Multiculturalism taking country away from idea of Mother T&T

Prakash Persad suggests that there is need for a multicultural policy. Until the PP deemed T&T a multicultural society we were morphing into a transcultural society, ie, a society that was evolving its own unique culture out of a mix of many “grandmother” cultures. T&T was slowly working towards the development of its own unique blend of cultures and a better appreciation of the concept of Mother Trinidad and Tobago. The now discarded concept of multiculturalism in parts of Europe became popular with governments that did not know how to treat with foreigners, many of whom were political and religious refugees, who migrated to their countries (Australia has taken a rigid stand with respect to migrants and their importation of their cultures).

In T&T, the PP never explained what it meant by multiculturalism (the term sounded politically nice). It was never debated. On the surface, it has thrown a spanner in the mental wheels of transculturalism. As a result, T&T has a Minister of Arts and Multiculturalism and a Caricom Ambassador for Culture. Has anyone ever heard the minister speak about the challenges of religion in our evolving culture? There was no need to because transculturalism has/had its roots firmly planted in the psyche of Trinidadians/Tobagonians. What is the latter’s role and whose culture—Indian, African, Chinese etc—does he represent in the Caribbean? Who does he represent? Prof Selwyn Cudjoe addressed this issue. Not many gave him the time of day. Multiculturalism appears to be a way of dividing the nation and taking us further away from the idea of Mother T&T and bringing us closer to “Grandmother India” and “Grandmother Africa.”

John Henry
Petit Valley