PM’s Independence Day remarks prompt call for sedition investigation

The First Wave Movement wants the police commissioner to investigate Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s Independence Day message to United National Congress supporters for possible sedition.

In a letter dated September 1, movement founder and leader Umar Abdullah cited Persad-Bissessar’s appeal to supporters: “Do not crawl on your belly for anyone. It’s either peace or total war, nothing in between.” He also pointed to her statement that “finesse and diplomacy must be backed up with steeliness and savagery when required to defend the UNC membership”.

Abdullah argued that the remarks went beyond political rhetoric and amounted to incitement. He said the language of “total war” and “savagery” presented political differences as confrontation and could encourage hostility or violence.

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Do not crawl on your belly for anyone. It’s either peace or total war, nothing in between.

The movement referred to provisions of the Sedition Act that it said criminalise speech bringing the Government into hatred or contempt, exciting disaffection against the Government, encouraging hostility between classes of citizens, or inciting violence, disorder or breaches of the peace.

Abdullah also cited previous sedition cases, arguing that earlier statements had led to police and court action. The First Wave Movement criticised Persad-Bissessar for addressing party supporters on Independence Day rather than using the occasion to unite the country, and asked the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service to begin a formal investigation.

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finesse and diplomacy must be backed up with steeliness and savagery when required to defend the UNC membership