Yesterday,marked and represented a historical moment in the political,social and historical life and annals of the people of the Republic Trinidad & Tobago.
It is evident that change is taking place and that the ‘ old guard ‘ is changing.
Prior to her winning the internal elections of the U.N.C. analysts were sharing their several opinions.
Today,we have fact,Ms.Kamlla Persad Bissesar is Leader of the Opposition as was evidenced by her investiture by the President of the Republic Trinidad & Tobago-His Excellency Honourable Maxwell Richards.
Trinidad & Tobago has had a long history of turmoil and unrest ever since Europeans encountered the indigineous and First Nation peoples of this geopolity.
The various groups of peoples that have been brought together here have been all struggling to carve out their social and historical spaces to ensure social harmony and balance.
Some communities have been more structually organized than others, but they have all been struggling; including the economic ‘ruling ‘ class.
From the inception of imposed rule by the Europeans,laws,social mores and legislation have relegated some of the inhabitants of this land of ours, shared with the consent and permission of the spirits of the peoples of the First Nation to second class citizenship.
Bartholomew De Las Casas opened a way to release members of the First Nation peoples to create conditions of chattel slavery for the Africans forcefully removed from their land and nations of origin.
These Africans were not even treated with the respect of prisoners of war.For though we are speaking of olden days there was always protocols for relating with captives and prisoners of war in all ancient societies.
The Trans Atlantic Slave Trade and its impact upon Africa and the lives of African people is still being documented,studied,researched and action is being taken by African people to correct the imbalnces created by this encounter with Europeans.
The East Indian – simply the children of India- came here by another form of slavery -indenture.
It was cruel and so the victims of this cruelty also engaged the colonial ruling class with their own methodolgies of resistance.
There’s was a truly complex struggle since these indentured workers were coming from a society where some of the paradigms of social conscription made it difficult for leadership to be easily assumed.
Several are the names and episodes of those who endured and fought to establish hegemony within and without the Indian community of Trinidad & Tobago.Some of this stuggle and the way forward was informed by socialist/marxist/leninist/mao-ze dung thought.These liberating tools and outlooks were developed by the working class persons of African and Indian origin and descent living and working here in Trinidad & Tobago and throughout the ‘ West Indies ‘, Caribbean and South Americas.
Kamla Persad Bissesar comes in the lineage of those who have srtuggled for equality,human rights,justice and dignity for her people.
Her methodologies and alliances may not have always met the approval of all but she has had to make decisions sometimes where there was no precedence.
Today,Kamla has emerged victorious and we salute and congratulate her.
This victory is not only a victory for Indian people in Trinidad & Tobago but throught the Caribbean,the entire Indian Diaspora and wherever women have been struggling for equality and participation in the democratic processes wherever people claim democracy.
This victory is a vindication of our National Anthem where creed,and race find an equal place. Perhaps we should now add gender.
I wish on behalf of Egbe Onisin Eledumare,and Isese Agbaye Worldwide Community to say congratulions!
May the title stick to your head.
May you be properly advised as you walk this path of ‘new leadership’.
May your Ancestors be proud of you.
Do not become haughty,
May your reign as Leader of the Opposition be one in which positive social change and development comes into being.
Congratulations is also in order for your husband Dr,Gregory Bissesar for being understanding of the role that you had to assume and play in the advance of your cause.
ACT WITH HONOUR AND INTEGRITY.
EGBE ONISIN ELEDUMARE 