T&T must reaffirm the dreams of independence with which it began and not allow them to drop into the forgotten crevices of the imagination. This was the plea on Monday night by Earl Lovelace, award-winning Trinidadian novelist, at the national icons award ceremony at the Hilton Trinidad and Conference Centre, St Ann’s. Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who was scheduled to deliver the feature address, was not present as she held a press conference in Parliament at the time the ceremony was taking place.
Lovelace was among 60 “icons” who received an award for outstanding contribution. Among those honoured in the category of politics/philosophy was former prime minister and president Arthur NR Robinson. Among those honoured for entrepreneurship were Anthony Sabga, founder and chairman emeritus of the ANSA McAL group of companies, businesswoman Helen Bhagwansingh, fashion designer Meling Esau and Sidney Knox, founder of the Neal & Massy group.
Others received glowing tribute for their contribution in the fields of science, architecture, community service and public service. Posthumous awards were also distributed for creative arts, cultural research, philosophy/politics, political science, religion, public service and media. Lovelace, who spoke on behalf of the recipients, urged that the occasion be given a more important role.
“It is as witnesses to the dream of independence, especially to generations to whom independence has lost its lustre, who see nation as an outdated concept, who, even when they are willing to conceive of independence as a work in progress, have no idea what we are progressing to. “I believe we owe it to them and to ourselves to establish and develop a conversation that will inspire, and at least inform.
“And I hope that this ceremony today marks the beginning of the conversation which has been going on long before the 50 years among our writers and artists and our intellectuals, and should I add politicians,” Lovelace said.
Reflecting on the country’s early years, he said T&T was “drawn into an experience” which began with Europe’s entry into the new world which “destroyed and degraded people in relationships highlighted by the slaughter of Amerindians, African enslavement, Indian indenture and rebellion and resistance from the oppressed.” But the challenge was to take responsibility for the past.
And that, Lovelace added, was acknowledging Amerindian slaughter, African enslavement, Indian indenture and by responding with reparative measures marked by justice, firmness and compassion. He added: “We have been encouraged to believe it is better we forget our past, that letting it into our lives will lead to greater polarisation of the society.
“We even encourage silence on these matters, unless in well-managed innocuous settings, excoriating those crazy enough to bring these uncomfortable events up to our consciousness. We must be aware that this deliberate ignoring of something so close to us establishes the moral and ethical foundation of the society we construct.
“In any event, as we know now, the past has not been forgotten. It lives in our hopes for a better world, in resentment of those disadvantaged by it, discomfort for those it has privilege, in fear, in shame, in division for us all.” Planning Minister Dr Bhoendradatt Tewarie, who also spoke, said the greatest challenge of leadership was how to tap the spirit and energy of a people to build a better future. Saying the awardees had inspired themselves to think and to do and to create, Tewarie added they had also inspired others.
The awardees
Political/philosophy
Arthur NR Robinson
Entrepreneurship
Helen Bhagwansingh
Meiling Esau
Sidney Knox
Robert Montano
Anthony Sabga
Robert Yorke
Architecture
Colin Laird
Science
Dr Stephen Blizzard
Anil Kokaram
Media
Owen Baptiste
Community service
Sheila Prince
Abdul Aziz Trust
Public service
Dr Edwin Carrington
Justice Phillip Louis Ulric Cross
Religion
National Council of Orisha Elders
Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha
Posthumous awards
Creative Arts
Patricia Bishop
Mahant Babu Boodoosingh
Carlisle Chang
Harry Mahabir
Beryl Mc Burnie
Sundarlal “Sundar Popo” Bahora
Aldwyn Roberts
Andre Tanker
Cultural research/architecture
Dr J D Elder
Philosophy/politics
Lloyd Algernon Best
Tubal Uriah “Buzz” Butler
Cyril L R James
Adrian Cola Rienzi
Dr Eric Eustace Williams
Politics/Science
Dr Rudranath Capildeo
Dr Sylvan Bowles
Ranjit Kumar
Religion
Dr Roy Neehall
Bishop Turnell Nelson
Archbishop Anthony Pantin
Haji Sheik Mohammed Shaffik Rahaman
Media
Patrick Chookolingo
Public Service
Sir Ellis Clarke
Lord Learie Constantine
Sir Solomon Hochoy
Noor Hassanali
Sir Hugh Wooding
Living icons/creative arts
Slinger Francisco
Geoffrey Holder
Ray Holman
Earl Lovelace
Elliot Mannette
VS Naipaul
Horace Ove
Mungal Patasar
David Michael Rudder
Jit Sukha Samaroo
Len “Boogsie” Sharpe
Anthony Williams
Sports
Harold La Borde
Hasely Crawford
Brian Charles Lara
Dwight Yorke and the 2006 senior national football team