PM misses Divali Nagar, disappoints NCIC

The Prime Minister left the hosts of the Divali Nagar "disappointed'" that he could not attend the closing night of the ten-day cultural showcase in the lead up to day's holiday.

Dr Rowley had been invited by the National Council for Indian Culture (NCIC) to the nagar, in Chaguanas, but he had said he was unable to attend, NCIC PRO Surujdeo Mangaroo told Sunday Newsday last evening.

"We are a bit disappointed. The Prime Minister sent us a letter saying that he had a previous engagement," Mungroo said.

He observed no member of the Government had visited the nagar which opened on October 18. President Paula-Mae Weekes and Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar attended the nagar on October 22 and October 19, respectively.

Last evening, the Big 5 pan concert, held in tribute to pan pioneer Neville Jules, was hosted at Queen's Park Savannah, Port of Spain under the patronage of the Prime Minister, but up to 9 pm, there was no word on if he would attend.

The Prime Minister, who turned 70 on Thursday, was reported to have gone to Tobago for his birthday and was expected to remain there for the holiday weekend. He hosted Divali celebrations at his official residence in Trinidad last week.

In his Divali message, the Prime Minister celebrated TT as "one of the most successful multi-cultural, and most significantly multi-religious societies."

However, he felt citizens should learn more about each other.

"We can boast of our tolerance, and respect for each other’s beliefs, and ethnicity, but I believe we all need to go further, seeking a deeper understanding of those who occupy this geographical space," he said.

He said Divali was an ideal occasion to live up to the national watchwords of discipline, tolerance and production "eliminating polarisation wherever it exists, and replacing it with engagement."

This message is at the core of Hindu texts, the Veda, the Upanishads, and the Bhagavad Gita, just as in the teachings of Christian, Muslim and other faiths.

He made an analogy to the Bible's Song of Solomon, the Gita which in Hinduism is the song that identifies the "secret of human life." that is the surrender and awareness of God in our lives.

"It says this is found in our unquestioning surrender and daily awareness of God in our lives."

As he has often stated, the Prime Minister said TT during his administration "has experienced economic stringency" which may have seemed to be among the country's darkest hours".

"We are all now reaching a turning point, where the light of this nation is beginning to glow again," he said.