Secretary general of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha (SDMS) Sat Maharaj is calling on Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to fire Social Development Minister Dr Glenn Ramadharsingh.Maharaj said Ramadharsingh was now a liability to the People's Partnership for next year's election and should offer his resignation to the PM, who must make a decision to have him dismissed.
He warned that if Persad-Bissessar fails to take action, the SDMS will wage a war against Ramadharsingh, who Maharaj said endangered the lives of passengers on board a CAL flight from Tobago last Sunday. On that flight, it was alleged that Ramadharsingh allegedly touched the breast of flight attendant Ronelle Laidlow when he reached for her ID badge.Ramadharsingh on Friday apologised on Crime Watch for his actions. He said he held no animosity.
"It's something that happened and as I said, to err is human, to forgive divine," Ramadharsingh told Crime Watch's host Ian Alleyne.Maharaj said if Ramadharsingh was not fired "we will have a helluva fight because he will be an embarrassment to the election of the Government. Right now he is an absolute liability. You cannot do that.... not because you are a minister."It was the view of the SDMS's hierarchy that Ramadharsingh should not be in Government, Maharaj said."He should go."
Yesterday, Maharaj raised the issue in Tunapuna at the SDMS children's phagwa celebration, stating that Ramadharsingh was neither an exemplar nor a role model for our nation's children."You see, this is one incident we know of. What about other incidents we have been hearing about that cannot be substantiated?" he asked.
Maharaj said he cannot ask children to behave in a civil manner when Ramadharsingh "could behave like this. That is not good enough. When exemplars like these misbehave in the public domain–on a flight that could endanger the lives of people–it is not sufficient to say I am sorry. There must be a price to pay." Maharaj said there was no need to await an investigation.
"He has apologised for his behaviour which is acknowledgement that, yes, he lost his cool. That is sufficient for him to say: Madame Prime Minister, here is my resignation: you decide what should happen."Asked if he intended to write the PM, Maharaj said, while he intended to advocate on the radio, the PM was well informed."She will view the video that you could run. She knows we have taken this action."
Ramadharsingh in response to a text message sent to him yesterday, wrote: "I am not commenting on these matters. Thanks."Persad-Bissessar who was scheduled to attend the SDMS event yesterday, did not attend. COP Leader Prakash Ramadhar brought greetings on behalf of the PM.