By Paras Ramoutar
TRINIDAD, May 29, 2006: Indo-Trinidadians have scored a resounding victory against racism and discrimination in this oil-rich Republic of Trinidad and Tobago as they celebrate the 161st Indian Arrival Day, May 30, 2006. After several years of battle, Justice Peter Jamadar, a Presbyterian, has ruled that Trinidad and Tobago’s premier national award, “Trinity Cross,” is discriminatory against Hindus and Muslims. In an 80-page judgment, Justice Jamadar said, “I have come to the conclusion that the creation and continued existence of the Trinity Cross, given the historical, religious and sociological context of Trinidad and Tobago, combined with the experiences, as well as religious beliefs of Hindus and Muslims, amount to indirect adverse effects (of) discrimination against Hindus and Muslims.” But, he dismissed the matter saying that he could not order the Government to change the Award. Former Prime Minister Basdeo Panday, in response, called on the Government, “to move to correct the anomaly in the issue of the Trinity Cross.”
Satnarayan Maharaj, secretary general of the powerful santan Dharma Maha Sabha, (SDMS) who took the matter to court, has given Prime Minister Patrick Manning a 21-day ultimatum to remove the Trinity Cross as the nation’s highest award and provide alternative awards for non-Christians. “The court has found that the Trinity Cross is discriminatory. We now call on the Prime Minister to put mechanisms in place to correct the discrimination,” he said. Maharaj said that it was political matter and the Government could remove or change the national award. “It should be corrected locally rather than having to take this long, legal process up to the Privy Council.”
Winston Dookeran, Political Leader of the United National Congress, said that he was very pleased that the court ruled in favor of the change. “I think this is a very positive step. It is the Government’s responsibility to ensure that the national good is served by abiding by the ruling and beginning the process of change,” Dookeran said. Inshan Ishmael, head of the Islamic Relief Centre, said that the ruling was a victory for Hindus and Muslims because the judge agreed that there was discrimination in the Trinity Cross.
Judge Jamadar contended that the Cross remains a highly-published Christian symbol–if not the dominant Christian motif across Christian traditions in Trinidad and Tobago. He felt that it was disrespectful and inaccurate to suggest that there are concepts of “Trinity” and “Cross” in Hinduism. In Hinduism, he pointed out, there is the concept of Trimurti which represents the triad of Brahma (The Creative Aspect of God), Vishnu, (The Preservation aspect of God), and Siva (the Destructive Aspect of God). Justice Jamadar continued, “To suggest the Holy Trinity in mainstream Christianity represents the triad of Brahma, Vishnu and Siva, or that Columbus could have been open to that association in 1492 when he named Trinidad after the Trinity Hills after the Holy Trinity in Christianity, is absurd.” Justice Jamadar said that the existence of the Trinity Cross Award also has the continuing effect of denying, limiting, restricting or inhibiting participation by sincere Hindus and Muslims in the processes linked to the award of the Trinity Cross. Prominent Human Rights attorney-at-law, Anand Ramlogan, said that he disagreed that with the court’s findings but that he could not remove the Trinity Cross.