Inspired by her mother who would always preach “Trini to de bone,” Keisha Dabrowski returned to Trinidad to immerse herself in the Emancipation Day festivities, learn about and expose her son to what their ancestors endured while enslaved in TT.
Dabrowski was born in Sangre Grande – her maiden name is Peters – and was a pupil of Arima Girls’ Government.
She is happily married and her husband is of German, English and Polish descent. Together they have one son, Kristopher.
When she was six-years-old, her mother migrated to the US.
She said her father had migrated first before her mother, but her mother did not even tell her she was going and Dabrowski only found out when she came home from school that day.
“Understanding what it means to be abandoned… I understand that. And I understand the plight of immigrants and their children. When I became a mum, I realised that was a hard thing for my mother to do because I could not even think of leaving my son far less to go to a country I knew nothing about.”
She stayed with her aunt for two years and grew to look from her mum’s perspective, which she described as a leap of faith.
At eight, her mother returned and took her to the US.
“We were living in a small one-bedroom apartment in the US, but we had a house with a nice backyard where I used to make mud pies. But I also saw the opportunities because growing up in Brooklyn with a bunch of other immigrants from these other countries who became my community.”
Dabrowski said there were people from the Caribbean and other countries working together and fighting for their children to have a better future.
“I would go to Manhattan and Long Island with my mum who did domesticated work – babysit and clean – and I remember going there and saying, ‘I would love to live in a place like this one day. This is amazing.’ And only seeing white people and thinking, ‘I want to be like them, this is something that only they have.’”
Dabrowski said her mother wanted her to have all the opportunities the US could offer, after realising that, she stopped at nothing to get it.
She said the pivotal point in her life and one of the other reasons she chose to celebrate Emancipation Day in TT this year was when she learned about Jim Crow.
“Racism is alive and well, and while in TT we will separate ourselves into Indo-Trini and Afro-Trini or Native people, in America, there’s white and everything else.”
While in Trinidad, she never learned about slavery, but it made her wonder about the history of TT.
After realising that the US’ Jim Crow era was just the construction of black identity – that would be used to justify slavery – she decided to pursue an undergraduate degree in communications and marketing at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. She jokes and says she went to an engineering college for a business degree.
Her reasoning was if a black identity could be created for negative purposes, then it can be deconstructed and used as a way to educate people.
“Typical to any Trini, I had so much pride in who I am and many times in the US, I say to them, ‘You see me and what you see is a black person because you have this binary sense of identity because if you really knew me, you’d know I was a part of a melting pot.’”
Dabrowski said this is because TT has different heritages and everyone celebrates every holiday whether it be Diwali, Eid Ul-Fitr or Christmas.
She also has a bachelor’s of science in business with a focus on marketing and a master’s in strategic organisational communication with a focus on corporate social responsibility from Rutgers, the State University in New Jersey.


