President Christine Kangaloo says the country must honour the memories of those who gave their lives for future generations by embracing the cultural diversity and heritage to which they richly contributed and resisting all forms of division and discord.
In her Indian Arrival Day message, Kangaloo challenged the nation to “go beyond reflection, and let each of us adopt, in our own lives, their ability to endure and overcome even the harshest of circumstances and press on through times of difficulty with fortitude, resolve and courage.”
“Among the most enduring lessons that their arrival and their way of life have taught us, are the power of commitment and the importance of resilience,” the President stated in her address.
She further added, “Together, and in their memory and honour, let us rise to this moment in our country’s history, strong and resilient in the face of all of our modern-day challenges – poverty, crime, misogynism and intolerance.”
The President said, like the 225 passengers who walked off of the Fatel Razack “and into a future which we now call the present”, citizens must now step forward, united in commitment to stare down any and all challenges, to teach the nation’s children the meaning of resilience, and to show the world why Trinidad and Tobago, despite all of its adversities, is still the most amazing nation on the face of planet Earth. “Let us all, as they did, re-commit to making this country our home,” Kangaloo said.