Sat sends election warning to PM

Carolyn Kissoon South Bureau
Saturday, September 29th 2007

The last time Prime Minister Patrick Manning called a general election before an East Indian festival, he lost to the opposition party, Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha secretary general Satnarine Maharaj warned yesterday.

"I hope the Prime Minister calculated his date correctly, because in 1995 when he called the election before the 150th arrival day of East Indians, the effect was that he lost to an opposition which is made up of predominantly East Indians," the leader of the country's largest Hindu organisation said yesterday.

Maharaj said a general election being held five days before Divali made no difference to the Hindu community.

"The celebrations will go on," he said.

The election date is November 5. The Divali public holiday is November 9.

However, Maharaj said he felt the election was long overdue.

"Elections were supposed to be held last year or the year before, because the country is deteriorating. The cost of living in this country is too high and crime, along with all its violence, is escalating. There is racial and religious division in the country and corruption surrounds us," he said.

Maharaj said with a new Constitution, there should be a fixed date for the next general election.

"I hope there is a fixed date instead of having to await the fantasy of a man who puts his hand in his back pocket," he said in reference to Manning's contention on the campaign trail recently, that he had the election date in his back pocket, but had not yet received the correct vibes to announce it.

Yeah Sat you tell it to him man. You know him better than plenty ah we, you workin with him so long and the SDMS collecting money from them so long. I think you should know better than we.

One thing doh Sat. STOP fockin blackmailing the fockin teachers and pundits in the SDMS to support fockin Dookeran. It is not ah nice thing to do to people and they will not forget you for it.

Allow those in your organisation the freedom of choice. It will come back and haunt you.

Mark my words.