Prof Prakash Persad wants US Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan to be declared persona non grata in T&T to stop his local followers from fomenting divisiveness and the doctrine of hate. He was responding to questions concerning recent statements recently by local Nation of Islam representative David Muhammad and Pearl Eintou Springer that a Hindu government and christianity were responsible for young black men committing crime.
Speaking in an interview yesterday after the SWAHA Hindu College graduation ceremony for Fifth and Upper Six formers, in Sangre Grande, Persad said: “I think it is nonsensical. It is divisive and in my view Farrakhan should be declared persona non grata in T&T. “They should never let him enter again because he is causing division here through his local disciples' message and I am calling on Muhammad to retract his statement.
“In a lot of countries there is what you call hate crime and they don't allow people to do that. I think they should pursue a case against him.” Persad said it was another false perception that crime had been rising under the PNM Government. He said there were Hindus in government but that did not constitute a Hindu government, neither did it make the government under former prime ministers Patrick Manning, Dr Eric Williams and George Chambers a christian government.
Principal Gyandeo Persad said crime was a social issue. He added: “Our school is a Hindu school and we have no safety officers nor guidance officers and we have no problems while other government schools have a lot and they have problems. Another factor he attributed to helping the children to be non-violent and do the right thing was meditation.
Persad said a line of demarcation must be drawn against crime and social ills and an example must be set by those in authority, from teachers, police, politicians, holy men, the Prime Minister and the President, for the youth to go on the right path.