Opposition MP: Silence is golden, Minister Deyalsingh

One Opposition MP believes that Minister of Health Terrence Deyalsingh should have remained mum on the Nicki Minaj Twitter debacle and spared the country—and one particular individual whose medical privacy has been breached—further embarrassment.

One Opposition MP believes that Minister of Health Terrence Deyalsingh should have remained mum on the Nicki Minaj Twitter debacle and spared the country—and one particular individual whose medical privacy has been breached—further embarrassment.

Member for Naparima, Rodney Charles MP, feels the health minister should have declined appearing on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, which he says is a comedy show.

According to MP Charles, “The whole world now knows that our government engages in trivia.”

The following is the full text of his statement on the matter…

While Barbados’ PM speaks to CNN and BBC on serious global issues, TT’s government addresses testicles on comedy shows, further embarrassing a citizen

Somebody please tell our government and Minister Deyalsingh in particular, that silence is golden. Some issues are off the table and should be contemptuously ignored, or treated with a “stiff upper lip”, and with “benign neglect”.

George Bernard Shaw pointedly advises: “Silence is the most perfect expression of scorn”.

While Mia Mottley showcases Caribbean intellect on serious media like CNN and the BBC we are left wondering why did our government think it necessary to add salt to the wound, giving legs to a non-issue, and embarrassing a citizen by appearing on Trevor Noah’s comedy show.

Renowned communications expert Marshall McLuhan advises: “the medium is the message”. By appearing on a comedy show we send a pointed message to the world that we are not serious.

We are now a global laughingstock for 30 seconds of fame on a global comedy show?

Nikki Minaj may or may not have made a mistake but that is not a matter for our government. We have serious issues deserving its total attention.

The whole world now knows that our government engages in trivia.

Secondly why unwittingly give legs to a non-issue?

Thirdly international figures make statements from time to time that they wish they had not said. Why add to the global ridicule of one of our more famous daughters of the soil?

Fourthly, the world does not make neat distinctions between Minaj and the rest of us. The government does not look good while it helps in her discomfort.

Fifthly, Deyalsingh compounds his error by showcasing on Noah’s comedy show, our penchant for doubles, fete, calypso, chutney, carnival and bacchanal.

He boastfully invites Noah to come to Carnival next year to fete. While these define us, we are also about serious issues like economic diversification, poverty reduction, and Covid.

PM Mottley addresses the global media on climate change, economic development, the IMF, vaccine discrimination and post-COVID economic revival. We should follow her example.

Rowley and his government get away with murder in TT, revoking Standing Orders at will, infiltrating every independent institution, bending the EBC, trade Unions, even the media to his will. International institutions are not so easily malleable, and he should be so advised.

Their actions have once again made TT a laughingstock on the global arena.