message / the HIGH COMMISSIONER
MESSAGE FROM His excellency Orville london high commissioner
O
ver a period of less than two months, Trinidad and Tobago will have celebrated three important events, each of which send an identical and increasingly relevant message. On 1st August, we celebrated Emancipation Day; we celebrated the 55th Anniversary of our Independence on 31st August and on 24th September, we will be in a celebratory, and hopefully reflective, mood again when we commemorate the attainment of Republican status, in 1976. These three milestones signalled the attainment of greater freedom and greater control of our lives, but just as importantly, they instructed us to take greater responsibility for our future and our destiny.
at the Mission, news releases and any other medium that will enable us to facilitate more meaningful and impactful communication. Meaningful communication is critical if we are to maintain the pride in country, the connection to the past, the understanding of the present and the confidence in the future that would enable us to adopt the mindset necessary to continue on our development journey, despite the enormity of present challenges.
In recent months, Trinidad and Tobago has achieved much of which we should Pictured: His Excellency Orville London, High be proud and nationals living in the Commissioner for the Republic of Trinidad and United Kingdom have had the privilege Tobago of sharing in some of our finest moments. The exploits of Paralympic The need for responsibility and maturity in our responses and double gold medalist Akeem Stewart, the determination our actions, is even more critical during this period as we strive displayed by the 400 metre relay team in their gold medal run for continued development, in an increasingly competitive and young Jareem Richards in the Men’s 200 metres final at and unpredictable environment. Trinidad and Tobago’s the IAAF Championships, as well as the presentation of the economic challenges are not likely to be resolved in the short Queens Commonwealth Young Leaders award to Matthew term. This, against a backdrop of uncertainty surrounding Batson and Siddel Ramkissoon are just some of the latest the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the European Union, examples of what has been achieved and can be achieved by which decision will impact the trading relationship between us, as nationals, if we have the requisite levels of dedication, CARICOM and European countries; climate change and the self-belief and commitment to country. frequency and severity of natural disasters, which continue to challenge the Caribbean region; the mounting threat of Nationals in the United Kingdom have the same responsibilities crime and violence, which could lead to the imposition of and we must commit to leveraging the powers within the more restrictive regulations and less embracing mindsets. The Diaspora. I have been heartened by the approaches made by world could become a much more challenging place over the members based in the UK who have offered to share their next decade and citizens of Trinidad and Tobago, wherever we expertise and experience in Trinidad and Tobago, usually at reside, or visit, will have to make the relevant adjustments. little or no cost, and this Mission is committed to facilitating those initiatives. The Mission supports the call from the We have to be more collaborative, more responsive, and, Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs for greater in order to achieve this, the Mission recognizes the need to involvement by the Diaspora in “promoting trade and foreign communicate more effectively with citizens, partners and direct investment”, for the Diaspora has a role to play in using stakeholders. That responsibility has fuelled our determination its unique perspective in marketing Trinidad and Tobago, to revive the publication of the Newsletter, after a two-year in this highly competitive and unpredictable environment. lapse. The Newsletter will enable us to disseminate accurate I am, therefore, urging all Trinidad and Tobago nationals and relevant information from the Mission, the Ministry to collaborate in the data gathering process, which would and the Government of Trinidad and Tobago; highlight facilitate more focused and impactful engagement. the achievements of our Nationals in different spheres of endeavour; provide a forum for the Diaspora to share its Over the past 55 years, this country and this Mission have views, its concerns and its recommendations; and document surmounted numerous challenges and ensured that the the activities of this period for posterity. development thrust, was maintained. We have developed and our quality of life has been improved over the past 55 years The Mission will continue to use our revamped Facebook because we displayed the right attitudes and we did it together. page, emails to nationals registered with the Mission, face to We can do it again. face contact with the High Commissioner and other officials
4
London Mission | Volume 71
