Rhoda Bharath: Why Dr Kriyaan Singh is a disturbing choice as Independent Senator

What’s so outstanding about Dr Kriyaan Singh? Author and blogger Rhoda Bharath queries President Anthony Carmona’s appointment as temporary Independent Senator:

Photo: Independent Senator Dr Kriyaan Singh.
Photo: Independent Senator Dr Kriyaan Singh.

Dear President Carmona,

I trust this letter will find you in the best of health.

I write to raise concerns about a recent appointment to the Independent Bench in the Senate. According to the provisions listed on the Parliament’s website Independent Senators must come from “outstanding persons from economic, social or community organizations and other fields of endeavor.”

The late Dr John Spence, himself a sterling example of independent thinking in the Senate, opined that “Independent Senators should study the Constitution carefully and understand the rationale behind its various positions.”

In light of this clear criteria for selection, I wish to query the appointment of temporary Senator, Dr Kriyaan Singh.

I, along with other right thinking citizens, have observed a disturbing trend in the comments and posts made by Dr Singh on social media. I have attached for your perusal several screen shots of posts or comments that appear to be either politically charged, ethnically prejudiced or sexist in nature, if not openly derogatory.

Photo: Socia media posts about the current PNM Government by Independent Senator Dr Kriyaan Singh.
Photo: Socia media posts about the current PNM Government by Independent Senator Dr Kriyaan Singh.

It begs the question what precisely did you find “outstanding” about Dr Singh, and why exactly has he been chosen by you to represent alternative views in the Senate.

The citizens of Trinidad and Tobago have had Independent Senators of the ilk of Corinne Baptiste-McKnight, Helen Drayton, Angela Cropper, Martin Daly SC, Dana Seetahal SC and Karl Theodore, to name but a handful.

So how exactly do we arrive at the selection of Dr Kriyaan Singh as a temporary senator? Have we sunk so low as a society?

Are there no other options at all? Are there no other persons capable fulfilling the responsibilities of a temporary Independent Senator?

What your selection says to the wider public is that you have decided that this young man is capable of impartial and critical thinking on issues that affect legislation and will shape public policy.

Photo: Trinidad and Tobago President Anthony Carmona (left) and his wife Reema Harrysingh-Carmona (centre) arrive in Argentina for a high profile international friendly in June 2014. (Courtesy Allan V Crane/TTFA)
Photo: Trinidad and Tobago President Anthony Carmona (left) and his wife Reema Harrysingh-Carmona (centre) arrive in Argentina for a high profile international friendly in June 2014.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/TTFA)

Your selection says that he is “outstanding” and a worthy representative for the people of Trinidad and Tobago. Based on the evidence before me, I challenge that.

Do these posts and comments represent the type of senator you wish for the nation, President Carmona?

I hope that in this instant you do the right thing because it is the right thing to do.

Sincere regards,

Rhoda Bharath

Right Thinking Citizen of Trinidad and Tobago

Photo: Independent Senator Dr Kriyaan Singh's views on Finance Minister Colm Imbert.
Photo: Independent Senator Dr Kriyaan Singh’s views on Finance Minister Colm Imbert.
Photo: Social media posts by recently appointed Independent Senator Dr Kriyaan Singh.
Photo: Social media posts by recently appointed Independent Senator Dr Kriyaan Singh.
Photo: Independent Senator Dr Kriyaan Singh and UNC Senator Wayne Sturge.
Photo: Independent Senator Dr Kriyaan Singh and UNC Senator Wayne Sturge.
Photo: Another social media post by newly Independent Senator Dr Kriyaan Singh.
Photo: Another social media post by newly Independent Senator Dr Kriyaan Singh.
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180 comments

  1. Lasana Why do you say it like you expect the person who is the President to know better? Just curious.

  2. like she obsessed with him…who is she..was.told she is a red head

  3. It’s as if the Batman and the Joker switched roles..
    The fella is an asylum patient parading to himself in the mirror in a superhero costume,lol.

  4. Kriyaan, I won’t debate what you may or may not find relevant.
    About a dozen persons from a community of a few thousand sat around a dinner table and one in particular, Mario Sabga-Aboud, made a fool of himself.
    You saw that as a reason to release several attacks at that particular ethnic group that included accusations of drugs, cousins marrying cousins and other jabs that I consider racist.
    For me, there should be no room for that behavior in any enlightened society. And that is what we ought to be striving for.
    For me, the fact that such behavior comes from someone who served (no matter how briefly) as a independent senator is especially alarming.
    I won’t be sidetracked about any nonsense about me needing to write about you to be relevant.
    Better to have an adult conversation if you would like one and barbs like that aren’t worth responding to and won’t get under my skin anyhow.
    You might have severely criticized Mario and that would be fine. I don’t know the man and I have no brief for him.
    It is your attack on a group of people that I find extremely off putting. Now I’m trying to be as restrained as possible in describing how disgusted I was at the post for the sake of having an adult conversation.
    You can justify your post?

