Trinidad Express Newspapers
Trinidad & Tobago - Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar..."respectfully" disagreed with President George Maxwell Richards.
Richards, addressing both Houses of Parliament, stated that "except for the steelpan, we have been consumers rather than innovators, and we must be careful not to miss out on getting in at the ground level of the new scientific exposure, and here, university education matters".
...."Mr Speaker, if I may respectfully agree to disagree with his Excellency the President when he said that apart from the steelpan, there has been no innovativeness in Trinidad and Tobago, I respectfully disagree. Yes, the steelpan is one symbol of innovativeness, the only musical, acoustical instrument invented in the last century, but Trinidad and Tobago is known throughout the world for innovativeness, creativity, the diversity of our people, the harmony, the unity in diversity which represents Trinidad and Tobago."
This elicited applause from the Government benches.
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Trinidad Express Newspapers
Opposition Leader ROWLEY responds
Trinidad & Tobago - It was "unfortunate and unnecessary for the Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to take "public issue with President George Maxwell Richards and try to correct him" for making a statement that the steel pan was the only innovation from this country, Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley said yesterday.
....Rowley said the President was quite correct in saying that the steelpan was the only innovation in our life as a nation.
"The Prime Minister corrects him and says 'No, we have cultural diversity and harmony'."
"We didn't invent harmony. We didn't invent cultural diversity. We invented the steel pan. So I don't know what the Prime Minister was thinking," Rowley said.
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Replies
Damn right, Keith Rowley ... Kamla only playing race in the guise of "cultural diversity".
Peter Gray
To the point ,,,if the Prime Minister does not appreciate the Steelpan,,,then she can say so,,,it,s as simple as that, my reason for so saying is that instead of her EMBRACING THE NATIONAL INSTRUMENT OF T&T,,it,s a Diversion,,Respect,,God Bless.
My question for the Honourable Prime Minister K .Persaud is was there any diversity and harmony during the days of slavery in T&T,,,or an instrument was created just to release the tension caused by Massa????? the only thing that originated,and that was even being rediculed by the slave masters was the STEELPAN,, which is now Internationally trecognised and accepted by many the world over,,i think the she should Rephrase her statement. Respect for all God Bless.
Well said, Rowley!