Rutgers – originally called Queen’s College – is a research university and is the second oldest in New Jersey after Princeton University. It also has a 58 per cent acceptance rate.
She has worked at Rutgers for around nine years in different positions – executive director for student affairs and chief of staff to the vice chancellor of student affairs – because she always looked for the next step. She was also a part of the creation of the black history month curriculum for schools in New Jersey.
Dabrowski said she then got a phone call in February of 2021 from her mother and she began giving back to her immediately.
She took her shopping, travelling and to dinners among many other activities.
“One day she was pushing my son in his stroller in my neighbourhood and someone came up to her and said, ‘Hi, I didn’t know Keisha hired a nanny,’ and she said (in her Trini accent), ‘I’m not the nanny, I’m the grandmother.’ She came and told me with so much pride and she had so much pride knowing her daughter lived in a neighbourhood like this.”
The next time she got a phone call from her mother, she was told that her mother had stage four cancer and Dabrowski began calling everyone she knew to get her mother the proper healthcare she needed. At the time she was being recruited by Johnson and Johnson – US-based pharmaceutical industry company that has been in business since 1886 – to be a part of its health equity platform.
During the interviews, she warned them that she would not let the company settle for the bare minimum and be comfortable.
She told them, “People are dying… my mum is dying and she's dying because of health inequities. When I asked my mum, ‘How did we get here?’ She said, ‘When I went to my doctor, he was rough with me so I stopped going for my pap smears.’”
Dabrowski said her mother told her it could have been because of her thick Trini accent made the doctor frustrated.
“I decided that if I couldn't save my mom's life, I was going to save other people's mom's lives.”
She said she never wants anyone to feel the hurt she felt and continues to feel to this day as there were many other experiences she wanted her mother to experience with her.
“One of my best memories with her was taking her to Hawaii because she said she has never been. We flew first class and I remember getting into the plane and realising that you can lie back in the plane and she said this is what you see on TVs and she just couldn’t believe it. We stayed at Hilton Hawaiian Village in a three-bedroom penthouse suite and she looked at me and said, ‘Thank you.’”
All Dabrowski said she could think about was wanting to give her mother all of this and more, but with the thought of knowing her mother was about to die in the back of her head.
After her mother died last October, her biological father – who she did not grow up with – died shortly after in Trinidad and she realised he could have survived from a heart attack if there was better healthcare. When he died, that was the first time she returned to Trinidad in 30 years and Dabrowski said she immediately felt a connection to the island.
After that, she wanted to learn everything about TT and experience everything it had to offer, so she did. Dabrowski took her son with her to every Emancipation Day celebration before their departure on Thursday and tried to gather as much information on TT’s history as possible.
“I’ve been at the Hyatt (Wrightson Road, Port of Spain) and one of the things I have been disappointed in is that there has been no information about Emancipation Day.
"I was in the elevator dressed in the traditional wear and a woman asked where I was going, I said I was headed to the Emancipation Day parade and she asked, ‘What is that?’”
Dabrowski asked, “How can you have the Commonwealth Games happening right here and they don’t know such a pivotal moment for the island happening?”
She said while at the Emancipation Village, Queen’s Park Savannah, there was only one small booth with information about the day when it should have been the main focus. She said more on the history of the island when people were enslaved must be brought out and the importance of Emancipation Day must be shared with pride and to the extent that people leave the island knowing the history of it.
​ (Source: Newsday, August 5, 2023)

​The National Archives of Trinidad and Tobago extends our condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Professor Emeritus Brinsley Samaroo. Professor Samaroo was an acclaimed researcher, historian, politician, and academic who was known for his in-depth exploration into Trinidad and Tobago’s working class movements, Indo-Caribbean history, and political history.
Professor Samaroo began his academic career studying at universities in Delhi and the United Kingdom, before returning home to Trinidad & Tobago where he pioneered research into the Indian diaspora. After accepting teaching positions at the University of the West Indies to lecture in New World, and South Asian history, he decided to turn his focus to politics where he served as an Opposition Senator from 1982-1986.
Following this, he was elected to the House of Representatives in 1986, and was a notable figure in the National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR), especially during the 1990 Coup where - according to former government minister Winston Dookeran - he was integral to helping oversee deliberations.
Beyond politics, Professor Samaroo pursued his academic career for over fifty years at the University of the West Indies, publishing numerous books and articles concerning Trinbago’s history. Some of these include: “The Art of Garnet Ifill: Glimpses of the Sugar Industry”, “The Price of Conscience: Howard Nankivell and Labour Unrest in the Caribbean 1937-1938” and, “Adrian Cola Rienzi: The Life and Times of an Indo-Caribbean Progressive”.
This photo showing Professor Brinsley Samaroo is courtesy of the Daily Express Newspaper, June 13, 2023. This newspaper is part of the National Archives of Trinidad and Tobago Newspaper Collection.
(source: National Archives of Trinidad and Tobago, July 10, 2023)

