00:00The National Council of Indian Culture is breaking its silence on the controversy surrounding state sponsorship for the Diwali Nagar,
00:08insisting there is no basis for allegations that the Prime Minister, Kamala Passat-Bissasa, sought to victimize the organization.
00:17The response comes two days after the resignation of appointed board director Dr. Shane Muhammad,
00:23who argued that the NCIC had failed to correct what he described as a false narrative about the Prime Minister's
00:30role in the funding controversy.
00:33Muhammad accused organizers of failing to correct the narrative.
00:37His resignation follows earlier departures of appointed board members Farida Ramkisun and Vasha Ramharak,
00:43and that is amid scrutiny of the NCIC's sponsorship arrangements and Blue Waters' involvement in this year's event.
00:51In its latest statement, the NCIC says the public narrative has been distorted
00:56and that it was remiss in not correcting the perception sooner.
01:01It says, quote,
01:02At no time has the board of directors held the opinion that the Honorable Prime Minister sought to victimize the
01:09NCIC through withholding funding.
01:12At no time did the NCIC in any of its releases further such a position, end quote.
01:19The board says it recognizes decades of government assistance that helped establish Diwali Nagar as Trinidad and Tobago's premier Diwali
01:28event.
01:29It adds that it understands the complexities of national resource allocation and supports programs intended to improve citizens' lives.
01:38The NCIC says, quote,
02:06The controversy intensified after several state controls,
02:10companies withdrew sponsorship from this year's celebrations, with Blue Waters stepping up as Diamond's sponsor.
02:18Passat-Bissassa has defended the reduction in state sponsorship,
02:22arguing that other cultural and religious events have also experienced funding cuts.
02:27She has also maintained that taxpayer funds should prioritize public needs,
02:31including wages, medicine, and pensions, rather than sponsorship of private events.
02:36Despite the controversy, the NCIC says its priority remains the successful staging of the 40th anniversary of Diwali Nagar.
02:46And in a significant closing note,
02:48the organization says it looks forward to welcoming the Prime Minister on the festival's final night.
