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  • 11 months ago
Minister of Works and Transport Rohan Sinanan is firing back at Attorney at Law and United National Congress Candidate for Toco Sangre Grande Wayne Sturge and St. Augustine MP Khadijah Ameen.
On Thursday, Sturge referred to Sinanan as "Rawan Sinanan," while Ameen subsequently took to Social Media repeating the remark in a post.
Alicia Boucher has the details.
Transcript
00:00During a pavement report on Thursday in St. Augustine, UNC candidate Wayne Sturge
00:05addressed the issue of deteriorating roads in the country. He pointed out that
00:10different areas receive different levels of attention when it comes to road
00:14maintenance. He spoke to affluent areas claiming that when in places such as
00:19Goodwood Park and Bayshore develop potholes and craters they are dealt with
00:54A subsequent post on Khadija Amin's Facebook page read Rawan Sinanan with a
01:08laughing emoji. In response to Sturge and Amin, Sinanan calls it quote-unquote
01:13a dog whistle to the Hindu population linking him to an embodiment of
01:18treachery to Hindus from the Ramayana epic. He says apart from the war between
01:23Lord Rama and a demon king Ravana also called Rawan in Sri Lanka, inhabitants of
01:28a darker skin color than the northern Indians were associated with Rawan.
01:33Sinanan adds that it is used as a subtle insult to dark-skinned people. He says
01:38quote in Trinidad politics we all know what that means and can mean especially
01:43around election time. It means Rawan Sinanan traitor consorting with the
01:48dark-skinned against us Hindus. To this accusation I am happy to plead guilty.
01:54Amidst pledging support for his political party Sinanan further says
01:58quote the PNM has traditionally been the party of dark-skinned, light-skinned,
02:03brown-skinned and white-skinned people. All are welcome in the PNM and I am
02:07proud to be part of it. If being a Rawan means being against a party which is
02:13sinking into racial dog-whistling then I am guilty. Call me Rawan all you want.
02:19End quote. Alicia Boucher TV6 News
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