Despite the sacking of former people and social development minister Dr Glenn Ramadharsingh being reported internationally, members of his Caroni Central constituency have labelled him as one of the hardest working ministers. When the T&T Guardian visited Freeport and surrounding areas on Wednesday evening, many of them had mixed views on whether he should have been dismissed. Some threw their support behind Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Biasses decision to ask President Anthony Carmona to revoke Ramadharsingh ministerial appointment. Meanwhile, others called on the PM to reinstate him due to his performance as a minister. ABC News, News UK24, Malaysian news agency, Bernama, Hong Kong newspaper, The Standard and several other regional media outlets have published articles on the dismissal and his alleged assault of Caribbean Airline flight attendant Ronelle Laidlow.
Ramdharsingh was not at his main constituency office in Freeport and staff there said he had not turned up for the day. While polling constituents opinion, some were reluctant to share their views in fear it would reach back to the MP, while others did not want their names printed in the newspaper. However, along Mission Road, Keith Raphael regretted the loss of another Cabinet member but said he respected the PM’s ruling. He said: “He is one of the hardest working ministers around but we have to abide by the Prime Minister’s ruling. “There should have been a bit more investigation and she should not have done it so promptly because it is only he and the lady who really know about that incident. “Everybody is saying this and that but it was between both of them. It is a big loss to the country because it was right around Trinidad he worked, not only in his constituency alone.” Meanwhile, pensioner Azidool Ogeer, who was sitting outside his home, said Ramadharsingh should have been allowed to keep office due to his performance as a minister. He said Ramadharsingh never showed favouritism and the incident was a mistake.
“I thought they should not have dismissed him because in my knowledge, he is the best-working MP that they have throughout the island.
“The portfolio he was carrying, it was big and he worked very generously for everybody. He never said, ‘well you are an Indian and you are an African and I will not help you because you are and African.’” He said it was also a mistake on the Prime Minster’s behalf to dismiss him and she should consider reinstating him as minister. But for the women, the MP’s action was totally unacceptable, especially for the portfolio he held. Anita Julian and Agnes Joseph, who were along Arena Road, said they were not surprised by the PM’s decision and fully supported her. “I think it was a good decision because from time-to-time, you were hearing that this minister has been playing himself and it was just a matter of power. It was not just one incident, this was just the final straw.” Julian said. “With his background, the kinds of things we were hearing all the time, it was just a matter of time.
“I support the Prime Minister. Here was a Minister of the People and Social Development and he was so disrespectful to a woman who was only executing her job. Come on,” Joseph said.
Limers at Tom’s Bar further along Arena Road all supported the Prime Minister’s decision. Kelvin Sankar, a Canadian national and regular visitor said: “You have to practise what you preach.
“I can give him kudos for what he has done in this area but you can’t be stepping out of bounds not because you are a minister. “You should be there to assist the people because you have a high-ranking portfolio.” Construction labourer Glen Cyrus had strong words, saying: “As he came off the plane he should have been fired. A man with that character, I would not even think about doing that woman that kind of stupidness. “The average small man on the ground is not doing that. How you could be a minister and doing things like that?” Fenton Bhagwandeen said: “My view is that if he did touch the woman, she had a right to fire him.”
He added, however: “Glenn is a good man. He was a working minister, a man you could have gone to see. I will vote for him again but I don’t think she will put him back up again.”