PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – The twin island republic of Trinidad and Tobago is on Thursday celebrating 61 years of political independence from Britain with contrasting statements from the Government and opposition and a congratulatory message from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the United States.
In his message, Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley said the nation has experienced some ups and downs, “particularly, the menace of increasing levels of crime, drugs, and violence, alongside the personal trauma that many suffer from the still, lingering effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, both of which are among our general areas of concern.”
He, however, noted that amid challenges – “We, the people of Trinidad and Tobago, can boast of our greatness. Given our historical experiences, we have achieved a lot as a people. Overall, we enjoy a quality of life that, in some areas, meets world standards….”
Opposition leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar, for her part, said the country is being “ derailed by mismanagement and corruption and pushed back down to Third World status.”
“Our destiny was to be the Dubai, Singapore, and Monaco of the Caribbean. We had and still have all the ingredients. We were supposed to create a prosperous, advanced, happy, peaceful, and harmonious society with all the blessings God had given us to inherit. There is no way that smaller islands with no resources, like the Cayman Islands, the Turks and Caicos Islands, or Martinique, which stayed under British and French colonialism, should be better off than us. We should not want to be like them. They should want to be like us,” she said.
Persad-Bissessar also called on citizens to commit to making Trinidad and Tobago fulfill its promise to be a model for the world.
On Thursday, the Joe Biden administration in the United States wished Trinidad and Tobago a “fruitful year ahead.”
“On behalf of the United States of America, I congratulate the people of Trinidad and Tobago as you celebrate 61 years of independence.”
“As we consider the challenges and opportunities this year will bring, the United States looks forward to working with Trinidad and Tobago as steadfast allies and partners, united by our common values of resiliency, diversity, and democracy,” he added.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the Biden administration also looks forward to “broadening” its cooperation with Trinidad and Tobago under the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI) and the US-Caribbean Partnership to Address the Climate Crisis (PACC 2030).
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