00:09the streets of port of spain came alive with the sights and sounds of africa today
00:15as the national community celebrated african emancipation day
00:24following this morning's family members of the opposition led by opposition leader
00:30penelope beckles joined the procession headed to the emancipation village at the queen's park savannah
00:37the opposition leader is reminding the nation of the significance of the occasion for trinidad and
00:44tobago we in trinidad and tobago we were the first country in the world to celebrate emancipation
00:51and many other countries have followed so today be proud be proud of this african emancipation day
00:59today marks the 188th observance of emancipation in trinidad and tobago let us celebrate what
01:09african people have done to build trinidad and tobago so often we forget that following slavery
01:14or even if we talk about slavery the work that was done to build trinidad and tobago into what it
01:20is
01:20today so when we look at trinidad and tobago whether it's in the education sector remember dr
01:26rick williams whether it's the energy sector whether it's in the housing sector any particular sector
01:32that you mentioned the african people have played a very critical role in making what trinidad and
01:38tobago is today and i want to remind us there's every reason to be proud about your black heritage
01:43about the work that you have done and what you have contributed to make trinidad and tobago what it is
01:50meantime lady vice chairman dr nyan gadsby dolly is rejecting attempts to compare slavery to
01:57indentorship calling it disrespectful dr dolly was weighing in on the discussion surrounding the
02:04university of trinidad and tobago's recent uhuru event held under the theme a shared journey of freedom
02:13the enslaved africans their experience can never be compared to indentured indentureship these indians
02:21came here they chose to come and those conditions were not ideal it was still a choice for the africans
02:28who
02:28are here and all of us who are the ancestors who they are our ancestors they didn't choose to come
02:34and the conditions they endured coming here and being here should not ever be compared with indentureship
02:41and the attempt to do that is disrespecting the struggle of our ancestors and we will not stand for
02:49it our shared experience as trinidad and tobago there are many other times to celebrate that african
02:55emancipation day is not that time african emancipation day is to remember the struggle of those who were
03:02forcibly taken from their homes brought halfway across the world in inhumane conditions and had to
03:09make a life in this country of trinidad and tobago and we are their children and we are what they
03:15hoped
03:15would happen at some point in their life and they never lived to see it but we are living to
03:20see it so we
03:20celebrate that today and anyone that can think that they can reduce that to a shared struggle is backing up
03:28the wrong tree we will not stand for that renessa cutting tv6 news
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