Red House symbolises Trinbago democracy

THE EDITOR: Nothing surprises me under this current PNM administration. Manning is living true to his calling of being the “father of the nation.” Removing the parliament from Red House makes sense since he will be changing the history of the nation. This will give credibility to Manning’s claim of being the “father of the nation.”

I still remember looking at television footage of the Union Jack being replaced at midnight by the Trinidad and Tobago flag on August 31, 1962. A young nation was born, the Red House figured prominently in the berthing of this nation. It was indeed the highest point of national pride. Mighty Sparrow’s song “Indians and Negroes unite” signified the importance of this occasion.

For the first time in our collective history the sons and daughters of former slaves and indentured labourers could sit down at the table of brotherhood and forge a united future together. We still struggle with the essence of this freedom, but it is ours to decide. We can succeed or fail but it will be our success or failure. The colonial chains were removed at this historically significant place. The Red House symbolises our democracy removing parliament from there will mean the removal of our democratic history and will lead to the creation of new history. I believe that consultation would be the better route for the current administration to follow. Cabinets come and go, but history remains. Certainly, there may be a need for improvement in the Red House, this can be done without having to remove it.

KHEM HARRINARINE
Port-of-Spain