PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Opposition Leader Penelope Beckles has demanded transparency from the Government following Friday’s announcement that this year’s Independence Day Military Parade and associated State events, including the national fireworks display, have been cancelled.
In a strongly worded statement, Beckles said the announcement had left the country “bewildered,” noting that Independence Parades had been held even during periods of national crisis, such as the 2011 State of Emergency, and only the COVID-19 pandemic had previously halted the annual ceremony.
“The nation deserves answers: Who made the call to silence our Parade? Will the Prime Minister address the nation on this matter? What is the true reason for the cancellation? What is being hidden from the citizens? Will the Prime Minister do the honourable thing and face the public on this issue?” she asked.
The Opposition Leader criticised what she described as the Government’s vague explanations of national security and fiscal responsibility, saying they “only made the situation worse.”
She argued that the decision suggested the Parade had been assessed purely in financial terms, without consideration for its patriotic, social, and cultural importance.
Beckles also pointed to the inconsistency between the cancellation and recent government claims that crime levels were falling.
She reminded the public of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s assurance just four days before the cancellation that crime was down in the country and citizens could feel safer, contrasting that with the sudden suspension of the national celebration.
“What should we believe?” she asked, warning that the mixed messages cast doubt over the Government’s credibility.
Calling the move “an affront to our independence, democracy, and national identity,” Beckles said the cancellation risked damaging national morale, particularly among young people who look forward each year to celebrating the country’s sovereignty.
She stressed the broader significance of the annual Parade, describing it as “a living classroom where our young people see history in motion; and learn about the sacrifices of those who came before, the discipline of our armed forces, and the values that bind us together.”
The Armed Forces, she added, expect to lead the preservation of patriotism and civic pride, and their absence from the celebrations would leave a void.
The Opposition Leader called on the Government to reconsider its decision and consider alternatives such as scaled-down parades, ceremonial flag-raisings, or a symbolic fly-past. “We therefore call upon the Government to reconsider its decision and explore options that protect both public safety and national pride,” she said.
Trinidad and Tobago’s 63rd anniversary of independence will be observed on August 31.
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