PM Kamla launches Children's Life Fund, says true independence yet to come

Fellow citizens,

On this our 48th Independence Anniversary we have so much to be grateful for and proud about.

We have excelled in so many endeavours gaining the admiration of the world in areas such as literature, the arts, music, sports and pageantry.

But there is so much we have to ponder upon that has not gone well for our fledgling nation, so many wrongs which we must put right, so many needs that are still to be filled, so many young people who have gone astray, so many children who suffer unnecessarily, so much wealth that has not been equitably distributed, so many values which have been sadly forgotten, so many opportunities squandered, so many freedoms taken for granted and abused.

We have been blessed with abundant natural resources and a pool of the most talented and well educated people to be found anywhere.

As we observe our 48th year as an independent nation we can recall the mark we have made on the world with the invention of the steelpan, the gift of calypso and carnival, the magic of world cup football qualification, world class athletes, Nobel Laureates and more.

Here on this small Caribbean twin island state occupied by a mere 1.3 million people there are few places on earth that hold out the kind of potential we possess. Yet the state of affairs in our nation today does not reflect that we have taken full advantage of this.

It is not enough to proudly proclaim our independence when we are lagging behind the rest of the developed world in so many areas.

When our people no longer cower in fear from criminals, we are truly independent; When the labour and intellect of a woman are considered equal to that of a man, and the colour, class and creed of a citizen are of no consequence, we are all truly independent; When we grow to undrstand and respect our environment, we have gained our independence; When we can aspire to be better people, when mediocrity is no longer tolerated and excellence a standard by which everything is measured every day, then and only then we have truly gained our independence.

Each year as we pass milestone after milestone of our nation’s independence the skies light up with celebration and there is much ceremony of what we have gained since that historic day.

And we can be justifiably proud of that event. But that is not enough.

This nation gained its independence 48 years ago. Nearly half a century. And while it is not my intention at all to overlook how far our nation has come, it is just as critical for us to ponder how far we have not travelled and how much further we have to go before realising the dream born in 1962.

Now, in 2010, we must reposition our thinking, reframe the context in which we recognise and celebrate our independence, we must use these occasions to recommit and reconcile how we correct the way things have gone wrong even as we acknowledge the good and the great strides made.

This is not meant to be a sombre Anniversary message but an inspiring one. It points the way ahead, towards a brighter future and more hopeful journey.

Too much time has been wasted. Too much money squandered. Too much pretence has been made at times like this that everything is fine and our nation is doing well.

Celebrate by all means the pride we must all feel in the independence anniversary, reflect certainly on all the achievements made over the years, gather confidence from our success but learn as well from our failures and failings.

Today, Trinidad and Tobago has never been better positioned to become the nation it was always meant to be.
Together, we will reach heights of achievement never thought possible before. Our goals are set, the resolve is there and we are on the right course.
So let this be as much a celebration of where we will arrive as a nation in the shortest possible time as it is the marking of our historic journey of 48 years as an independent nation.

While the legislative procedures have to be concluded to put the Children's Life Fund into effect, I take this opportunity as well to officially launch the Children’s Life Fund.

As promised, it will receive the deposit of five per cent of all Ministerial salaries plus ten per cent of my own as Prime Minister.

I urge all corporate entities and citizens to make some contribution to the Fund which will be used to provide urgent medical care for children whose families cannot afford the cost of what is often life saving surgery.

It is perhaps the most fitting way to honour this day as it defines what should be most important to us if we are to have any sense of having evolved as a more caring, compassionate, modern and civilised society.

Through shared perspectives such as this we can genuinely extend to each other a Happy Independence Day.

Happy Independence day to you all.

May God bless you and may God bless our nation.

Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Prime Minister