Happy Independence Trinidad and Tobago! Many things have changed since we lowered the Union Jack in 1962 and hoisted our national flag with boundless faith in our own destiny.
Fifty-seven years later, with determination and courage, we created a country 1.3 million people now call home and the place of their birth. We have built on the strong foundation of generations before us.
Today we continue to make great strides and can boast of a strong democracy. We remain thankful for the freedoms we enjoy. We have embraced each other and learnt to celebrate our diversity. Let us be thankful for the peace we enjoy in our beautiful twin-island Republic.
We must remember though that we need each other, because as an independent nation we are collectively responsible for our own development, for our success and even our failures.
We are the guardians of our democracy and each of us has a unique responsibility to contribute positively to society. Each day we must give new meaning to this ‘independence.’
Each new day creates new opportunities for us. Let’s embrace them. This is the only way to secure the future of our beloved twin-island. We must inspire our children to believe and live national pride.
The Ministry of Communications will do its part to ensure that information on Government services reaches our citizens. May the fire of our democracy burn forever bright and may the love and unity we share as a nation be our strength in these challenging times.
On behalf of the staff of the Ministry of Communications, I take this opportunity to wish the nation a Happy 57th Independence.