The Prime Minister hopes that more youth will join future African Emancipation Day celebrations and also revealed that Caricom leaders intended to speak “very forcefully” with one voice at the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting to be held from October 21-26 at Apia, Samoa particularly on the issue of reparations.
Dr Rowley addressed a growing crowd who gathered at Brian Lara Promenade, obliquely opposite the Treasury Building, Port of Spain, eager to begin the Kambule street procession on August 1.
Rowley and several of his cabinet members along with chair of the Emancipation Support Committee (ESC) TT Zakiya Uzoma-Wadada, the ESCTT’s spiritual leader Equino Moyo, its director of regional and Pan-African affairs Khafra Kambon as well as the University of the West Indies’ vice chancellor Sir Hilary Beckles were among the invited guests.
[caption id="attachment_1099940" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Dancers entertain onlookers during the Kambule Street Procession during African Emancipation Day celebrations on Picadilly Street, Port of Spain, on August 1. - Photo by Angelo Marcelle[/caption]
Having recently returned from the 47th regular meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) in St George’s, Grenada, Rowley told those gathered, “In a few months, the Caribbean leaders will meet the rest of the commonwealth leaders in Samoa. It is a very interesting time because Sir Hilary Beckles has been leading the intellectual arguments (on reparations).
“The Caricom has a body of people – many of them intellectuals of one kind or another, leaders of one kind or another – demanding more loudly and persistently at this time that, as Martin Luther (King Jr ) said, ‘The arc of freedom bends towards justice.’
“We here gathered are on that arc. We genuinely believe that it will bend to a point and a day when justice would be recognised by all and handed to those who deserve it.
“The Caribbean leaders took a decision this week to very forcefully speak to the Commonwealth as one voice and there is one particular country with a new King and Labour Government, with an outstanding mandate and we look forward to the reaction in October,” he said.
He opened his address by saying that some words mattered more than others and one of those was "respect."
People who advanced their interests and agenda had very little respect for the descendants of the enslaved, he said.
Rowley said respect was still required as it was not offered easily or gratuitously.
[caption id="attachment_1099941" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Young moko jumbies take part in the Kambule Street Procession during African Emancipation Day celebrations on Independence Square, Port of Spain, on August 1. - Photo by Angelo Marcelle[/caption]
“The African people of TT need to focus on the word respect. Starting with respecting those of our ancestors who were there when the hardships were meted out, those who were there when the categorisation was laid out and those who were there who survived
