00:00The Honourable Stuart Young just asked, what is a PNM person to the UNC?
00:05Well, let me tell you, me ain't afraid to say, whenever they say PNM people on social media, the me
00:12is in you and with.
00:14MP4 Laventhal West, Kareem Marcel at a PNM meeting in Laventhal last evening.
00:19Asked today whether he wanted to retract or revisit his statements, Marcel stood firm.
00:26I stand by my statements. My statements were 100% that this UNC administration, by their actions and by their
00:37words,
00:39have perpetuated a level of viciousness, of hate, of discriminatory conduct against the people of my constituency
00:53and of the people of what they have termed PNM constituencies.
00:58We have had the Prime Minister blaming the Prime Minister and ministers and ministers in administration
01:06also watching when there is tragedy in Trinidad and Tobago
01:11and saying that it's in PNM constituencies.
01:14They have trivialized the killing of a young lady, a young girl, nine years old, and talk about PNM constituencies.
01:22In addressing his constituents last evening,
01:26Marcel went further to state that the government hates African people and black people,
01:32comments which TV6 News has taken the decision not to air.
01:36Now, many have interpreted what he said as, basically, the UNC does not like black people.
01:41What is the PNM's position on this?
01:43I don't know that that is what... I didn't hear that interpretation.
01:47I mean, we do have concerns and we are very clear in our mind that a lot of what the
01:53UNC promised,
01:54the UNC did not deliver.
01:56And that has impacted not just on PNM constituencies, but in truth and in fact, all constituencies.
02:02But I know he was addressing a particular feeling in his constituency of Lavantel West,
02:08a particular feeling in terms of how the people of that area who have lost their jobs,
02:13CPEP, URP, reforestation, and they are of the view that the government does not care about them.
02:19Meantime, Beckles is seeking to reaffirm that the PNM is all about interracial solidarity
02:25and confirms that she did speak with Marcel, who indicated that he would be issuing a statement on the matter.
02:33Listen, let me just make it clear.
02:35We celebrate 70 years as a party this year.
02:39We have always stood for interracial solidarity
02:42and that has always been the mantra of the People's National Movement.
02:47I spoke with him before and I knew he was going to, I mean, I have not heard exactly what
02:50it is he has said,
02:54but particularly as it relates to his constituents, I know there are some very strong feelings
02:59as to what has happened during the election as it relates to the UNC
03:03and how the people of those areas feel as it relates to the UNC and promises
03:09and exactly what it has transpired.
03:11So I am maintaining that that has always been the mantra of the party.
03:15In a statement posted to his social media accounts today,
03:19Marcel doubled down on his position,
03:22but sought to make it clear that his accusations were against the government,
03:27not the East Indian community.
03:30The there that I refer to, anyone with any level of common sense in Trinidad and Tobago
03:35would know that the there I refer to is the UNC government.
03:39Not even the UNC supporters, no, the UNC government, this vision.
03:43Marcel's comments came just one day after the Attorney General claimed that a certain 1% group
03:50were involved in gang activity and were plotting some sort of action against the government,
03:56prompting one member of the Syrian Lebanese community to accuse the government of racism
04:01and of attempting to engineer the evacuation of the local Syrian Lebanese community.
04:07I think we all have to be careful, both opposition and government,
04:11when we make statements that could paint everybody in a particular community a particular way.
04:16We must remember, first you had the indigenous people,
04:19then the Africans came, the Indians came as indentured,
04:24and subsequently you had persons coming from, you know, Asia,
04:28people, Syrians, Lebanese, Chinese coming to work.
04:32So that's the benefit of Trinidad and Tobago being multicultural and multi-religious.
04:36And if we are not careful, we can find ourselves where people could feel
04:41that they're not wanted here in Trinidad and Tobago.
04:43I mean, we all came here, we met people here, and we have to be mindful of that.
04:47Renasa Cutting, TV6 News.
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