    • My attack is not on the 1% but rather the 1% of that 1% that were sat around that Powerful table.

      It was not directed at the entire Syrian ethnicity.
      However if you think statements made reflect the entire community well that your mind thinking that not mine.

    • “As a proud member of the 47% coolie population I say take your apology, wrap it in a gyro skin sprinkle some hummus and shove it up your 1% powerful Ethnic Lebanayise Syrinidaydian wrinkly olive ass”
      I think that was racist.

      “If I have offended you or any of your cousins/ wives / husbands( which is yuh cousin anyways)…”
      I think that was racist.

      “And which pizza boy or rituals cashier or server satisfied with their pay and wukking for your 1% grey goose Ass 30 yrs. Miss me with the bullshit from a unicorn.”
      Not how I would put it but I won’t argue with you here…

      “Tell me which African or Indian who plant cane for Caroni get land in chaguramas or goodwood park from the Governments you all control”
      Fair comment.

      “Yuh was hoping Bret woulda drown the 99% lagoon dwellers…”
      An unnecessary and unfair call to arms.

      “Is not because I getting poorer that I getting angry, is because you are a jackass born with the gift of voice to utter such bigoted bullshit and follow it up with an even more half olive ass attempt at what…”
      Ironic accusation of bigotry.

      “This is not about all Syrians you know. But the 1% of the 1% who boasts about not their wealth over the mid n lower clsss but THEIR POWER .
      Who are the 1 percent of 1 percent? Did you mean Mario Sabga-Aboud? Or also the rest around the table? Or unnamed others?
      I’d think it wise to target your wrath better than that.

    • Kriyaan everyone has their own way of making a point and that is fine. But I gave examples there of what I felt crossed the line and I also included what I had no problem with (or less of a problem with).
      I feel we, as people, can disagree civilly. Failing that we can at least disagree without dividing the country.

    • Yes let’s be civil.

      Mario already separated us into the have nots and have nevers

    • Yes, but I mean your disagreement with Mario can also be civil and targeted without drawing in cousins/wives/husbands and what not. That’s what I disagree with. Not that you attacking him for making a fool of himself.

    • Lasana Liburd don’t bother as my grandfather use to say : Having a debate with a person who is ignorant is akin to pouring a cup of water in the ocean it’s of no value. Sad part Dr. Singh has followers and that’s frightening…..

    • A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still!

  5. I’m not a colonial thinker ..articulate speech ,Queens English ,yadi yadi yadi along with good ole fashion manners and norms don’t make you no good politician ,ask Mervyn Assam .we need doers ,belly and guts and folks willing to stand for fairness ,equity and equality ..radical or polished just have substance

  6. Lasana Liburd, whatever your opinions of me are, I hope you find happiness in sharing them. I’m here to fulfill my purpose, as are you. Continue fighting for what you believe is right, or sit on the sidelines and critique each punch like the commentators. Either way change will occur and you’ll be a part of it.

    If anyone else cares to offload their education on me please feel free but I’ll reply Saturday . I have a day job

    Goodnight and be safe, and choose your man wisely

  7. I find this is interesting. There can easily be an issue with the perception of the manifestation of a human “evil”; racism, transgenders, pedophilia…but what is it exactly that we want from our “leaders”? Is it the same that we want for ourselves? As Carlos pointed out, “the age of political correctness is over”, which I only partially agree with. Perhaps we became increasingly grounded in being politically correct at the cost of being morally correct. The explosion of social media and security in a digital age may have simply exposed us to what we prefer not to face. Insitutionalized racism and microaggression are both manifest and yet escaping from them is difficult. Social media has made it easy to pinpoint (or so it would seem) the “rotten tomatoes”. I find Kriyaan to be simultaneously foolish and courageous. Just as there are many transient faults in all of us I hope he holds fast to his courage. I don’t like holding on too hard to what I feel is inside of someone Lasana. I understand how it feels to be labeled a racist. We are in a world with much racism and few racists.

    • When you stubbornly stick to a destructive path, I don’t view that as courage.

    • Moving forward based on what you believe takes courage. The insight of what is destructive vs what is more progressive or enlightened is different. And at the end of the day both courage and our insight is always changing.

    • The KKK has plenty character too by that definition. Not so?

    • Quite true. So does IS. But is it more important to you that they accept your idea that they are destructive or society’s for that matter? Because they seem to think they are on the right path.

    • Not about accepting my idea at all. I didn’t send any message to anyone in particular. I am saying–based on those writings–that behaviour is destructive. That’s my opinion. People are free to disagree and I respect their right to do so.

