Hundreds participated in Phagwa festivities in South Trinidad over the weekend.
TTT News visited the colourful celebrations in the Barrackpore and Penal communities.
In Penal, Minister of Health Dr. Lackram Bodoe joined in the celebrations, but he took a moment to note that International Women’s Day was also being celebrated on Sunday.
“The only reason your Member of Parliament is not here with you this evening is because the Member of Parliament for Siparia, the honourable Prime Minister, would have been, or still is, in the US at this point in time, and the people of Siparia and, indeed, the people of Trinidad and Tobago would have gotten a wonderful International Women’s Day gift yesterday when our honourable Prime Minister would have met with President Donald Trump to further the interests of the people of Trinidad and Tobago.”
In the Barrackpore area, Minister of Culture and Community Development Michelle Benjamin joined in the festivities, highlighting the significance of Phagwa.
“At its heart Phagwa carries a powerful message. It speaks to triumph and good over evil and hope over despair, and that is what we are doing here this afternoon. This year we made a conscious effort to bring this celebration back to the people of Barrackpore. Holi brings communities together, and I am honoured to be your Culture Minister, and my commitment to you is to continue to invest in festivals like these.”
Phagwa marks the beginning of spring, and the official celebration was on March 4th.