Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 24/Sep 20:06

‘Proud Trinbagonian’ President sends Republic Day greetings

PRESIDENT Christine Kangaloo has expressed boundless pride in her heritage in her Republic Day remarks on September 24. She called on citizens to remember who they are as a nation and what can be done when, as a nation, we aspire to achieve. “I am proud to be a Trinbagonian – proud not just of our accomplishments, but of the strength of spirit, breadth of vision and audacity of hope we continue to exercise, especially when we do so as a united national community,” she said. “I am proud of the way we come together in times of crisis. I am proud of the way we reach out to help our neighbours when they are in need and I am proud of how we both celebrate our diversity and set aside our very real differences when it matters most.” Kangaloo said when TT achieved Republican status in 1976, it was a natural and necessary progression from its independence in 1962 as well as a declaration that TT was ready to shed the last vestiges of colonial rule. “Becoming a republic meant replacing the British monarch and her representative with a head of state chosen from among our own citizens. “More than that, it was a reaffirmation of our confidence in ourselves, our institutions and our people. It was a reminder that we indeed possessed the mettle and moxie to truly and fully go at it alone,” she said. “We had surveyed the landscape of Independence, tested the waters of sovereignty and declared ourselves ready to shoulder the full responsibility of building a nation.” She said, both at that time and now, people have questioned whether TT was prepared for the responsibility of governing itself, but she expressed her firm belief that history has shown and will continue to show that TT was right to take such a massive leap of faith. “TT has always been small in size and population but abounding in vision, spirit, resilience and faith,” she said. “Since 1976 we have stared down many challenges and much like David standing before Goliath, risen to meet them with courage and determination. “That, I believe, is the defining characteristic of our nation. As the calypsonian Sniper once put it, we are ‘small, but overwhelming in worth.’” The post ‘Proud Trinbagonian’ President sends Republic Day greetings appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.