Port-of-Spain – While describing Satnarayan Maharaj as a “national icon” following his death on Saturday, at the same time Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar also thanked him for being a father figure in her life.
Said Persad-Bissessar: “I consider him a great friend and a father figure. Throughout the time I have known him, I have found him to be wise, kind, generous and always willing to help others. He gave me my first job at [a Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha] school, an experience which helped shape me, and kindled my own passion for education and working to improve our country’s education system. For this, I am grateful.”
She also described Maharaj as a “giant of a man” who spent his life in service to Trinidad and Tobago. “Sat worked throughout his life to develop communities and build on his vision for education. His strides in cultural development and education reached to every citizen and directly touched tens of thousands. Almost as a result of his personal initiatives the culture of every ethnic group was incorporated, taught and celebrated in the SDMS schools,” Persad-Bissessar said.
Persad-Bissessar recalled under Maharaj’s tenure, 42 schools were modernised, while 12 early childhood education centres were built.
She noted Maharaj recognised the importance of incorporating technology in the classroom, and in 2014, in partnership with the Education Ministry and Samsung, the Maha Sabha’s Lakshmi Girls’ Hindu College became one of two schools to implement a pilot “smart classroom” project. The initiative was later described as a success, Persad-Bissessar said.
Several students of SDMS schools have received national scholarships over the years, an achievement that is a testament to the high quality of these institutions, she added.
Persad-Bissessar said Maharaj was victorious in his fight for equality and equity.
“He challenged the State against discrimination and won, and he championed free speech at great personal cost,” she added.
As evidence, she cited landmark cases that Maharaj championed, including the challenging of the constitutionality of the Trinity Cross, then the nation’s highest award. Persad-Bissessar noted in May 2006 the High Court ruled the Trinity Cross was strictly a Christian symbol, and consequently “discriminates in a multi-religious society”.
It was a ruling that was a significant step for the people of a multi-religious and multi-ethnic society, Persad-Bissessar said.
Said Persad-Bissessar: “He was a true giant among men, but sadly, [death] was one battle he could not overcome. Trinidad and Tobago is poorer for the loss of this great man, who dedicated his entire life to the upliftment and advancement of our people.”
Additionally, “Even as we mourn his loss, let us remind ourselves of his legacy, and seek to emulate his dedication to building our nation. I know that his son Vijay is a true soldier, having learned from his great father, and he will carry the SDMS flag and the Muqdaar high, for new battles will surface.”
In extending condolences to the family Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley remembered Maharaj as a “tireless advocate” who dedicated his life to fighting for what he believed to be worthy causes.
Said Rowley: “On behalf of the government of Trinidad and Tobago, I wish to extend condolences to the Hindu community… For decades Maharaj played a national leading role in education, religion and culture. Under his astute guidance the SDMS expanded its school network. [He] was a tireless advocate who dedicated his life to fighting for what he believed to be worthy causes.”
High Commissioner of India, Arun Kumar Sahu, also extended condolences, saying Maharaj was “a towering figure who fought tirelessly for the ideals of equality and justice in a democratic society”.
Additionally, “He will also be remembered for eternity for his unparalleled contributions in promoting quality education and preservation of culture in Trinidad and Tobago.”
Satnarayan Maharaj was born on April 17, 1931 and passed away on November 16, 2019.

Georgetown – The David Granger administration’s withdrawal of government ads from Stabroek News (SN) amounting to an attack on press freedom has attracted the attention of regional media houses – the Trinidad Express and Barbados Nation – both calling on the government to reconsider its actions.
The two newspapers which are part of the One Caribbean Media (OCM) group, wote in a joint editorial: “Before this situation escalates into an international issue, this newspaper urges the Granger administration to reconsider its actions and to demonstrate its commitment to press freedom through its own act of fairness towards the Stabroek News, a newspaper widely respected for its record of independent journalism.”
Dawn Thomas, Chief Executive Officer of One Caribbean Media Ltd and a former co-chair of the International Press Institute, has described the advertising boycott by the government on the Stabroek News as an attack on the free press.
“This move on the part of the government is irresponsible, intimidatory and a direct attack on the free press in Guyana. The news team at the Stabroek newspaper is well known for their fierce commitment to independent, accurate and credible reporting and I will like to strongly urge the government to immediately desist from this grossly unfair and oppressive attack on the free press,” Thomas stated.
The SN reported that on November 1st, the attack by the government on its freedom as a press via the Department of Public Information (DPI) entered its fourth month with the newspaper not having received a single advertisement from the agency in October. Stabroek News Editor-in-Chief (EiC) Anand Persaud has said that the total cutoff of ads from DPI in October substantiated the newspaper’s position that it was being punished for its forthright reportage on the government in the aftermath of the December 21, 2018 motion of no-confidence against it in Parliament.
In their joint editorials, the Express and Nation observed that Stabroek News has become the latest Caribbean casualty of an “apparent state-orchestrated advertising boycott designed to bring the media to heel.” The newspapers noted that for over three months, SN has received virtually zero advertising from government agencies in sharp contrast to other newspapers.
“Its attempts to get an explanation elicited no response until two Fridays ago when the newspaper’s suspicion that it was the target of a government boycott was borne out by comments from President David Granger,” the editorials stated.
The editorials noted that during a radio interview, Granger defended the use of state advertising for political purposes, saying “we believe that advertisements should be directed to the media houses based on their willingness to disseminate news fairly.”
The editorials said that Persaud “rightly questioned the inherent subjectivity of fairness, asking who would be the arbiter of fairness”; that Stabroek News is clear in its position that the president’s new metric of fairness is a smokescreen for a government retaliation against its independent journalism.