    • Ok. I think expressing your opinion about a concept is fine but as long as you are expressing an opinion about a person direct it to them. And it’s better you address the behavior of the person. And that’s where I directly find fault with Kriyaan’s post; that it came across as an attack on people rather than talking about an issue. If you believe the problem is racism then you fight that and not your idea of a racist.

    • And I’m specifically targeting the carrier of the racist message. Didn’t you say that you asked Kriyaan to be specific? Well, I AM being specific. Like I said, to each his or her own. But if I think someone has crossed the line and am minded to say so. Then I will.

    • Sure thing. I just got the impression you were concerned with what is on the inside, which was my original point. Evidently you can’t target what you believe is a racist message without addressing the carrier. I believe in saying something if you believe lines have been crossed…conversations like these are what leads to change.

    • Btw, it’s refreshing to have the topic opened as much as your opinion is both surprising and welcome.

    • Alana I’m almost afraid to ask how “surprising”…

    • Lol. Don’t be afraid. Plenty of time to write a few articles on it. Surprising to me for two reasons. Firstly, it’s not usual to come across someone who is Black and whose working definition of racism is in the broadest sense. Secondly, what you construe as racism with respect to the content of the post. But that’s a longer debate. And I don’t want you to get scared.

  8. Anytime some1 oppose the PNM,the release their “dog of war” after yuh.

  9. Wired868 should have a flashback when their parents should’ve used a condom instead of having anal sex as birth control.

    It obviously didn’t work

  10. Kriyaan Singh.yuh have fans.who really takes on R Bharat.

  11. The late Dr John Spence, himself a sterling example of independent thinking in the Senate, opined that “Independent Senators should study the Constitution carefully and understand the rationale behind its various positions.” my grandfather. My mentor

  12. I have seen trump ascend to the highest political office in the western world.the age of political correctness is over …watch it evolve folks

  13. De next time someone ANYONE chastises me for cussing… I sending them straight by Carmona de Moaner for my Senatorial appointment.

  14. we had this conversation before and here its repeated again, who’s listening. It obvious former KPB and her cabal would have put up his name . we no longer have people of a certain calibre or ilk in Parliament. Instead we the citizens have over the last 7 yrs been saddled with so many undesirables and low class persons who are vacuous with regards to the Constitution and Parliamentary language and lack decorum. The question is who’s listening, since names are sent to the President and as a’toothless bulldog, or figurehead, that he is and he simply obliges. Is that how it is. reopen the debate do we need a President ( he also has pending unanswered question about monies he obtained, so how can he deny the Opposition leader or the Executive their demands to fill positions in Parliament? Too much corruption in this little country and elected officials inability to do right. or act correctly.

  15. As soon as de man singlehandedly take on the parasitic oligarchy, a troll, now, unashamedly, finding fault?

  16. This is a copy of his latest rant….

  17. As a proud member of the 47% coolie population I say take your apology, wrap it in a gyro skin sprinkle some hummus and shove it up your 1% powerful Ethnic Lebanayise Syrinidaydian wrinkly olive ass

    If I have offended you or any of your cousins/ wives / husbands( which is yuh cousin anyways) please forgive my excitement and pride in my noble ancestry of cutting cane, planting rice and living in lagoon and being honest and hard working.

    Not selling powder for textiles

    And which pizza boy or rituals cashier or server satisfied with their pay and wukking for your 1% grey goose Ass 30 yrs.

    Miss me with the bullshit from a unicorn.

    Yuh want to apologize , to the poor niggas and coolies now, well put yuh money where yuh mouth is and give relief in all your food places and real estate to those affected by squatting and Bret, give back to the people .

    And this apology costing you nothing cuz you own all the blasted media too.

    Cnc3 ain’t even talk bout the public reactions to your apology.

    You feel we schupid ent. There was a reason the companies where the 1% are majority owners blocked the program on Cable and Directv. Cuz yuh know the shit storm was coming.

    Where the apology from every member nodding and agreeing at that table. Where yuh wife/cousin/ olive oil hummus serving apology.

    The people done getting fucked with From Mason Hall to White Hall now yuh coming with From Bayroot to Bayshore. And have this Tiger Woods wanna be leaving the country to be run by two PsuedoSyrian, the Leprechaun and the gun totting Prophet

    And I making No Fucking Apology for this because I don’t own a house in Tobago or a Condo over looking little Bayroot but live in the lagoon in Penal, flood out because allyuh living and owning on the whole north west coast and hills and destroying it.

    Tell me which African or Indian who plant cane for Caroni get land in chaguramas or goodwood park from the Governments you all control

    A next thing, all of us ” Below Citizens ” had to wait a week to see the S buss but allyuh Powerful 1% done gone away or have your personal premier party and up until us natives start to act with a little verbal civil commotion against yuh jackassedness have you decided to ” Apologize” a whole cousin cunt week after ? Yuh was hoping Bret woulda drown the 99% lagoon dwellers

    Take a Roody and “Hush Yuh Stink Mouth ”

    You might think your Powerful but this is one educated, hard working, patriotic coolie you will never control.

