President hurting as T&T celebrates 60 years of Independence

As Trinidad and Tobago celebrates the 60th anniversary of its independence today, the country’s future is at a critical crossroads, President Paula-Mae Weekes said in her independence address to the nation last night.

Describing the country as restless, President Weekes said the immediate landscape appears to be that of a wilderness, with increasingly brazen animosity; ugly, divisive politics; rampant unemployment, distressing reports of child abuse and troubling poverty.

President Weekes said there was a time when all Trinis could carry themselves with unbridled pride.

“There was a time, not too long ago, when as a nation, we were full of pride in ourselves, boasting an enviable literacy rate and booming industries, a place where respect for others and office was the default position and where integrity, decency and compassion were not unfamiliar— justifiably the envy of our Caribbean neighbours. Not that we were without our problems and issues; there has always been lawbreaking, corruption, societal dysfunction and ethnic division, but not to the extremes that now exist. For many years after Sniper first sang ‘Portrait of Trinidad’ in 1965, we citizens sang along lustily, without hesitation or reservation,” she said.
She lamented that the realities of Trinidad and Tobago today, however, were not what the architects of our independence intended.

“Those who have lived through all or most of this intervening period would be justified in asking —however rhetorically—how the France we get here? Mercifully, this junction also affords the nation the opportunity to look back at some of its former ways—with a view to revisiting the more salutary behaviours and practices which we may have unwisely abandoned,” the President said in her address.

“The significant and wonderful thing about a crossroads is it offers options—a choice of paths for the onward journey. The selection must be made with utmost care and caution. Trinidad and Tobago desperately needs to find where the good way lies and walk in it, and we do not have a moment to spare.”

The country’s head of state called for honest introspection by each and every citizen to return the country to some of the glories of its past.

“As a people, we have had more than enough time to put aside childish things—our laissez-faire attitude, intolerant viewpoints and perspectives, irrational conspiracy theories and appetite for the latest bacchanal; to stop the blame game, social media character assassinations, the pointless rehashing of old grudges, none of which has yielded any result other than increasing bitterness and disaffection,” President Weekes said.

“This is the point at which we must take up our precious Georgie bundle of enduring and admirable national qualities and legacies—creativity, diversity, generosity, resilience, energy and passion, among others—hoist it on our shoulders and set course for the future.

“To make Trinidad and Tobago a better place, each of us must look at ourselves and then make a change—a “Man in the Mirror” approach. Our fortunes cannot improve unless we first take ownership of our part in creating the present malaise and make the necessary adjustments to our thinking, attitudes and behaviour.”

Saying today would be a good day to set aside some time to envision and manifest our future, President Weekes added, “Just imagine what we could achieve if, on their next working day, whatever their personal circumstances, every public servant, every journalist, every police officer, every member of parliament, every CEPEP worker, began the day saying and meaning, “I am a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago. I have and I take direct responsibility for its affairs.” And went to their job with purpose, with pride, with integrity, with discipline, without cynicism, without hidden agenda, without skulduggery, without partisanship.” (Source: The Guardian, Aug 30, 2022)