08/31/2022
Independence Address by Her Excellency Paula-Mae Weekes ORTT, President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago on the 60th Anniversary of Independence
Fellow citizens.
“Stand at the crossroads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way lies; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.” These were the words of the prophet Jeremiah to the people of Israel in 7th century B.C..
We in Trinidad and Tobago are at a crossroads of our own on the occasion of our 60th anniversary of independence—the Diamond Jubilee—and I do not think that I would be engaging in hyperbole if I described us as a restless nation. Perhaps Jeremiah’s words can offer sound and timely advice.
From our present vantage point, the initial impression of the immediate landscape might be one of a wilderness, given the increasingly brazen criminality, ugly divisive politics, rampant unemployment, distressing reports of child abuse and troubling poverty. Surely, not what the architects of our independence intended and envisaged six decades ago; nor what citizens hoped for in 1962 when we grasped governance with our own hands; nor what Sparrow meant when he sang, “Oh yes, we want to achieve, we going to aspire; we bound to be a success”.
Those who have lived through all or most of the 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 its former ways with a view to revisiting some of the more salutary behaviours and practices which we may have unwisely abandoned.
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.
The significant and wonderful thing about a crossroads is that 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 don’t have a moment to spare.
At the end of a decade, it is usual to be deeply contemplative, to pore over what has been, take stock of what is and plan what is to be. The 60th anniversary of our independence is an apposite time for individuals, institutions and the nation as a whole to engage in that exercise.
A 60-year-old person might reasonably be expected to have developed maturity, wisdom, fortitude, discernment and patience. Mistakes would have been made, misfortune suffered, trials and tribulations undergone, but useful lessons which inform future decisions would have been extracted from unhappy experiences.
Sixty years is young for a nation, but the same expectations can apply. 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.
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.
Today would be a good day to set aside some time to envision and manifest our future. Imagine what we could achieve if, on their next working day, whatever their personal circumstances, every public servant, every journalist, every businessman, 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 bobol, without partisanship.
Try it for just one day to start, but this affirmation would require daily repetition until it becomes a personal credo. A serious commitment in homes, schools, offices, parliament and communities to turn our beloved country around accompanied by the necessary goodwill, patience and endurance can bring about sustainable change.
At times of national celebration such as this, we manage, if only temporarily, to put aside our differences of politics, faith, ethnicity and economic bracket to fully embrace our unique and special identity as Trinbagonians. Can we maintain that momentum?
Our national motto, “Together we aspire, Together we achieve” reminds us that the peace and prosperity we desire cannot be realised unless, though acknowledging our diversity, we come together as one—one people, one mission.
Today, we commemorate the events that took place on the stroke of midnight on the 31 August, 1962 when the red, white and black was raised to the tolling of bells and blaring of sirens. Later that day, Lord Brynner, winner of the Independence calypso competition, sang triumphantly:
“Because this is your land, just as well as my land
This your place and also it’s my place
So let we put our heads together
And live like one happy family
Democratically, educationally,
We'll live independently.”
Let us all join in the chorus. Happy Independence and May God bless our nation.
