NCIC: Stop using race, religion to divide T&T

The National Council of Indian Culture (NCIC) has called on politicians and the media to stop using race, religion and culture as tools to divide the people of Trinidad and Tobago.

NCIC president Surujdeo Mangaroo made the appeal on Saturday while delivering the feature address at the organisation’s Independence Rainbow Dance Festival at the NCIC Nagar in Chaguanas.

Mangaroo said Trinidad and Tobago’s diversity was not a weakness or an inconvenience, but one of the country’s greatest national assets.

“Trinidad and Tobago is a plural nation. Our identity has been formed by several different cultures, religious beliefs and values which over the years have come together to create what we so proudly call Trinbagonian,” he said.

He said the festival demonstrated how different cultural traditions could coexist while contributing to a common national identity.

“Tonight, an African rhythm will meet an Indian melody—it is a literal depiction of David Rudder’s Ganges Meet the Nile,” Mangaroo said.

He noted that communities could maintain their distinct cultural identities while participating in national celebrations.

“That is not division. That is unity in practice,” he said.

However, Mangaroo expressed concern that some politicians were deliberately encouraging division for political gain.

“Within recent times I have noticed some politicians have chosen to stimulate division rather than unity because they believe separation will serve their best political interest. Sadly, it will not work,” he said. He warned that attempts to turn citizens against each other could have serious consequences for the country.

“They encourage citizens to see one another as opponents rather than fellow citizens,” he said. “That approach may produce temporary political advantage, but it weakens the nation.”

Mangaroo said no political agenda should be based on deliberately separating the population.

“No political agenda should be built upon the deliberate separation of the people of Trinidad and Tobago. No election victory can justify the damage caused when communities are turned against one another,” he said.

He urged politicians not to use race, religion or culture for political manipulation.

He called for greater emphasis on equality of opportunity, saying there was “room in this country for every citizen to rise.” Mangaroo also made a direct appeal to Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar for the reinstatement of the Race Relations Committee.

According to Mangaroo, such a body could provide a structured mechanism for addressing racial tensions, examining complaints, encouraging dialogue and promoting public education.

He stressed that reinstating the committee should not be seen as an admission of national failure, but rather as an act of national responsibility.

“Where there is tension, there must be dialogue,” he said.

He called for any revived Race Relations Committee to be independent, accessible and free from partisan control, with its work guided by fairness, respect and the protection of citizens’ dignity.

“We cannot wait until tensions become crises before we begin the work of reconciliation. Prevention is wiser than repair,” Mangaroo said.