Parade, bright spot amid gloom

The fallout from the Petrotrin refinery shutdown, threats of labour unrest and crime yesterday took a back seat to national pride as hundreds made their way to the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain, for TT’s 56th anniversary Independence Parade.

Dressed mostly in national colours– red, white and black–citizens from across the country found parking spaces near to the savannah to witness the annual spectacle, while others, like San Fernando resident Trevor Stephens, simply chose to travel to downtown Port of Spain and walk to the venue to avoid the hassle.

“This is something I accustomed doing and I am not about to stop now,” said Stephens, who said he has been attending the parade for as long as he could remember.

Accompanied by his two pre-teen grandchildren, Stephens said it was important to maintain traditions for the young people.

“If they do not have something to look up to, what will become of them?” he asked, alluding to the many young people who simply fall by the wayside either through parental neglect or delinquency.

Stephens vowed to play a critical role in his grandchildren’s lives.

In downtown, Port of Spain, Gemma Fortune and a group of her friends, a few with portable chairs in tow, strolled along the usually bustling Frederick Street to the Savannah.

Like Stephens, she said this was an annual ritual.

“This is one of our favourite activities for relaxation,” Fortune said with a laugh.

“We just like to see the parade, how they march in time. It is just a nice feeling of togetherness.”

Fortune said, too, she did not want to miss President Paula-Mae Weekes’ first independence parade since being appointed Head of State on March 19.

“That is an accomplishment in itself and I am still happy about it. She has done the country proud.”

Spectators told Newsday they anticipated the parade to be of its usual high standard.

“With all this gloom overtaking the country, we need a bright spot,” she said, referring to the impending shutdown of the Petrotrin refinery, Pointe-a-Pierre, which is expected to throw some 1,700 employees on the breadline.

But many were also hoping to see Police Commissioner Gary Griffith, whom they felt was doing a good job as the top cop since being appointed to the position on August 3.

Street vendors, meanwhile, hoped to capitalise on yesterday’s show of patriotism.

They were positioned at strategic points around the capital city, selling their merchandise, which included bandanas, jerseys, caps and other items bearing the national colours.

“The sales not going too bad,” one female vendor said, adding that bandanas and caps were quite popular with the young people.

She observed, though, that sales were markedly less when compared to previous years.

“People really watching their budget. Look school opening on Monday so people still focusing on that and getting stuff for their children.”