RALLY FOR UNITY

President George Maxwell Richards last night exhorted citizens to shun the enticements of those who encourage hostility and division and to rally instead for the cause of a united Trinidad and Tobago. “If we do not, we will be without excuse. History will not absolve the generations to whom our wealth of human and natural resources has been given in trust, at this present time,” he warned as he delivered his Republic Day address to the nation. Richards said Trinidad and Tobago was “poised to rise on a tide that could carry us into abundance in every realm, not just in a material way. But at the same time, if we are not careful and vigilant, we can dissipate the gains that we have achieved and close the doors to present and future opportunities.”

He suggested a refocusing of education so that children could be taught preservation of the environment, the beautification of villages and urban spaces and “all the good things we have created” as well as  a healthy respect for the human rights of every person and an appreciation of the blessing of the many cultural streams that converge and enrich our heritage and possibilities. Richards said he had no doubt that mature, thinking adults were capable of doing what was necessary to contribute to the restoration of the features of decent living that signalled in previous times that people appreciated and cared about this country. “The will to do so is quite another matter,” he said.