New US Ambassador arrives

The US Embassy, in a release yesterday, said Estrada will assume duties after the presentation of his Letters of Credence to President Anthony Carmona.

In a welcome video posted on the US Embassy’s Facebook page, Estrada, who was born in Trinidad, recalled the communities he grew up in, in Laventille, Diego Martin and Toco.

“My fondest childhood memories are of living in Toco with my grandfather and watching the sea turtles on the beach at night,” he said.

He shared that at age 14 he immigrated to the US and forged a new life.

“I brought with me a respect for diversity and an inherent sense of the equal value of all people. I served with honour in the United States Marine Corps attaining the Corps’ highest enlisted rank, 15th Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps,” he said.

Estrada said one of the greatest aspirations of all free people is to live their lives to the fullest without limitations based on their ethnicity, class, race, gender or sexual orientation.

“As Ambassador with that ideal as my guide, I want to strengthen the ties between the citizens and elected representatives of our nation.

I am proud to be nominated by President Barack Obama to further serve my country in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.

Along with my family, I look forward to working and living alongside all of you, returning to the place I now can call home again,” he said.

The US Senate confirmed Estrada as Ambassador on February 12. Before coming to TT, Estrada lived in Freeport, Maine, with his wife, Dr Elizabeth Anne Cote Estrada and their two daughters, Eva and Marie.