Prime Minister’s Independence Day Message 2024
Message to the nation from Dr the Honourable Keith Rowley Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago on the occasion of Independence Day 2024
Fellow Citizens,
Today, we celebrate sixty-two years as an independent nation. I extend Happy Independence Day Greetings to you all from the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, my family and myself, as Prime Minister.
As we mark this occasion, it may be an ideal opportunity for us to first scan the wider world, a brief, random look into major events and the geo-political state of a few countries, then place our country on the scale of human development, gauge our progress, and the quality of life we enjoy here today in Trinidad and Tobago.
Maybe here, in this comparison, notwithstanding the many difficulties that we have to confront daily, we may better appreciate, our overall achievements, our resilience as a people, our natural and cultural wonders, and the beauty and richness of this land, called Trinidad and Tobago.
As a people, with our diverse origins, coming from many parts of the various continents, we continue to show a phenomenal harmony and respect for each other – a tolerance which must not be dismissed or understated, given the rise of ethnic tensions, identity politics, etc. in other parts of the world. This unique facet of Trinidad and Tobago has caused some observers to describe our inter-racial relationships as “uncommon”.
We know that our home is not without its stresses and strains, pockets of underlying hostilities, increasing levels of violent crime, family disputes, meaningless altercations spawned and spread by the gang culture among much of our youth. Yet, looking deeper, we can identify and praise what we call “The Trinbagonian” — our collective spirit in which we hold a transcendent respect for The Almighty, alongside an eager willingness to display kindness, selfless care, compassion, respect, love, sharing with family, friends, and extending trust to strangers, as fellow humans all wrapped in a daily ambition to be better.
As Prime Minister, when I look across our land, I see creativity, optimism, discipline and pride in all the best that Trinidad and Tobago has produced over the last 62 years.
I see us all as lively, sentient beings, who always seem to be on the move to something greater. Whatever our race or status, our unique, collective “Trinbagonian Spirit” stands out, wherever, because we always expect to be enjoying and enhancing our daily lives, protecting our freedom, celebrating our music, our dance, our food, our fashion and, of course, our Pan.
In reality, our country stands firmly as a land of opportunities and possibilities, populated by resilient citizens. It is this perspective that challenges us all to nurture and strengthen ourselves as we face the many challenges of a demanding 21st century.
A couple of examples of this new optimistic spirit include the Government’s emphasis on vocational and skills training, open to all youths, through the Ministry of Youth Development and National Service. The agriculture projects are exciting initiatives which have already produced their first graduates and first harvests. In this simple but important activity, a total of 1,500 youths are expected to graduate over the next year, giving our young people, an alternative gateway to success.
Our robust Social Services continue to ensure that “no one is left behind”. Thousands of our most vulnerable citizens continue to benefit from social grants, social services, free healthcare and medicine, in addition to Government subsidies for water, electricity, transportation, and education grants.
The past decade is punctuated with global shocks and crises in the world economy, which heightened risks for this country. Covid-19 also added to those risks, with headwinds and tumultuous waters. However, we saw this as an opportunity to build our resilience and develop unique solutions, for instance, the Government turned the restructured Petrotrin company into a holding company with a highly profitable tax-paying subsidiary called Heritage Petroleum.
Most significantly, the country has been able to confirm landmark and unprecedented arrangements with our closest neighbour Venezuela, to develop gas fields that straddle our border and in that country’s waters. Exploration in the Loran-Manatee, Dragon and Manakin-Cocuina fields hold tremendous economic opportunities for Trinidad and Tobago, from the near term and into the coming decades. These projects will boost this country’s declining gas production, will sustain the plants on the Point Lisas Industrial Estate and are the basis for the Government’s optimism, and hope for our secure future.
In addition, inflation, at great risk a few years ago, has subsided to below one percent; our economic growth continues apace, with strong signs of growth in the non-oil sector. Our economic buffers remain strong, with both our Heritage and Stabilisation Fund and External Reserves approaching US$6 Billion, giving us an eight-month import cover. This is even after we have carefully used some of the interest from the earnings of the Fund to bail us out during the recent series of unplanned difficulties in the pandemic and post-pandemic era. The unemployment rate stood in 2023 at 4.1%, and further progress is expected this year.
So, today as we celebrate our Independence 62, I ask that all citizens join me in committing to this optimistic spirit. Let us continue to see ourselves as resilient people, who are developing a country, marshalling together, navigating its challenges and difficulties “WITH BOUNDLESS FAITH IN OUR DESTINY”.
I assure you that your Government is fully engaged as we address all the major issues while pointing to the real prospects for a brighter future.
Today, our country continues to stand strong as we continue to believe in our future.
Let us all have a safe and happy Independence Day 2024.
