wait nahit have sour puss in England too..
supporters protest in London
A small group of People's National Movement (PNM) supporters staged a symbolic protest in front of the Trinidad and Tobago High Commission in London yesterday to coincide with the march in Port of Spain.
They were invited into the mission by this country's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Garvin Nicholas.
In a telephone interview yesterday, president of PNM Abroad and organiser of the London protest, Pearce Robinson, told the Express that the protest was a success although the numbers were small.
Robinson said the protest which was scheduled to start around 9 a.m. really got off the ground between 9.50 a.m.and 10 a.m with a group of 15 people when Nicholas came out and invited them into the mission.
"We were outside for about an hour protesting and we were addressing various concerns out there: Section 34, Jack Warner, call for integrity in public office and various things and we had cars driving by and beeping their horns in a show of support. I think it was beginning to be very embarrassing to the High Commissioner and he came out to speak with us.
"He invited us in for tea which I believe was more PR than anything, and we talked about how we viewed the Section 34 issue as a blight on our nation's democracy and several other issues including Jack Warner. What we asked the High Commissioner is that he relay all these issues to the Prime Minister (Kamla Persad-Bissessar) and the government."
Robinson said they were satisfied with the turnout in London. Similar protest action at the New York Consulate and the Toronto High Commission were cancelled because of the aftermath of hurricane Sandy, he said.
"Contrary to reports about there being a no show in Toronto that was not the case, because two days ago we announced on PNM Abroad (a Facebook page) that we had informed our organisers that we had also cancelled the Toronto leg due to the effects of Hurricane Sandy. We will reschedule the protests in Toronto and New York. Those protests are yet to happen, at a date to be announced," he said.
Speaking with the Express, Nicholas said he met with about 10 or 11 people who staged the protest outside the mission.
"I saw them outside milling about trying to get themselves organised. It was pretty cold outside so I decided, look let me just go have a word with them and find out exactly what their grouse is all about and I invited them into the mission so that we could sit and chat and discuss the issues: Minister Jack Warner should go, Attorney General Anand Ramlogan should go and they were calling for democracy. "
He said he told them that as the High Commissioner to the UK and someone who has called for the democratic principles to be adhered to, he had no issue with any national protesting.
"I far as I am concerned this Government does not have any intention whatsoever of curbing the freedom of expression or speech freedom of association and if citizens believe they want to protest about something then they are free to do so, but I don't think they were achieving much just standing around out in the cold."
He said he told them that he would take their issues to the Government and they were quite happy after the discussion.