CHAIR of Tobago CivilNET Rodney Piggott says the organisation is working closely with the Emancipation Support Committee to decolonise spaces in Trinidad and Tobago.
“We have spaces like Fort King George (overlooking Scarborough)…. one of the most beautiful places in Tobago and I have to call this man’s name. I have to pour libation every time I use their names. Where are my ancestors’ names on these places?” he asked on Saturday while addressing a group of African descendants at the 2nd Middle Passage Remembrance Day observance at Bago’s, Swallows Beach, Crown Point.
Piggott noted Picton Street, scene of some of the most “barbaric” acts in Port of Spain, was also named after an early coloniser.
“We don’t realise this but it is their ancestors we are revering every time we call their names. We are about decolonising these spaces.”
Last year, the government appointed a five-member committee to review the placement of statues, monuments and historical signage across the country.
Piggott told the gathering that Tobago CivilNET, since its inception, has addressed several matters interest, including internal self-government.
He said the group has also established committees to “bring all activities of the people of Tobago to the forefront of Tobagonians.
“Right now, the political scene dominates Tobago. Everything is politics and no one knows of anything else except politics.”
Saying the organisation also started a holistic health series on social media, Piggott said the fourth episode, which airs on June 21, deals with mental health.
“Sometimes we don’t think that a people itself can be sick, that the mentality of a people can be sick.”
Author and historian Sufia Giza, who is of Muskogee/Creek and Gullah heritage, introduced the first Middle Passage Remembrance Day last year, in Tobago, as part of a celebration throughout the African diaspora honouring the millions of slaves who perished during the treacherous journey.
Remembrance Day seeks to educate African descendants about the importance of acknowledging and respecting the sacrifices made by their ancestors.
The celebration has been taking place in Ghana, Panama and various parts of the US, including Brooklyn, New York, Oakland, California, Charleston, South Carolina and other locations.
Giza, who has been celebrating the Middle Passage in South Carolina for the 12 years, said she was inspired by the gathering at the event.
“We are growing from strength to strength,” she said.
Giza also showed an image on her laptop computer of an area behind the Scarborough Police Station where she learnt, African slaves disembarked when they came to Tobago. She is hoping next year’s Middle Passage observance can be held at that site.
Giza urged the gathering to trace their respective lineages.
“I could trace my lineage to black native Americans crossing Siberia 15,000 BC and I still have 52 per cent Nigerian. I could go back 11 generations. So when it comes to decolonisation that is the work that we have to do. We have to find who and whose we belong to and that is our strength.”
Ifa Rounke Diedre Prescod, who has authored three books, offered libations to several historically-recognised African liberators, who, she believes, paved the way for ensuing generations. They included former South African president and anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela; Black Jamaican nationalist Marcus Garvey; and civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.
Hazel Beckles Younglao also spoke. One of the highlights of the event was a drum procession from Bago’s to Swallows Beach. (Source: Newsday, June 10, 2023)

