Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar SC has condemned growing division in the national conversation, warning that racial division, political hostility, and disrespect are threatening Trinidad and Tobago’s unity.
Speaking at the Office of the Prime Minister’s African Emancipation Day celebrations on Thursday, the Prime Minister spoke about being personally targeted by criticism, saying the greater concern is the damage divisive rhetoric can cause to the nation.
She said public discourse has, at times, deteriorated into hostility and racial division.
“A nation born from the triumph of the enslaved African men, women, and children, enriched by every community which followed, and strengthened by the enduring truth that our diversity is not our division, but that is indeed our greatest strength. Yet, if we are honest with ourselves, we know that sometimes our national conversations, at times, has become diminished. Sometimes disagreement has descended into disrespect. Political differences into personal hostility, and sometimes race has been invoked, not to deepen understanding, but sometimes to sow division.”
Addressing personal attacks directed at her, the Prime Minister acknowledged their impact, but said her greatest disappointment is seeing citizens lose sight of their common humanity.
“I have been the target of some words. I will not pretend they did not affect me. But I have always said that the hurt I then felt was not for myself. I have served long enough to understand that public life demands resilience. And so, what saddened me the most, I will tell you, is this, that sometimes we forget our humanity and get caught up in the words of division. No nation can ever survive if we continue in that regard. So I thought of, I will tell you, that all the great opportunities we have had in this land, I thought that often all of us have had to endure some very difficult times.”
She urged Trinidad and Tobago to stand together in the face of division.
“But you know what is important for our nation, and for all of us, men, women, and children of this great land we call Trinidad and Tobago, is that together we aspire, and together we achieve.”
The Prime Minister said Trinidad and Tobago achieved its greatest successes when its people chose unity over division, urging citizens to draw inspiration from the legacy of Emancipation and work together in building the nation.