastern papers I read, but that is what makes us a unique people.I do not subscribe to that view of tit for tat. When I have written a piece, and the editors of Trinicenter.com are free to publish or not, I make comments on the published piece if a reader seems genuinely to have misunderstood something that was said, and/or some further clarification is called for. There comes a time,however, when I believe that all that can be said on one topic, has already been said, and the discussion moves from one level, to the level of taking digs at others in a personal way. At that point, I am outa here. That point came to this article about fifteen comments ago. I maintain that position, and will continue to respect divergent views on any and every issue. Anyone wanting to keep this discussion, or discussion on any issue going on into eternity, is free to do so.I would be interested to see whether, as an election in TnT come closer to reality, what subjects would be revisited again and again, to throw heat rather than light on issues.
While everyone is arguing about their disagreements or agreements with Ms Linda Edwards, I wonder if any one of you would have had the intelligence to find out if there is any truth in the article. Isn’t it possible that like so many other journalists, Ms Edwards is just finding a way to ridicule East Indians.?
Do you remeber when the UNC was in power, almost every single media house and many of the calypsonians , in particular Cro Cro and Sugar Aloes found the most blatant way of bashing East Indians? Is Ms Edwards trying to recreate this once more.
There is one significant point though.When we have some much kidnappings and so much armed robberies, from which ethnic group does the majority of the victims come? Secondly, from which group does the majorty of criminals emerge? Why doesnt Ms Edwards investigate this and boldly publish her findings.
Abraham,
Right on bro! U mentioned Kerala, I’ve been to Trivandrum few times, Kovalum beach, the fishing….art work.. THE FOOD (suicide hot!), I’ve had S/Indian food in London and not even the hottest Vindaloo comes close!! once U get past the initial ‘heat’ ….absolutely da best.
I am South Asian, Hindu, Trini-born “1969-2nd-Waver”, I live in Toronto (greatest city in the world) you should visit here sometime, U name it we got it, Russian, Ukes, ALL-Asians, ALL-Latinos, every ethnic group U can think of, blows the mind, and if U like good food? man this is the place to be, especially during “Caravan Week”.
Caravan week = ethnicity showcase. Ethnic pavillions all over town, FOOD, arts, music….wanna visit Japan on the cheap? take in the Japanese Pavilion, Jamaica?….on and on.
I did a google search trying to locate someone who wrote articles for a local (Toronto) ethnic paper and came accross this site. My first visit here, WOW!! so much ammo in Ms Linda E’s posts also Dexter’s. I wish these posts were on Huffington Post or The Agenda (TVO Ontario), where I could really get my scalpel out.
OK people, I’ll do a cut and paste here hoping Ms Edwards and her think-alikes would expand their horizons a bit, ie change their LENSES to “WIDE-ANGLE” (I see: Tele-photo @ F-stop 5, instead of W/Angle @ F-stop Infinity).
Excerpt:
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………… for the benefit of those who MAY not be aware of Cdn multiculturalism here is an expansion of what I meant, well sort of, I won’t go into Charter of Rights etc.
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Bill Clinton Interview on CTV – Toronto Aug 2004 (During his Cdn book tour **VERBATIM**)
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I THINK CANADA IS A GOOD MODEL FOR WHERE THE 21ST CENTURY WORLD NEEDS TO GO.
I think both the Liberal and the Conservative policies in this country (Canada) are having a debate about the things they differ over, but they are then, WHAT I CONSIDER THE MAINSTREAM FUTURE OF THE WORLD.
CANADA HAS PROVED THAT YOU CAN BE A MODEL OF MULTI-CULTURALISM WHERE PEOPLE CAN GET TOGETHER, WORK TOGETHER AND LIVE TOGETHER ACROSS RELIGIOUS RACIAL AND ETHNIC LINES.
You can assimilate new immigrants without losing the fundamental character of your country.
YOU CAN BE A VERY OLD-FASHIONED FAMILY ORIENTED, WORK ORIENTED COUNTRY without discriminating against gays.
You can be a country willing to send your military around the world in defense of freedom and to stop genocide without in effect, ridiculing the UN but instead supporting it.