The vibrant poetry scene of Trinidad and Tobago has won international recognition as writer Ronaldo Mohammed was chosen to represent the country from June 7-11 at the 40th edition of the Poetry Market (Marché de la Poésie) in Paris, France.
Mohammed was one of ten exceptional emerging poets selected to showcase their work at the highly-anticipated literary event. The cohort stood out from 252 applications from hopefuls vying for a chance to participate in the programme. For the first time, the Caribbean region was a guest of honour at the Poetry Market, due to the alliance forged with the Transcultura programme, a media relase said.
The event followed a call for young poets from the Caribbean, 18-35 years, initiated under the auspices of the Unesco programme Transcultura: Integrating Cuba, the Caribbean, and the European Union through Culture and Creativity. It is funded by the European Union. As part of this opportunity, the poets were also featured in a special supplement of the Market of letters (Marché des lettres), a prominent publication of the event, which served as a testament to the rich literary talent emerging from the Caribbean.
Mohammed, a poet and teaching artist, draws inspiration from TT's culture, folklore, and the nuances of local dialect, to shed light on issues such as crime, violence among youth, gender-based violence, and the challenges faced by Venezuelan migrants in TT, the release said. His approach has been evident in his performances during this year’s First Citizens National Poetry Slam, which was the closing event of the 2023 NGC Bocas Lit Fest.
Mohammed credits local authors for his passion for writing and poetry. “I'm extremely proud to have represented TT at this literary event in Europe,” he said. “Through this opportunity, I was able to present my first-ever chapbook of poems, What Happens at the Edge of the World, which highlights the untold stories of people who have succumbed to and soldiered through the rough realities of life in TT society.”
He believes this achievement affirms his status as a rising star in the world of poetry.
The Poetry Market is an annual event that presents a unique opportunity for young Caribbean poets to expand their professional horizons, forge connections with influential figures in the European literary scene, and strengthen their networks. A dedicated stand promoting the works of these talented poets graced the heart of Paris at the Place Saint-Sulpice. (Source: Newsday, June 16, 2023)

Many people were left stranded in their houses on Monday owing to the South Oropouche River and its tributaries bursting their banks and causing severe flooding.
Particularly in the south, many roads became impassable, and people suffered significant losses.
Penal, Debe, Barrackpore, Woodland and Moruga were among the hardest hit communities, and on Monday afternoon, the water was still rising.
On Monday, the TT Meteorological Service (Met Office) upgraded Sunday's yellow riverine flood alert to an orange level alert for south Trinidad. The alert is set to end on Tuesday at 5 pm.
The office anticipated more rains "over the next 24 hours," which would raise the river levels even more.


Like the Met Office that called on people not to take unnecessary risks in flood, the Rural Development and Local Government Ministry urged people to avoid driving through or wading through rising floodwaters for their safety.
Affected people can seek shelter at the "activated emergency shelters" at the Penal/Debe Regional Corporation (PDRC) and the Barrackpore Regional Complex.
The ministry said two other buildings—Woodland Hindu School and Esperance Regional Complex —were "on standby" for use if necessary.
At New Colonial Road in Barrackpore, only trucks were able to drive through the floodwater.
Some residents, including Haffize Mohammed and businessman Nick Boodram, used a tractor to pass through floodwater. They said they were driving around and looking for anyone who might have been stranded on the road.
Mohammed said the water was so high at several areas off Rochard Douglas Road, like Sukhan Trace, that the tractor could not pass there.
"We went to see who we could have assisted. We helped about four people who were stranded on the road."
Boodram of Nick's Poultry Depot said if they had a helicopter, they would have used it to help the affected people.
There were reports of farmers losing their chickens to the floodwater in Barrackpore. Newsday was unable to venture further into the floodwater.
PDRC chairman Dr Allen Sammy said the corporation sent 200 sandbags to people in the Barrackpore area. The corporation was also distributing sandbags "on demand" to anyone.
He added," The flood was so bad that several schools, like Suchit Trace Hindu, Debe Hindu and Ramai Trace Hindu, were closed for the day."


He recalled at around 2 am, members of the corporation's disaster management unit (DMU) evacuated a family at Suchit Trace. This family was relocated to the shelter in Barrackpore.
Hours later, around 11 am, the DMU members evacuated a family at Mulchan Trace, off the Penal Rock Road, Penal, and relocated them with other relatives.
Sammy anticipated the situation to get worse, considering the rain was ongoing.
When Newsday visited Suchit Trace, parts of the road were still impassable.
Residents Ryan Ramlal and Ravi Jugmohan walked through the water to get to the other side of the road.
Ramlal said he wanted to buy a few items from a business place.
"We have vehicles, but we cannot use them," Ramlal said.
At Gopie Trace, a street away, the problem was similar. Drivers were seen rerouting as water flooded the roadway.
Oropouche West MP Davendranath Tancoo toured affected areas like Puzzle Island and Ragoonanan Trace in Penal, as well as Pluck Road, Woodland, on a truck on Monday.
He said the water was as high as four feet in some homes, "and the water is now starting to come."


