Mayor Atherly upset, no Mandela in South

San Fernando Mayor Ian Atherly, who postponed a visit to Halifax, Canada, to officiate at today’s planned meeting with legendary South African freedom fighter Nelson Mandela, said all of the southern city was disappointed and “in a depressed state” on news that the San Fernando leg of Mandela’s itinerary was cancelled. Atherly told Newsday it was sad to see all of San Fernando had miss out on a “once in a lifetime opportunity to see a living legend.

“Imagine one gets the chance to see such a man of Mandela’s calibre and stature... who is one of the greatest men to have walked the earth, and suddenly that opportunity is gone,” Atherly said. “Nelson Mandela is the Mahatma Gandhi of our generation and our time and never again would we, the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago, in particular those in San Fernando, get to see someone of his stature again,” Atherly continued. The San Fernando Mayor, who was due to arrive in Canada today for a world energy conference, cancelled the trip to accommodate meeting and greeting Mandela on behalf of the citizens of San Fernando. He was clearly disappointed when news reached City Hall that the visit was cancelled.

“The people of San Fernando were anxiously waiting to welcome Mandela and of course it would have been an honour and privilege for me to have presented Mandela with the keys to the City. But now I guess he would be receiving the keys to the City in spirit,” the Mayor said. Mayor Atherly said he was unable to reschedule his flight to Canada in time for today, but would be leaving tomorrow for the Halifax conference.