Minister: Culture can save TT

Challenging previous speaker, Couva North MP Ramona Ramdial, the Minister chided, “If you care so much about the children why have you stopped contributing to the Children’s Life Fund?” Gadsby-Dolly also asked how many children could have been helped by monies associated with former attorney general Anand Ramlogan? Challenging Ramdial’s seeming expertise on Tobago affairs, the Minister asked if she (Ramdial) lives in the sister isle and assured that with two MPs and 12 members of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA), the ruling People’s National Movement (PNM) has Tobago “well covered.” Noting a 93 percent drop in TT’s energy revenues, the Minister said it seems the citizenry do not appreciate the gravity of the country’s current situation, remarking, “It cannot be business as usual.” Gadsby-Dolly said investing in the arts and culture is now more crucial than ever, as this could build a culture of resilience among citizens.

“To survive we must become more creative and innovative, saying lessons in adaptability and flexibility can be learnt from the story of ex-sugar workers of Caroni (1975) Limited,” she said.

Listing her Ministry’s cultural events, Gadsby-Dolly vowed to establish a Schools Best Village Competition and reintroduce a Food Fair. Gadsby- Dolly boasted that 135 pupils have attended a school mediation programme, while 753 adults participated in a her Ministry’s Parenting Workshop. She urged that TT become a premier cultural destination, of public art displays, performances, festivals and exhibitions.

Lamenting TT’s recent fall in the World Happiness Index, she said too many persons are negative in a vitriolic society, but instead urged people to focus on the positives and to build national pride. “In the arts we want to discover new talents,” she said, promising music schools and cultural camps, plus a new National Policy on Culture and the Arts.

Earlier, Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, Ayanna Webster-Roy, made an impassioned plea for the population to change their wicked ways by quoting scripture (2 Chronicles 7:14) to say that God will accept their repentance and restore the country’s economic stability.