You can have a very pro-growth fiscal conservative policy, if both parties (Liberals and Conservatives) I take it, supporting the economic policy of a balanced budget, a surplus preparing for the baby-boom generation; a private sector led economic growth AND STILL BE COMPASSIONATE AND TRY TO PROVIDE HEALTH CARE TO EVERY BODY.
SO I THINK CANADA OFFERS A WHOLE HOST OF AREAS, A VERY GOOD MODEL FOR THE FUTURE and I think the debate in Canadian politics is actually a good model for the future.
In America the difference between the two parties are far more radical and they have greater consequences for our country (USA) and the world and when I left office about 66% of the people supported the direction I was taking………….
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Full (edited) Story at: http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1091762787771_87171987
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THE CANADIAN MULTICUTURAL MODEL
Here we have one of the (if not THE) most intelligent US presidents in the history of the USA singing the praises of the CANADIAN MULTICUTURAL MODEL. THE MESSAGE CLEARLY BEING,
THAT THE US ‘MELTING POT’ MODEL IS NOT FOR THE 21ST CENTURY WORLD.
Clinton has articulated elsewhere, about the strength in ‘diversity’ and the negatives facing the USA, with the Bush crowd trying to create images of itself around the world starting with Iraq.
SO TODAY, WE HAVE ONE OF THE SMARTEST PRESIDENTS IN THE HISTORY OF THE USA, praising the fruition of THE VISION OF ONE OF THE SMARTEST CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER’S ever to hold office –PIERRE TRUDEAU THE FATHER OF CANADIAN MULTICULTURALISM…..
HIS DREAM…..HIS VISION…..HE MADE IT HAPPEN.
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THE WORKING ‘MODEL’
When the Greeks hold their annual one week ‘bash’ on Danforth Ave in Toronto, people across ethnic lines participate, no one gives a hoot who attends or who doesn’t, or that only Greek food, music, etc. is being served up.
The Caribbean community has Caribana which is widely accepted despite shameful management and fiscal problems —not enough space here to cover the embarrassing details.
The Chinese, the Philippinos, the Ukrainians….you name ‘em… ALL do their own thing and no one says boo, not a single INtolerant voice is heard.
When South Asians hold their Miss South Asia Queen competition, no one says “hey how come you are having a South Asians only competition?”. South Asians are noted for hosting ‘awards’, be it the Tamil businessmen, S/Asian Professionals……, so many, it’s difficult to keep track. Mayors and MPs are invited, they give glowing speeches on the groups achievements and contribution to society, all ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY CELEBRATING DIVERSITY.
This is what multiculturalism is all about, the freedom to do your own thing (religion, culture…on and on). No one tries to hold a gun to your head spouting, you are less Canadian for doing so.
IT’S ABOUT ‘TOLERANCE’
The group forming the majority in this country does not try to ram it’s culture, religion, thinking…whatever, down the throat of any other group, the common theme being: THERE IS STRENGTH IN DIVERSITY, LET US ALL CELEBRATE IT. In Toronto if you go to ‘China town’ you’ll see bi-lingual (Chinese & English) road signs, in the Greek part of town, Greek & English….on and on.
No group ever participates in bad-mouthing or harassing another, this line of intolerance and disrespect is never crossed, the community at large and the authorities (Human Rights, Law enforcement etc) simply won’t tolerate it.
The mere fact that Caribana is given public funds year after year, despite their disgraceful performance (or lack of) should tell us something about tolerance. If public funds were not involved, we won’t even hear about Caribana’s woes in the mainstream media.
>
If I may expand a bit on TOLERANCE in a ‘True Multi-cultural society’ (one that really works).
Definition: “SOUTH ASIANS” – People of Indian Origin per Cdn Census Form under ethnic group (India,.Ceylon, T&T, Guyana, .Kenya…..etc.)
SOUTH ASIANS make up Some 300,000 plus of a total population of 30-33 Million Canadians that’s ONE PERCENT (1 %) of the population, and the Sikhs make up what 15-20% (rough guess) OK let’s bump that up to 50% (it’s not a show stopper).
The main POINT here IS: Turbans were NOT ALLOWED in the RCMP (Royal Cdn Mounted Police The TOP COPS of Canada like the US FBI),
So up comes this upstart Mr Singh making waves, he wanted to wear his turban, so what did the head honchos do? Kick him out? Force him to dump his turban? NO! THEY CHANGED THE RULES to allow him to wear his turban.
