President Weekes reclaims “honorary Tobagonian’ status

President Paula-Mae Weekes paid her first official visit to Tobago last Friday and Saturday, during which time she claimed her ‘honorary Tobagonian’ status, lauded the speechband as a favourite cultural item, praised the work of the Healing with Horses Foundation in Buccoo, met with members of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) and Tobagonians at a cocktail reception, having met with Chief Secretary Kelvin Charles on her arrival to Tobago, and on Saturday, attended the funeral of the mother of Chief Justice Ivor Archie.

Relating stories of Tobago as she proclaimed herself a honorary Tobagonian at the cocktail reception on Friday night at the Magdalena Grand Beach and Golf Resort, she said:

"I don't want you to challenge me, but I suspect I know more of Tobago than most Tobagonians because when I was in the Assizes…I would spend a month at a time in Tobago. After court there was little to do after reading files, so I would jump in my car and drive the length and breadth of your lovely island."

She said her car would shut down on every hill.

President Paula-Mae Weekes greets longstanding member of Healing with Horses Foundation, Keron McLetchie, with a ‘bounce’ as she toured the facility at Buccoo during her first official visit to Tobago last Friday. At centre is founder of the Foundation, Veronika La Fortune.

"I know Charlotteville very well and every hill…my car broke down on Richmond," she recalled.

She said that when the late former Prime Minister and President ANR Robinson was made prime minister ‘and wonderful roads were paved in what I considered then to be the middle of nowhere, I drove on those too.

“And so I am here this evening to reclaim my honorary status as a Tobagonian. I am very happy to meet all of you."

Weekes also noted a fondness for the Tobago speechband.

“…our speechband, and I invited them to the inauguration, unfortunately things were so busy I only heard the very last of the speech, so they are here today so I can hear all of it,” she said. She said steelband music was chosen for the reception as she was an avid follower.

President Paula Mae Weekes chats with Tobago House of Assembly Chief Secretary Kelvin Charles at a reception hosted by the President last Friday night at the Magdalena Grand Beach and Golf Resort in Lowlands.

Earlier in the day, during a visit to the Healing with Horses Foundation in Buccoo, which rehabilitates ailing horses and provides a therapeutic space for the island’s special needs children, Weekes promised to work with founder Veronika La Fortune to keep the foundation afloat.

There, she was presented with a portrait titled Hope, in commemoration of her inaugural address where she urged citizens to play their part in ridding the country of its many social ills. the portrait was painted by artist Gail Pantin and presented to Weekes by Christiano, one of the special needs children at the Foundation.

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"President Weekes reclaims “honorary Tobagonian’ status"

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