GOVERNMENT Minister Faris Al Rawi, who has ambitions of leading the People’s National Movement (PNM), was the action man behind the visit to Trinidad and Tobago of Indian yogi Sadhguru.
The fleeting visit of Sadhguru (Yaggi Vasudev) was sponsored by conglomerate AnsaMcAl at an estimated cost of $5 million.
Al Rawi made representations to AnsaMcAl’s top brass following discussions with soca star Machel Montano, who has teamed up with Sadhguru on an environmental awareness project.
The conglomerate underwrote the cost of the visit as a gift to T&T, in light of Sadhguru’s growing popularity in the country.
Members of the Cabinet were invited to the public event of the visit, a spiritually-oriented lecture at the Centre of Excellence, Macoya.
But Al Rawi was the only prominent government official at the affair, prompting speculation.
The Al Rawi-Sadhguru-Machel axis is the source of much conjecture about whether the politician aspired to boost his reputation by associating with an internationally-renowned personality.
He is seen as an outlier in the race to succeed Dr. Keith Rowley as PNM leader, but there is now speculation about whether he has the backing of the country’s largest and most powerful corporate group.
Al Rawi has close family ties with influential business figures.
At least a couple of other Cabinet ministers are reportedly interested in succeeding Rowley as head of the PNM.