THEY CHANGED THE RULES TO SATISFY LESS THAN ONE HALF PERCENT (0.5%) OF THE POPULATION. Now if this is not ‘TOLERANCE’ I don’t know WHAT DA HELL IS!!
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In 1969 racism was alive and well in T&T, seems we have made very little progress if any since then, as a matter of fact after reading recent kidnapped victims stories in the TG, I see a “SICK AND SOUR T&T” please do NOT try to sell me the “SWEET T&T” crapola these do-nothing loafers on the tax-payers-payroll are trying to pedal us.
Snowman65
PS: You really DO NOT want to hear what I have to say about the Kidnapping issue, Especially INDO-TRINIS ,
I have addressed (elsewhere) a very feasible, comprehensive solution.
shiva ramsubagh is a typically prized idiotic t’dad indian.
Just WHO are indians going to conquer,huh? With China on their door-step, it isn’t going to be any time soon!!
As for Indians in India not intermarrying, what a lot of utter rubbish you speak. India is a most diverified place in geography, AND it’s people. Indians on the continient have mixed for thousands of years, YET remain INDIAN FULL-STOP. Many Bollywood film stars ARE mixed, some famous stars aren’t even INDIAN, one very famous actress of yesteryear is NOT Indian, but is ACCEPTED and is much loved.
Even the late Prime Minister, Indira Ghandhi’s grand children are mixed.
Besides, most Indians in India won’t even bother to cross the road to spit on the likes of you!!!!!
thats what i like about these forums, it give people an impersonal way not to bullshit and just say wat they feel.
So while i’m where let me make my testament. I’m a afro-trinbagonian(and i love it), 1st thing’s 1st please blackmen/women do not disrespect our indo-trini brothers(and sisters) not only are we closer to them than any negro in africa, our destinies are inescapably bound to theirs, as are theirs to ours. We blacks should know 1st hand the dispicable claws of rascism. Afro have 1 problem and Indo has another. Blacks peeps problem is that we have a self-manifested hatred 4 each other any everybody else, a natural distrust which was exploited and amplified doing the slave trade and colonial days. Indo man has a different problem!
I’ve have notice 1 or 2 peeps here bring up the world intergation, i humbling ask any indian to educate me in your culture so perphaps me,we, can understand the issue of integration and acceptance with black people, cause truthfully i do believe u have an issue with it. And i think some aspects of your culture(like caste system) is what perpetuated it? If i am out of place, then please accept my apology. I think indo-trini have help build our nation and we afros can learn alot from you. respect and 1 love
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter” Martin Luther King jr
i am an “indian from india” who considered herself a trinbagonian from the tender age of four until fourteen.
no this has nothing to agree with what the article is trying to convey. my viewpoint is more or less neutral.
i am from mumbai, india, but my family lived in trinidad from 1989 till 1999 because of my dad’s employment in mittal steel (formerly known as ispat).I spent my lovely childhood years in one of the most beautiful countries of the world. Considering its size, trinidad beats every nation in terms of talent, natural resources, climate, culture, food (i MISS the food!!!) and well – you name it. i have also lived in dubai, parts of india, and now canada. but there is no place like trinidad. it is extreme in both good and bad.
maybe i was just biased towards loving a country that wasn’t really mine but i considered it to be mine because trinidad is so crazily, yet wonderfully unique. nowhere else in the world will u find someone called anthony mohammed, or find hindus and muslims, along with christians, celebrating christmas, or non-hindus lighting ‘deeyas’ on diwali
racism never crossed my mind until my later teenage years, when i was singled out at times by some indo-trinis (yes, really) and afro-trinis for being an “indian from india” lol, and once someone called me “coolie” i dint even know it was a racial slur until then! (in india, ‘coolie’ is the hindi/urdu word for a Porter)
lived there 10 yrs and my parents still had a hard time fitting into the trini diaspora coz of the difference in language,or even food because it was so different to what they knew back in india.
indo-trinis should never look upon india as their real home or consider themselves as indians because similar racial features cannot change the nature vs nurture effect.there is too much of a generation gap to go back to what ur ancestors left hundreds of years ago. even the white people of north america wouldn’t fully fit in with any european nation their ancestors came from.