Parts of Pluck Road were also impassable. Resident Ramdeen Manchand waited on the roadside, hoping the water would subside so he could get to his nearby home at Binda Trace.
Manchand recalled that his wife awakened him at about 1.30 am to inform him that floodwater was entering the house. The couple and their five children immediately began moving items to higher grounds.
"At least once a year, this area is flooded. Last year, we had flooding about two or three times. This year, the flood came earlier than usual. The hurricane season started a few days ago, and we already have this. Normally, we expect a flood a few weeks later."
He was unsure how high the water level reached into his home or the extent of the damage to the house and household articles. The house is near the South Oropouche River.
There were also reports of flooding at Siparia, Aripero, Fyzabad and Chase Village.
A summary from the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM) on Monday mid-morning said listed several reports of residential flooding in areas like Basse Terre Village, La Rufin, and La Fortune, all in Moruga.
It added that the water had subsided, and representatives from the Princes Town Regional Corporation's DMU assessed damage and distributed relief.
In the East Region, the ODPM reported two instances of street flooding, one at Cedar Grove in Mayaro and the other at Poole Valley in Rio Claro. A house was flooded at Jairam Trace in Navet, and a tree fell at Lassalle Trace in Biche. The bad weather also damaged the roof of a house at Tambi Lane, Rest House Village.
As of Monday afternoon, the El Carmen River in Caroni reached 73 percent capacity, and the Caroni River (Bamboo Settlement No 3) was at 64 per cent.
In case of an emergency, people can call any of the corporations as well as the ODPM at 511 or 800-ODMP (6376).
(source: June 12, 2023, Newsday)

News releaseJune 6, 2023, 11:30 a.m.—Winnipeg--Canada is a destination of choice for people looking to visit, do business or reunite with family and friends. That’s why we are committed to improving our immigration programs and services by making them more efficient and equitable for people around the world.
The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced the addition of 13 countries to the electronic travel authorization (eTA) program. Travellers from these countries who have either held a Canadian visa in the last 10 years or who currently hold a valid United States non-immigrant visa can now apply for an eTA instead of a visa when travelling to Canada by air. Effective today, eligible travellers from these countries can benefit from the program:

• Antigua and Barbuda
• Argentina
• Costa Rica
• Morocco
• Panama
• Philippines
• St. Kitts and Nevis
• St. Lucia
• St. Vincent and the Grenadines
• Seychelles
• Thailand
• Trinidad and Tobago
• Uruguay

