Another appointed member has quit the National Council for Indian Culture’s board, with Dr Shane Mohammed accusing the organisation of allowing an untrue claim that Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar cut funding for Divali Nagar 2026 to go uncorrected.
In his resignation letter to NCIC president Surujdeo Mangaroo, Mohammed said the uncorrected narrative had brought the Prime Minister and her office into disrepute.
“In the past week, a narrative in the public’s domain that the Honourable Prime Minister pulled the plug on funding for Divali Nagar 2026 has not been corrected. This is categorically untrue!”
In an interview with Guardian Media, Mohammed said there was no factual evidence to support a claim that the Government had cut all funding for the celebrations.
Guardian Media understands that the issue of direct State funding for this year’s Nagar is still to be determined.
Mohammed said organisers had anticipated that some State agencies would not return as corporate partners because of a change in Government policy.
His departure follows the resignations of appointed members Ferida Ramkissoon and Varsha Ramharak. Mangaroo previously denied their departures were connected to the Blue Waters sponsorship controversy. He said Ramkissoon cited work commitments, while no connection was established between Ramharak’s departure and the dispute.
The NCIC has an elected executive board, with additional members appointed to contribute expertise. Mohammed said he was invited to join following his role in executing the organisation’s April 2026 Annual General Meeting.
“It was the belief that I would bring specialist expertise to the newly elected team.”
Mohammed, a longstanding friend, guest, participant and presenter at the Nagar, said his decision to serve was rooted in political neutrality.
“When I accepted this position on the Board, I did so to provide non-partisan national service. In my opinion, the uncorrected narrative has brought the Honourable Prime Minister and her Office into national disrepute.”
He said he communicated his position during a board meeting that evening before concluding: “I therefore, resign from the board with immediate effect.”
The resignation comes amid scrutiny of the NCIC’s sponsorship arrangements and reported disagreements over its handling of Blue Waters’ involvement.
Persad-Bissessar had ridiculed the sponsorship, describing the arrangement as ironic and claiming Mangaroo had been duped into hosting a public relations exercise to announce the company’s support.
She said Mangaroo “was actually duped into hosting a public relations press conference to accept it.”
The Prime Minister also defended reductions in State sponsorship, arguing that taxpayers’ money should prioritise wages, medicines, pensions and other public needs.
Mangaroo previously rejected suggestions of a board rift or political agenda, maintaining that the NCIC was a cultural organisation and that Blue Waters had been approached for sponsorship since July.
He also stressed that all elected board members remained in place when he addressed the earlier resignations. Invitations, he said, had been extended to the Prime Minister, Government ministers and parliamentarians on both sides of the political divide.
