Satnarine Maharaj

[madsuya]

Sat Maharaj, secretary general of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha, said he began receiving “threatening phone calls.” Maharaj, testifying at yesterday’s hearing at the Commission of Enquiry into the failure of the Harnarine-led Hindu Credit Union (HCU), said in reply to questions from his attorney Jagdeo Singh that the relationship between himself and Harnarine had deteriorated to the point of being “acrimonious.” “Not only acrimonious, but life- threatening...I received calls on the telephone that Harry paid someone to get rid of me,” Maharaj said. At this point, Farid Scoon, attorney for Harnarine objected, saying there was no evidence of an acrimonious relationship between the two before the commission, even if it was so. Singh replied: “What is important is the witness’ perception.” Maharaj continued: “I received information by someone perceived to be his bodyguard,” adding that he won’t identify the person. He said he wrote the Commissioner of Police about those threats and received a November 19, 2008, reply from the CoP’s office stating it had conducted a “comprehensive threat assessment,” and had determined “a low-level threat exists.” Maharaj said he didn’t understand what that term meant, and that “one bullet was as good as six.” Referring to Harnarine, he said: “I thought here is a man who believed he was all things to all people.” Maharaj said after getting the threats, he began “restricting” his activities, especially at nightly Hindu prayers.
Maharaj said it was a “clever ploy” to isolate the Maha Sabha and put the organisation against Muslims and Catholics. “That is an old trick that not even Machiavelli will try today.” He said the Maha Sabha was always sourcing funds to repair its schools and temples. Maharaj accused Scoon of using race and religion as a tactic that not even politicians would use as “people are beyond that.” “I joined the HCU because it was a Hindu credit union. If Harry and his cohorts, they effect a change in a closed boardroom, we have a right to say we did not agree to that change,” Maharaj said. The Hindu leader said Harnarine had approached him to get the Maha Sabha’s support for the HCU, and it thereafter dissolved a teachers’ credit union to merge with the HCU. Maharaj said his son Vijay attended three HCU meetings and then decided he didn’t want to return because of how the meetings were being conducted. Scoon, who addressed Maharaj as “shri,” an honorific Hindu title of respect, and as a brother, asked Maharaj if he’d met Harnarine at HCU’s office at Pierre Road, Felicity, central Trinidad, before undergoing heart surgery in Miami, to which he said, reluctantly and after much cross-talk.....dis fron d news paper buh had to share!!!

 

[madsuya]

Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha (SDMS) secretary general Satnarayan Maharaj said yesterday the purpose of introducing Ramleela into the education system was to ensure that the festival remains alive....The SDMS launched Ramleela in Schools at the Debe Recreation Ground yesterday.....Pupils attending SDMS primary and secondary schools participated in a parade, followed by singing and dancing...
Ramleela or Ramdilla, an annual re-enactment of the Tulsidas’ Ramayan, is the oldest open air theatre in the Caribbean....the event is held during the Hindu observance of “Nav Raatam - nine nights of the Divine Mothers.”
This 10-day serialised play recounts the journey of the divine king, Rama and his consort Sita on earth and begins with a ceremonial procession of the characters which includes deities, kings, princes, sages, soldiers, monkey troops, forest dwellers and the army of the evil ten-headed king Ravana. It is the story of Rama’s willing acceptance of 14 years exile in order to uphold His father’s word and eventual victory in war over the evil king.....
Bare-footed actors called paatras (vessels) observe ritual disciplines before they enter the ground. Ancient characters in costumes of yellow, red, blue and black dance to the strong rhythms of tassa drums....Ramleela occurs at several venues including Hindu Schools, St. Augustine, Aranguez Ground, and Baal (Children’s) Ramdilla, Raghunanan Road, Enterprise an other venues so check it out!!!

 

[madsuya]

Sat Maharaj, secretary general of the SDMS....wants independence for Tobago. Speaking with the Sunday Guardian, Sat Maharaj, secretary general of the SDMS, said Tobago should fend for itself and stop being a drain on the treasury......

Maharaj said billions of dollars were being spent in Tobago to benefit a handful of the national population. Maharaj said he wants the Government to stop subsidising the cost of the fast-ferry service and the airbridge service to Tobago. He said millions of dollars were being spent to send tourists from Trinidad to Tobago. “Let everyone pay the full cost to travel,” he stated.

Maharaj said the Government cannot continue to help pay for joyrides between the islands. Maharaj said he saw no relevance in maintaining a unitary state of Trinidad and Tobago since the Indo-Trinidadian population, which makes up 42 percent of the national population, did not feel welcome in Tobago.

Maharaj claimed that Trinidadians were generally ill-treated by Tobagonians when on business or vacation on the island. He said Indians are now feeling alienated and are refusing to go to Tobago since the “Calcutta ship” comments by THA executive member Hilton Sandy.

Tobagonians had always rejected Indians and Hindus, in particular. Citing an example, he said the SDMS had purchased land in Tobago for the construction of a temple at Carnbee over five years ago but the THA had refused to grant permission for construction even though there was a Christian church in the area.

He said the THA also promised to grant a half acre of land at Signal Hill to the various Indian organisations on the island. However, the THA came up with an excuse at the last minute and reneged on its promise. “Calcutta ship can’t land, but one from the Congo can,” Maharaj commented.

Maharaj said until Tobago gets independence he wanted everyone to boycott Tobago. Maharaj said Trinidadians could enjoy themselves vacationing elsewhere. In the meantime, he suspected that the THA would move to patch things up and save face by giving “curry favour” to one of the three Indo-based organisations on the island.