@i.a.n.network: PM re-shares 'proud coolie' video after leaked audio controversy Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has appeared to respond to a leaked audio recording containing offensive remarks directed at her by reposting a video on her official X account carrying the words "Proud Coolie" alongside the national flag of Trinidad and Tobago. The post came just hours after an audio recording circulated on social media in which one of the speakers allegedly referred to the Prime Minister using the term "coolie" while making disturbing and perceived threatening comments about her and other senior Government officials. Although Persad-Bissessar did not directly reference the leaked recording, many social media users interpreted the post as a response to the racial slur. The Prime Minister has previously spoken publicly about reclaiming the word "coolie," saying she refuses to view it as a source of shame despite its historical use as a derogatory term against people of Indian descent in the Caribbean. During a function held in May 2026 to welcome India's External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar to Trinidad and Tobago, Persad-Bissessar declared that she was proud of her heritage. Addressing the audience, she said: "In Trinidad, Indians are still referred to as 'coolies' in some places. I feel no shame in that. I am proud that today a little 'coolie' girl is the Prime Minister of Trinidad." Her remarks drew international attention and were widely reported by Indian and Caribbean media. The term "coolie" originated during the period of Indian indentureship following the abolition of slavery and has long been regarded by many as a racial slur used to demean descendants of indentured labourers. In recent years, however, some Indo-Caribbean leaders and members of the community have sought to reclaim the word as an expression of cultural identity and resilience. Persad-Bissessar's social media post comes amid heightened political tensions following the circulation of the leaked audio recording in the case of Star Sabga and Genevieve Hadeed, which has generated widespread public discussion and condemnation. Neither the Prime Minister nor her office has issued an official statement directly addressing the contents of the recording, but the reposted "Proud Coolie" video has been widely viewed as a symbolic response to the remarks directed at her.— Story by I.A.N News #newstoday #trending #like #followus #fyp #iannews #iannetwork #tiktok #crime #trinidadandtobago #caribbean #regional #international

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Monday 27 July 2026 19:21:57 GMT