i have seen both worlds, and i can tell all trinis confidently, that india or even african nations have a set of people whose culture, way of thinking, way of life are quite different to a trinidadian’s. the similarities with the motherlands are very subtle and too much has changed in these generations since the arrival of both black people and indians to trinidad.(or even the chinese or the syrians) the similarities in YOUR country, one where ur decendants will call YOU “ancestors” hundred yrs from now, has faaaaaaaaar more similarities:
all you people’s trini accent is similar,
afro-trinis wud know what ‘doubles’ are but an “indian from india” wouldn’t.
afro-trinis would know what ‘chutney music’ is but a a person from from india wouldn’t
indo-trinis know what ‘soca’ is but most nigerians or zambians would have no clue
and the list cud go on
india is what it is today after thousands of years or invasions and mixing of the peoples. and the same goes for trinidad, just that it is a relatively newer land. colonialism ended just a few decades ago, and the only thing present in the indo-trinis is stronger roots, because indians came to trinidad much later than africans.
indentured labour started only after slavery ended, and we all know how long this retarded business of slavery had existed. it is but natural that the roots for indo-trinis are are stronger than afro-trinis, or in fact any person of african descent.
u guys are one people, and no indo-trini can assimilate easily in india today neither can any black person in the west assimilate easily in africa or a chinese into china or a syrian in the middle east!
when i went back to india in 1999, i had a hard tme fitting into my own country. but because of my parents, and the mother tongue i speak at home, i have gotten used to it.
however,i believe a part of me will always remain trini. even today, i get along a bit better with trinis than i do with people from india. there is a saying in hindi that goes “na ghar ka, na ghat ka” which means “belong to neither one nor the other”…that’s my case!
do cherish what u guys have. you all are lucky to be called a trinbagonian. its a privilege. no matter what ur racial genes are. do not be puppets to a few politicians looking for power and money.
the article, and most of the comments, are funny because trinidad is such a small country such a large melting pot, that i cannot see why anyone would want to differentiate among themselves, or accuse one another of wanting to differentiate. if u accuse, ur acting like the the accused.
honestly, what’s with the term “AFRO-trini” and “INDO-trini”?
call urself a Trini. baas!(hindi for ‘thats all’) lol
p.s- gotta disagree with u on one point in ur writing,miss linda edwards: sonia gandhi gave up the prime ministership of india herself. present day indians (the mixtures of the aryans, dravidians, persians etc.) were still allowing her to take part in politics and hold the position of prime minister (despite the opposition’s protest, naturally and politically motivated)
she still holds on to her italian passport till date.
which italian gov’t, even it were to be run by the most bizarre mafia, would allow an indian with a passport of india to become their prime minister?
india has its faults, but also many virtues as a land with all sorts of people. same goes for trinidad. u should try to avoid accusational writing. it only makes things worse.
in response to “snowman65” i don’t think canada is multicultural at all. it’s namesake multi-cultural. trinidad is a far better place.
if you go to toronto, there is a bombay-town, china-town, caucasian-town…u get the picture. ever group of people mainly stick to themselves. there is tension, mostly latent.
the first set of sikh people from punjab, india, who tried to settle in british columbia, were beaten, yes, BEATEN by white canadians in the early 1900’s to prevent asian immigration. white canadians were openly rascist till ee link below for proof.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indo_Canadian#Initial_settlement
only now, when white canadian birth rates are falling year after year, and the death rate is higher than the birth rate, and majority of the native indian population has been qiped out by intial white settlers, the canadian gov’t has started the immigration campaign to save the economy. well ofcourse now they gotta say they “we support multi-culturalism”
canada’s multi-cultarism is in a nutshell, not more than about 100% respect but 0% trust.
Quote from Linda Edwards:
I reiterate, the option should be given to all the whiners, to go back to India and claim their heritage.
Certainly those who want to leave should be allowed to do so. As a matter of fact it might be beneficial to the stability of the Twin Island nation, for the Government of Trinidad and Tobago to enter into direct negotiations with the Indian Government to expedite this.
This is typical of the discussion of race in the Caribbean. A group of Indians advance something that is inherently racist, and when an African responds to it, they become the racist. It is this mentality to win right or wrong that creates disunity, not Linda Edwards writings.