Introducing visa-free air travel will make it faster, easier, and more affordable for thousands of travellers to visit Canada for up to six months for either business or leisure. It will also help grow Canada’s economy by facilitating more travel, tourism and international business, and by strengthening Canada’s relationships with these countries while keeping Canadians safe.
This decision will also divert thousands of applications from Canada’s visa caseload, allowing us to process visa applications more efficiently, which will benefit all visa applicants.
Individuals who already have a valid visa can continue to use it to travel to Canada. Those who are not eligible for an eTA, or who are travelling to Canada by means other than air (for example, by car, bus, train and boat—including by cruise ship), will still need a visitor visa. Travellers can visit Canada.ca/eTA to find out whether they’re eligible for an eTA and how to apply for one.
Quotes“This exciting development means that more individuals from around the world can now embark on unforgettable adventures, explore our diverse landscapes, reunite with family and friends, and immerse themselves in our vibrant culture without the hurdle of visa requirements. This expansion not only enhances convenience for travellers, it will also increase travel, tourism and economic benefits, as well as strengthen global bonds with these 13 countries.”
– The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
“Canada is a destination of choice for so many around the world. We’re making it easier for more people to visit Canada, whether they’re coming to do business, sightsee or reunite with family and friends. Expanding the eTA program to include countries like the Philippines is also an important part of our Indo-Pacific Strategy, as we look to further engage in the region, build on people-to-people ties and make travel to Canada easier, faster and safer for everyone.”
– The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs
"Canada has what the world wants, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back to our shores. Expanding the eTA for Canada is a major step toward helping our tourism industry soar to new heights. By streamlining the entry process for international travellers, we send a strong message that Canada is open for business, adventures and unforgettable experiences. This strategic move supports our visitor economy by injecting vitality into our local communities and creating countless job opportunities. It is not just about attracting visitors; it is about showcasing the breathtaking landscapes, diverse cultures, and warm hospitality that define Canada. Let us seize this opportunity to place our nation firmly on the global tourism map, all while building an economy that works for everyone."
– The Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance
"Air Canada is pleased with the announcement today to implement a more user-friendly process to obtain authorization to travel to Canada and connect via Air Canada’s global hubs. The global market for travel and tourism is competitive, and finding easier ways for travellers to obtain their travel authorizations is beneficial not only to Air Canada, but also the entire travel and tourism industry in Canada."
– Lisa Pierce, Vice President, Global Sales and Air Canada Vacations
“Expanding visa-free air travel presents immediate opportunities for YVR to connect with more countries around the world, including key destinations in Latin America and Asia. That enhanced access to global markets will provide incredible benefits for our community and support local economic growth. This decisive policy action is a step in the right direction for YVR, British Columbia and Canada. It continues to provide opportunities for people to enjoy our world-class tourism experiences or reunite with loved ones, creates new jobs, and will deliver more direct revenue for our local economy.”
– Tamara Vrooman, President & CEO, Vancouver Airport Authority
Quick facts

• The eTA is a digital travel document that most visa-exempt travellers need in order to travel to or transit through Canada by air.
  
• The eTA application is used by Canadian officials to conduct light-touch, pre-travel screening of air travellers. It costs CAN$7 to apply, and most applications are automatically approved within minutes.
  
• To apply for an eTA, travellers need only a valid passport, a credit card, an email address and access to the Internet.
  
• Almost 20.9 million eTAs have been issued since the eTA program was introduced on August 1, 2015.
  
• IRCC first expanded its eTA program in April 2017 to include eligible Brazilians, Bulgarians and Romanians. Canada lifted the visa requirement for all citizens of Bulgaria and Romania later that year. Today, eligible Brazilian nationals continue to enjoy visa-free air travel to Canada.
  
• Within the next year, Canada expects to receive 200,000 (or 20%) more visitors from these 13 countries. Within a decade, increased travel from these countries is expected to bring almost $160 million in additional tourism revenue.
  

ANGELO JEDIDIAH.
[email protected]

Already standing on a historic and enviable reputation for the world’s finest cocoa beans, T&T is being prepared for the emergence of a booming chocolate industry.
The University of the West Indies (UWI), together with the Cocoa Research Centre (CRC) yesterday hosted a foundation laying ceremony for the UWI Chocolate Factory, at Univeristy Field Station, Mount Hope.
According to CRC director Professor Pathmanathan Umaharan, this chocolate factory has been in the works for the past decade.
Umaharan said the factory is being built to materialise the CRC’s research, being the world’s oldest cocoa research institution and custodian to the world’s largest collection of cocoa (over 2,000 varieties).
“While we have a global reputation for the cocoa quality that we have, we need to build a reputation for our chocolate brands and other value-added products,” Umaharan said.
The 100 acres of farmland connected to the UWI Chocolate Factory is expected to be a beacon in rejuvenating abandoned old cocoa farms locally and regionally.
“This is one of the few agricultural industries that give us a comparative advantage in the global market and an opportunity to earn foreign exchange in a sustainable way,” he added.