    Is not because I getting poorer that I getting angry, is because you are a jackass born with the gift of voice to utter such bigoted bullshit and follow it up with an even more half olive ass attempt at what ….. ah sorry but ogosh people think I’m famalee?

    And apology is not meant to make you look good, it’s meant to be genuine

    This is not about all Syrians you know

    But the 1% of the 1% who boasts about not their wealth over the mid n lower clsss but THEIR POWER .

    Dr Kriyaan Singh

  18. Is that the “Outstanding Independent Senator” of President Carmona? That bold, biased individual that openly express his political affiliations? How “independent” can he be. He must be removed immediately. To find favour with a person so leads me to think there’s much to be desired from you, Mr President.

  19. This article seeks to consolidate the belief of what politically correctness is the ultimate norm .garbage .men led revolutions and we’re ambassadors yadi yadi ya..coming folks let’s evolve out of the banana republic mentality …

  20. Remove him forthwith. This is something to engage our attention,

  21. 99% of the time I disagree with Rhoda Bharath but she is spot on with this one.

  22. I’ve seen this man’s facebook page. How did he qualify to even become a senator? His posts are very biased & disgusting.

  23. We need to do like Caligula and put horse in the Senate- it will focus the population to how desperate things are. Beware- Singh’s variety of disqualification is only one- there are others, we need to condemn them too. Listen to the debates- Singh might offend us, but all are offensive for one reason or the other.

  24. Lasana valid point except for my long standing dismissal of any politician or appointee thereof in sweet T&T. Except the AG, of course, i claim him as one of my people so he is obviously infallible.

  25. Although even Braveboy had her own radio show come to think of it.

  26. Raphael El Youssef you are forgetting that this is a man that President Anthony Carmona put in our Senate eh. He is not quite a rabble rouser on the street like a Marcia Braveboy.

  27. Non-redeemable refers to a coupon. Irredeemable is fine.

  28. I await his update on the very successful recovery of Mr. Laing as of 5 pm today. I’m sure that will be an interesting perspective.

  29. should that read “nonredeemable”?

  30. That point has never been lost on me, Dan. However, I am at the point in my life where effort will be expended to the end of a result. The good Dr. Singh is irredeemable. This is not only my observation from afar but of those cursed to have interacted with him. His hate and his rhetoric come from a source watered and nourished over decades and likely made worse by self loathing and self pity.

  31. Disagree Raffie. If we don’t start telling people that their disgusting behavior is unacceptable, the kind of society we get is one where it is acceptable. Oh and a nasty person in a wheelchair is still a nasty person. He’s just in a wheelchair.

  32. OK, to be fair, and I not pushing talk, but that rant Lasana post screenshots of below left me laughing like I just watch a Dave Chappelle stand up routine.
    Nothing that individual posts is worth anyone’s time to dissect or respond to. He cannot (to use the Queen’s English in the absolute form) speak for anyone of real substance in Trinidad.
    Everyone has their own silo for their beliefs on race, class and relative wealth, that’s human nature.
    His handicap is not physical, it’s mental. Leave him be. It’s evil and heartless to throw stones at someone so out of touch with reality.
    That being said, nothing the referenced apology was likely genuine or heartfelt.

  33. Great encapsulation to my last comment Sarah Dawn

  34. Lasana Liburd they’re not ready for the real world…big fish in small pond syndrome

  35. Maven Huggins here are the comments from him. And yes… I DO see racist here.

  36. Sickening….our ppl’s mindsets…boy aaa

  37. Have no place around civilised people. But did you see how many likes and shares? That’s the really scary thing.

  38. You saw racist?

    I saw an interesting corollary: a professional (vet) who is of society echelon (senator) mentioning in one line amidst sixty? (I did not count), how his own economic standing was eroding.

    All depends on what we see and focus on.

    Our ability to cut dice, filet huge fish as the best Japanese sushi chefs

    And points that gather for bigger stories or small.

    I think too, seeing relevance may have a lot to do with how much we don’t judge. Something Trini’s are made of and wired for.

    It was surprising to me to read that perspective from him given all that is said and stated of Indians and their aspirations and economic context in Trinidad

    Quite intriguing for me.
    For the first time folk who may not find any alliances, perhaps have some, even if the vibration and message needs to be elevated and refined.

    Lastly, for me, in this, his , kiryaan instance only, I see. How this is about a universal 99% Justice.

    I just wrote a post about how many overseers there are monitoring and damning anger, rage, and so-called economic jealousy. Of all I have seen, not one person refers to Justice.

  39. I saw only the first 2 paragraphs. It apparently got worse after

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