Tell me, did anyone in the Indian Community deign to address this before Linda Edwards did? Or are you as usual being your old reactive selves, trying to muddy the waters after being caught flagrante delicto so to speak. They drew first blood man, deal with it and leave Linda Edwards alone. My God!
To All: I made a typo in my earlier post, overdid the backspace key.
IN ERROR ****OK people——(I see: Tele-photo @ F-stop 5, instead of W/Angle @ F-stop Infinity). **** _EndItem_
CORRECT’N: That should read:
OK people——-(I see: Tele-photo @ F-stop 5, instead of W/Angle @ F-stop 16 and dist Infinity). _EndItem_
For the photography challenged: When I said Change TELE-PHOTO Lens to WIDE-ANGLE, What I meant was LOOK WIDE (peripheral vision/180 degrees if poss!!) & DEEP (from your nose to INFINITY).
TELE-PHOTO = extremely NARROW and SHORTSIGHTED.
Re H. Daniel’s Quote:
*** i don’t think canada is multicultural at all. it’s namesake multi-cultural. trinidad is a far better place. if you go to toronto, there is a bombay-town, china-town, caucasian-town…u get the picture. ever group of people mainly stick to themselves. there is tension, mostly latent. *** _EndItem_
Sir, you are entitled to your opinion, perhaps I should remind you that we now live in a GLOBAL COMMUNITY, a fact the current T&T Gov’t seems oblivious of, but quite content, loafing on the TAX-PAYERS PAYROLL.
As the head of Infosys ($multi-Billion) Nandan Nilikani puts it: “Today we live on a FLAT EARTH”, echoed by Tom Friedman (US author/journalist), and ONE T&T politician who read Tom’s book on the subject and has publicly commented on it.
I’ll bet big bucks, that his observations went way over MOST people’s head! as did his comment “politics has a morality of it’s own”, I wonder how many people really understood what he meant. Reminds me of what Prince Bandar of KSA had to say about their USD-450Bn development project, the PBS interviewer simply did NOT get what the eloquent Prince narrated to him, the reporter simply heard and subsequently reported, what he ‘WANTED to HEAR’ or THOUGHT he HEARD!.
PLEASE folks, let’s not forget when you post on a Forum like this one, it is available to the ENTIRE PLANET. What Ms Edwards and some of her think-alikes have exposed here, is their mental dysfunction, which is providing great entertainment for the rest of the world. Recent Turkish news item on T&T, must have released lots of endorphin in Ankara, another one published in the Taiwanese press, same result and who knows where else.
Re: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indo_Canadian#Initial_settlement
PLEASE Ruel Daniels, spare me the REGURGITATION, go back and read my post, then ask yourself the following: “Am I Ruel Daniels, SMARTER than fmr Prez Bill Clinton?” Am I Smarter than Pierre Trudeau?
Let ME ask U Mr RD, are U smarter than Bill C?
I am talking about the same Bill C who as Prez once walked into a room full of 25 Health care experts from all over USA who were there to bring him up to speed on the nations health care status.
Enter Bill: Group-of-25 (GO25) starts presentation, Bill C, a non-healthcare person, doodles on his pad (seemingly) paying no attention whatsoever, GO25 is mortified at Bill C’s lack of interest, all that work they put into their presentation material.
GO25 ends presentation, Bill C then starts grilling GO25 for what seemed an eternity (as one of ‘em put it), GO25 is absolutely stunned by Bill C’s depth and grasp of the subject matter, his absorption of the presented material and insights garnered, his STEEL-TRAP MIND..on and on. GO25 walks out of room shell-shocked.
There is ONLY ONE T&T POLITICIAN today, who is Bill Clintonesc, who has the ability to discuss an industry down to Line-Item!
Yeah, Bill Clintonesc indeed!
Prez Hugo Chavez on Condoleeza Rice: “Ms Rice needs to take reading and comprehension lessons”
RD I have some advice for U, pls listen to your next door neighbor.
From another poster: Quote: *** “Certainly those who want to leave should be allowed to do so” *** _EndItem_
“Should be ALLOWED to do so?”
Now that is FUNNY, this could only come from a ‘JOKEY-fellow from a ‘JOKEY’ country.
My oh my, what my once beautiful T&T has come to, the very T&T my granddad (GS) lost all but 2 of his kids helping to build, taming virgin land, overcoming mosquito borne diseases, poisonous snakes U name it….
