Chief Hernandez makes plea for more support

CHIEF Ricardo Bharath Hernandez of the First Peoples of Santa Rosa yesterday pleaded with government and big business to look at more ways to make further contributions to the community as it prepares for observance of the First Peoples holiday on October 13.

He was speaking at the launch of the First Peoples holiday at the University of Trinidad and Tobago, O’Meara, Arima.

Hernandez said their community receives a yearly subvention from the Government and that money is used in different aspects for the community. One of them is the celebration of the First Peoples Heritage Week. “While this allocation has done much for the First Peoples it cannot by itself enable us to complement all the activities this national holiday warrants. Therefore we have to raise our own funds by our own efforts which we are engaged at present.”

He said to date, they have written several letters to corporate TT and have received $55,000. “We know we are in difficult times, we do not expect all our expectations to be met. However, we are asking Government and the business sector to look again for ways in which to make further contributions otherwise we would have failed in our objectives for the observance of this national holiday for the First Peoples.”

He also appealed to government agencies and corporate TT to work together with them to fix the access road to the proposed site for their Heritage Village, Blanchisseuse Road, Arima. The First Peoples have a broad programme of activities planned including a series of lectures hosted by UTT and an essay and art competition.

Heritage Week begins October 7 and ends on 15. The activities planned for this week include a symposium hosted by UTT, a children’s rally and a smoke ceremony.