Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar, in her Divali message, urged people to use the occasion to "unite and build our country together, like the tiny flame of a deya when joined to thousands more, we become a ball of fire that will illuminate and rescue our country from the ongoing ills of crime and violence."
"Let us realise that without our continued, beautiful bond of unity, our nation simply cannot progress. The power lies within us - in our hearts, souls, and minds - to preserve the democracy for which our fore parents toiled, and that our children will one day inherit."
Persad-Bissessar said the traditions and significance of Divali were were brought to TT over 170 years ago by our East Indians during the indentureship period and had now evolved into a national festival.
"TT therefore shines as a beacon for global tolerance and we must never forego our responsibility to our nation's children and our future generations to ensure that we continue in this unique, blessed, and inspirational stead.
"Yet, sadly, we are not immune from this global trend of violence and brutality. We are currently living in a period of unprecedented runaway crime and violence which has thrown us into a desolate state of fear and persecution for the past few years. This, along with our current economic challenges, has resulted in a vast majority of our citizens being forced to cope daily with an avalanche of negative emotions: shock, pain, contempt, anger, anxiety, fear, and hopelessness.
"Because of this, citizens are now faced with the challenge of finding a way to stay mentally healthy and spiritually whole, and to prevent ourselves from becoming embittered, hate-filled, overly suspicious, and desensitised."
She urge citizens to continue to be exemplars of this tolerance and acceptance, and to keep giving equal importance to all national holidays, regardless of their religious origins.
Persad-Bissessar said across the globe, millions of people are at war and conflict due to their religious and ethnic differences. Indeed, according to the Geneva Academy's research, in 2023, there are 114 armed conflicts, including some international wars, taking place in our world.
She said this year's Divali has special significance as it reminds us that our citizens should be more than ever, inspired to persevere in togetherness and faith.
"Indeed, the darkest night of the year is Divali, but that darkness is dispelled and nullified when people throughout the land light thousands of deyas in unison, and provide the universal light of goodness, triumph, and prosperity."
The post Kamla: Use Divali to unite, build Trinidad and Tobago appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.
