At a United Workers’ Party public meeting in Ti Rocher, Castries, former Senator Mangal drew comparisons between what he considers the slow progress of development in the Prime Minister’s constituency of Castries East and that of former MP Guy Joseph in Castries South East.
According to Mangal, “Everything on my right is in Castries East, which is Pierre's constituency. Everything on my left is Castries South East. If you were to drive along that road from the Gap to the Morne, everything on the left is shining and painted white. Everything on the right is black, just like Philip J. Pierre.”
Many have taken Mangal’s use of the word “black” to describe the Prime Minister’s constituency and the Prime Minister himself, contrasted with his use of the words “white” and “shining” to be racially-charged. Mangal has come under fire from quarters for his use of the word “black” to connote ideas of stalling development, possible destitution, and worse yet, its correlation to Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre.
Coming to the condemnation of the remarks was Aaron Alexander, President of the Iyanola Council for the Advancement of Rastafari (ICAR), who says politicians should be judged on their achievements in office, and not their complexion.
“It's high time this black and white thing gets out of our politics and we treat people on their merit and treat people according to their character and not on the colour of their skin. We denounce these things because it just continues to perpetuate the notion that everything white is associated, pureness and everything black is wicked and dismal,” he said.
Castries Central MP, Richard Frederick, also expressed his disappointment with Mangal’s comments during the June 5 airing of his talk show, “Can I Help You”, where he suggested that the former Senator is following in the footsteps of the party leader, Allen Chastanet.
“You are in business in a black country. You are referring to our prime minister in a manner that has nothing short of being insulting in an attempt to ridicule him. And that is what Chastanet taught you,” he said.
Local veteran journalist, Stanley Lucien pressed Mangal to back-peddle on his comment and apologise earlier this week, but was met with this response from the former Senator: “My statement is okay.”