By Chantalé Fletcher
PROGRESSIVE Empowerment Party (PEP) Political Leader Phillip Edward Alexander says greed in organisations has made politics a bad word in Trinidad and Tobago.
He said, “We are disconnected from any of the greedy organisations that have poisoned our politics and made ‘politics’ a bad word.”
Alexander said politics in T&T was obscene, saying, “We want to turn that around.”
Alexander was speaking at the annual puja in commemoration of the closure of Caroni (1975) Limited at the grounds in Ste Madeleine on Saturday morning. The now-defunct sugar cane factory of Caroni is a stone’s throw away from the ground where the puja was held.
The ceremony was conducted by Pundit Donny Samlal a former Caroni worker. Devotees gathered from early as 5 am to prepare the park for prayers which began at 6 am. Also taking part was Pandita Pamela Gookool. Caroni was closed down in 2003 and the puja has been held annually since 2004.
Alexander said, “Anytime you turn on the news it sounds like a cliché, but it’s more madness every day.”
He said, “We want these children to be able to look up to politicians and we want their mummies and daddies to say, ‘be like them’.”
That is the mission to bring goodness back, the political leader said.
Alexander said the mission was leadership to fix Trinidad and Tobago so all children could grow up in safety, hope and happiness.
He said, “We’ve stood by for all these generations and we’ve trusted people to have our interest at heart and they’ve not done what we thought they would do and they broke their promises and they broke your hearts and they broke your communities and they broke our families.”
He told the congregation being in politics was solely for his children.
Alexander said, “I am only in politics because of my children.
“If I get for my children what I want for my children, I will protect your children too – that’s the mission.”
Alexander also thanked them for the opportunity to remember there is more to the country than greed corruption and madness.
He said, “All I bring to the table is a determination that all the wrong that was going on in this country has to stop.”
The prayers began with a march around the park, devotees dressed in red holding red flags as Alexander and his deputy political leader Sateesh Ramsaran joined in the procession.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, Alexander addressed devotees and commended the women for ensuring their children were well acquainted with their culture.
He also admitted this was his first puja and next time he would be better prepared but always respected and was fascinated by their culture.
Alexander said, “You brought me here for politics. And I came and found religion.”