And this ‘JOKEY-fellow is saying……..?
Snowman65
PS: Late Lord Kitchener’s Calypso “IT’s CULTURE NOT RACE”, this should be mandatory listening for ALL.
So grab a Carib, put on Kitchie, kick back and relax to the GREAT LYRICS of this SUPER STAR!
A TRUE Super Star, A GREAT HUMAN BEING.
What Da hell happened to that gene pool?
I was trying to research my Indian background and I came across this article. Very shocking! I was born in Trinidad and I currently live in the United States. Over here, the melting pot as it is usually called, is a place where discrimation does still exist. However, we do have the freedom to practice our religion, what we wear, what we eat and to follow our culture. We don’t point fingers at another religion because we don’t approve of it. We are called Americans and we are all different in our own ways. Trinidadians and Tobagoians are the same.
Being different should not be a problem for anyone. If Martin Luther King were not different, O’Bama would not be the next elected president.
From what I remembered in Trinidad, the so-called blacks and Indians were always fighting. Fighting for their rights in equal opportunity. It was what they believed in. However, the people back then lived in a safer environment than today.
Now I’m always hearing of all the Indians that are being kidnapped and murder. Why is that? Seems as though not much is being done to help the Indians. And I said Indians because I have not heard of any blacks being kidnapped.
There are people being bought from other Caribbean countries to work. Here is an idea. Try to help the people who were born there first. The original Indians and Blacks made Trinidad what it is today. So instead of getting angry with your own people, try to look out for one another and help out wherever you can. All the corruption should stop and Trinidad will be one of the greatest countries in the World.
I’m just reading this myself for the first time. What a disgraceful attitude towards an entire group of people over the acts of a few. Edwards has the makings of a covert racist. She took the time to lump all her accusations into one letter over 19 years. Not to mention some of the supporting comments like the one lady who use the word “they” repeatedly to refer to Indians. Think of “that one” by John McCain.
I noticed a reference by Ms. Edwards regarding her Indian relatives. I wonder if Ms Edwards’ antagonism is based on negative personal experiences with Indians, causing her judgement to be subjectively biased against Indians.
Once again I believe that generalizations, name-calling and biased opinions serve no useful purpose in any debate.
Many of her observations, especially the reluctance of Indians to participate fully in T&T society are true; however,one must not discredit any group from trying to hold on to their heritage, language, religion and culture. People of Indian ancestry have a tendency to do exactly that, simply because they are a part of one of the oldest civilizations in the universe.That lengthy indoctrination cannot be easily erased.
Nice letter Linda! However, I must make an inquiry. You’re asking for all Indians to return to India yet your ask for Trinbago to return to it’s “multicultural society.” I ask, without the indians where is the “Multi” culturalism? Will Afro-Trinidadian alone make up the “multi?” Further, I guess if you can so eloquently ask for the indians to return how about this-If “YOU” Afro-Trinbagonian are fedup with the Indians complain why don’t you ask “Africa” to take the Afro-Trinbagonians away from the country and get to hell away from all the indian whining?
It is clear! with thinking such as yours that breeds the division that is currently plauging the nation. You should be ashamed of your uneducated attempt at racial rhetoric. You are carrying a wilful blindlness of the issues facing the country as a whole. We currently have a “duncee” bunch of political leaders, more so the current pack; they are bringing the country down, trying to change the constitution so they can hold on to power indefinitely, trying to control the media, pushing the health needs of the nation under the stove not even the back burner; so please stop with the racial division and tunnel vision attitude.
You’re probably doing well in the USA where you ran to get away from your government inability to provide better for you, but you will stay afar and support them because you don’t have to live there.
You call youself educated perhaps because you found yourself a decent job in Jersey working for the city so you can flip your nose at those who claimed refugee in Toronto, Canada. I guess only you have the right to run from the people that scared you and set up shop safely in a foreign land and then point fingers.
Linda I believe that your letter has done what examination of this issue always does. Produce a reaction designed to kill the messenger for daring to peel off the covers of a sacred cow. So you become the racist over your blending of sarcasm and anectdotal history in response to racists who cannot stand to live in a society where the possibility exist that a black might become the ruler. Go back and check and see how many petitions they made to leave when Panday was the ruler.
