00:00The Emancipation Support Committee says words rooted in Trinidad and Tobago's colonial past have no place in modern society and
00:08should no longer be normalized.
00:10The committee says racial slurs directed at Africans, East Indians and indigenous peoples continue to reinforce harmful stereotypes and social
00:19division.
00:20Language which characterize the different groups of persons with derogatory terms such as the indigenous persons as heathens and savages
00:28and Africans.
00:29We are using the N-word and for our Indian brothers and sisters the use of the C-word and
00:35it is a tragedy for some of us to try and nationalize these words.
00:40The issue was raised following questions about recent public exchanges involving racial language including comments made by and about the
00:48Prime Minister Kamala Pesson-Bissassar.
00:51We are really going down a different path now as a culture, as a society when we look at the
00:56language, racist language being used by one of our highest office holders.
01:03Is that a concern?
01:05Words, particularly when they just come from an emotional, impromptu, not well thought out space, have negative impacts on the
01:14minds of our people.
01:15The committee also addressed criticism surrounding Saturday's Emancipation Day celebrations, saying some public commentary has misinterpreted what took place during
01:25the event, starting with the heckling of Culture Minister Michelle Benjamin.
01:29Certainly the minister was not abused. There was some reaction and that delivery by his sister Olavisi, but definitely no
01:41abuse.
01:42The committee said the boos of the crowd after the PM's absence was announced was quelled by the MC.
01:49It says the committee learnt of the PM's non-attendance an hour before her expected arrival.
01:55As to why the PM issued a scathing attack on the committee, saying she has lost respect for the organization.
02:02She would have known why she responded that way, but we think it's a totally inappropriate response because it is
02:08not, as Asha said, what she's responding to did not actually happen.
02:12Responding to the Prime Minister's criticism of the organization, committee members say they believe she received an inaccurate account of
02:19events.
02:20Her response is full of a lot of vitriolic and so on, and it's of somebody who feels deeply hurt
02:28and deeply pained and troubled.
02:31And certainly what transpired at the Treasury Building is par for the course.
02:39Very often there's somebody, some one individual who feels somewhat frustrated or distressed or has a point to make and
02:48makes it.
02:48The committee also rejected suggestions that the crowd's reaction was racially or politically motivated,
02:55pointing to last year's emancipation celebrations which were attended by the Prime Minister without incident.
03:02What happens this year is a reflection of how the public is feeling.
03:07Then it requires a deeper understanding and reflection on what is actually happening and why this responds.
03:19And it is not an issue of race or party.
03:23The Emancipation Support Committee says it remains an independent, non-partisan organization and does not receive government subventions.
03:31It is urging citizens to reject divisive rhetoric.
03:34For Rishi Tiwari, Rupnarein, TV6 News.
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