President of the Republic of TT Christine Carla Kangaloo said on Independence Day that it was a day to celebrate the traits that made TT citizens unique.
“In 61 years we have built ourselves a nation of which we can be justifiably proud,” she said.
“No other nation on earth has in its 61 years of independence, invented a musical instrument to which the general assembly of the UN has seen it fit to pay it homage by declaring a world day in its honour.
[caption id="attachment_1033152" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, centre, and, from left, Kerwin Garcia, Sharon Rowley, US Ambassador to TT Candace Bond and other dignitaries raise their glasses as President Christine Kangaloo (not in picture) makes an Independence Day toast at NAPA in Port of Spain, on Thursday. - Ayanna Kinsale[/caption]
"No other country in that time span has produced artistes or authors the calibre of Denyse Plumber or Michael Anthony, both of whom we remember with gratitude today.
"No other people show the spirit, vitality and hospitality that we show and that combine to make us the unique people that we are. This is the TT that we celebrate today, some 61 years on. ”
Kangaloo said that while in our history we had successes that caused us to smile as nationals of TT, there were moments in our history that made us cry.
[caption id="attachment_1033154" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Members of the Mounted Branch of the police trot past NAPA as they take part in the Independence Day parade in Port of Spain on Thursday. - Ayanna Kinsale[/caption]
“But, as that gifted son of the soil Helon Francis said in his song Mighty: ‘When we have cried it has made for a short time and when we smiled it stretched from mile to mile.'”
She was speaking at the Independence Day toast at the NAPA grounds at the Queen’s Park Savannah in Port of Spain after her first viewing of the parade as President.
The nation celebrated its 61 st anniversary of independence on Thursday, starting with the Independence Day parade held at the Queen’s Park Savannah.
[caption id="attachment_1033153" align="alignnone" width="1024"] A member of the Defence Force interacts with spectators during the Independence Day parade in Port of Spain on Thursday. - Ayanna Kinsale[/caption]
Officers from the TT Regiment, Coast Guard, Air Guard, Defence Force, TTPS, Cadet force, as well as officers from the unarmed services such as the Fire Service, Prison Service, Traffic Wardens, the Ambulance Brigade, the Red Cross society, Boy Scouts and Girl Guides all formed up at the Savannah for a march past and an examination by Kangaloo.
After Kangaloo inspected the officers, they marched out of the savannah and the parade proceeded down Frederick Street then across Park Street, where hundreds of TT citizens clad in red clothes and waving the TT flag cheered them on.
Dr Maryam Abdool-Richards, while outside the NAPA grounds after the march past said she enjoyed the camaraderie that she saw among TT citizens every year.
“The most impressive part of