Look, if people want to go back to Indian every encouragement should be made to help them to get there. And regardless of conditions in Africa, the immigration movement between India and that Continent is still pretty much one way.
Linda throughout her letter made references to her Indian family members and others, in order to clearly differentiate where she was coming from. Since I have no doubt that those who are piling on her are quite capable of deciphering her intent in those disclosures, their beef has to be the fact that she tackled their sacred cow. Well since she is a classy lady and will not get into the gutter to say what she should to these nattering nabobs of suppressed ethnic prejudice, I will assume the authority to say it for her, even though I might earn her displeasure for doing just that. All the known TriniTobagian “bad words” to all of you, you little closeted eichmans. You ain’t fooling no one with your circumlocutious charade. We can spot the Swastika on your chest from Mount Everest.
It is so easy to fall prey to these foul-mouthed racial arcolites trying to make the case for “sending indians back to india.” It seems imcumbent upon them to defend thier own for all the crimes being perpertrated upon the Indian population in Trinidad. If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck it must be a duck! The statistics are there to prove the legitimacy of the “indian” whining about getting murdered, raped and robbed on a daily basis.
If their only response to these statistics and a bunch of “whining” Indians is to “repatriate” them, then thir ignorance and true colours are at hand.
That said, should the Indians actually take up their offer, survival of those left behind will definitely be detrimental. It is because of the sweat and tears of the Indians that brings jobs for the others, such as CEPEP AND URP. Take the time and look on the roadside and in the jungle and see who fills up the payroll of those government agencies; Not the Indians. Take a look in the Markets and see who’s planting and selling produce,take a look ans see who own most of the businesses and large houses, take a look and see who fills up the UWI or other Educational institutions, it is mostly the Indians; then take a look and see who is getting robbed and murdered and raped by whom, then come and whistle the truth about who’s whining and then say why they are whining.
But none of your foulmouthed rendering of “the Indians” would break ground with any of the audience that you’re trying to reach. Finally, before spouting such racial and biggoted words get your history correct and don’t just google the word “indian” and feel “Educated” and a master of expressive jargon.
I am always reminded when I hear of these pointless and imbicilic complaints of phantom racial discrimination by a few misguided elite phony indians – the beneficiaries often of stolen loot from our beloved country-of the frivilous cat that enjoys screaming loudly into the night as it gives the mistaken impression of pain and suffering, when indeed it is pleasure it is experiencing.
I say again , ” beware of a man with nothing to loose.”
It is often greed , selfishness and ungratefulness perpetuated by citizens that acquired wealth and fortune at the hands of conniving British colonial savages that needs to be erradicated soon if we are to move forward . In addition ,our government needs to stop fooling around with senseless foreign policies and focus on meaningful land and wealth distribution in this country so that children from former slaves that were forced to live in shack and mud huts in J
Oh please, get your facts straight rather than presenting tissues of lies to obfuscate where this all began. This did not begin with anyone recommending that Indians be sent back to India. This began with some Indians petitioning the Indian Government to take them back or become involved in the affairs of an independent state. The fact that they are calling on a nation far more powerful than the little Island of Trinidad and Tobago, and with a population that shares ethnicity with them, says more than all the words in a dictionary can. They did not appeal to the UN or any international body who would have the appearance of being impartial. They appealed to India because for them getting one billion Indians on their side in conflict with half a million Africans makes good sense. Please!!! Do you think we are stupid?
Is this the same powerful nuclear energy India, that has more than half of the country living in poverty and could not control 10 pimple face scoolboys that held the nation hostage for over a week? Listen folks anyone that wishes to pack their bags and leave our beloved for what they mistakenly believe are a better life in India Europe , Canada or North America should be encourage. The comical irony as they leave there are countless others even from much developed Europe , that are breaking down the immigration doors to get a piece of the action in this beautiful land. Good riddance to them all. It is time we stop giving these country bashers , and what I love to call ” distabilization agents,” so much attention.
Fortunately many of our citizens across the nation are dismissing much of the diatribe that are spewed by such individuals, and are seeking ways of building bridges together in the interest of the nation.
There is nothing like race to wake Ruel from his deep sleep! Let us not stoke the fires of racial discontent but rather unite to seek solutions to live together in harmony. Let us move forward as one nation, one people, this is the moment, now is the time! Sounds familiar?