The cocoa beans currently exported only captured 7.8 per cent of the total value chain, which the CRC is hoping to expand, along with creating employment opportunities and aiding in the development of the rural sector.
Trade and Industry Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon said the Government has identified agriculture and agri-procressing as key non-energy sectors that can aid in sustaining socio-economic growth.
“There has already been an expansion in the export of raw and roasted cocoa beans, cocoa powder, chocolate in blocks, slabs, bars and cocoa butter from $125.3 million to $156.5 million from 2021-2022. So the growth is there,” Gopee-Scoon said.
EU Ambassador to T&T Peter Cavendish told Guardian Media that the EU firmly believes in the quality of cocoa beans from T&T and rated it as the best in the world.

This was proven through the EU’s contribution of €250 thousand to the CRC’s procurement of machinery to be used in the factory.
According to CRC, the chocolate factory will be a part of its International Fine Cocoa Innovation Centre, which will house a museum of cocoa plants, a cocoa tourism centre, a restaurant, labs and a ‘chocolate academy’ that will host interactive short courses in chocolate making.
The construction of the chocolate factory is expected to be completed and commissioned in January 2024. (Source: Trinidad Guardian, April 25, 2023)

Stakeholders have welcomed Erla Christopher’s appointment as TT’s new Commissioner of Police and the first woman in the country’s history to fill the seat of top cop.
But they warn that she will have some tough times ahead in not only attempting to rebrand the image of the Police Service but in minimising the fear of crime among a citizenry desperate for solutions.
Last Friday, Christopher was unanimously approved by the Parliament as the country’s next Commissioner of Police.
Criminologist Prof Ramesh Deosaran said Christopher assumes the position at “a very critical time” in the country given the state of public fear.
“It is not only the statistics but the epidemic of public fear of crime with the mounting increase not only in murders, which crossed 600 last year, but the increasing number of home invasions,” he said.
“So this means the right to private property is being severely attacked in a society that is supposed to be democratic. It means, therefore, that this new commissioner would have to save the democracy of the country in specific ways – the first being to remove the widespread fear in the public mind because with that fear, all other freedoms and rights will diminish.”
Deosaran said Christopher’s task will not just be to “look at statistics and hold meetings in Port of Spain headquarters,” but to help restore and maintain the challenges of democracy in the country.
Gender Affairs scholar and newspaper columnist Dr Gabrielle Hosein welcomed Christopher’s history-making accomplishment.
“All firsts are significant as women are still breaking the glass ceiling, the level of seniority which they could see but never reach because it was reserved for men,” she commented.
“The appointment of Erla Christopher is worthy of celebration. It’s also worthy that her appointment was widely supported by both sides of the House. I expect that for women in the police force, seeing this first must be inspirational as it should be.”


But Hosein noted that historically, women usually come into such leadership when there are established problems to solve, whether in relation to crime or other issues, like climate change.
Saying that these were problems that developed over periods when women did not have power over their response to solutions, she added, “We must keep in mind that the problem of crime and justice cannot be solved quickly or easily so realistic expectations are necessary.”
Hosein said women also experience what is called the “glass cliff,” in that they are few and far between at the top and yet are seen as a sex to not be competent when they cannot make miracles, “as women are often expected to do.”
In such situations, she said, society loses faith in womens’ different approaches and capabilities.
“The terrain for success and failure is always gendered and the problems of crime and justice remains one that fundamentally intersect masculinity.”
Criminologist Darius Figuera said Christopher’s appointment as police commissioner is a sign that TT has “finally entered the 21st century.”
He said she must now rise to the challenge.
“What we expect now is that Ms Christopher will exhibit all the leadership qualities that are demanded for the realities that we find ourselves in on a daily basis.”
Figuera believes Christopher is quite capable of fulfilling her mandate.
“I know for a fact that she does in fact have the desired leadership qualities and the knowledge base necessary for the job in this present juncture in our history. So, I am very, very assured with the appointment.”
(Source: The Caribbean Camera, March 22, 2023)