Thank you Madam,

My wife Charmaine and I are honored and pleased to be here with you. I am convinced that you will like me a little more when I share with you that my wife is from Trinidad and Tobago.

Honorable Lenny Saith, Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister,
Her Excellency Fidelia Graand-Galon, Ambassador of the Republic of Suriname in Trinidad and Tobago,
His Excellency Jagjit Singh Sapra, High Commissioner of India in Trinidad and Tobago,
Mr. Ashook Ramsaran, Secretary General of GOPIO International,
Ambassador Krieshnadath Nandoe, Chairman of GOPIO Suriname and Vice-President GOPIO International,
Mr. Yesu Persaud, Chairman of GOPIO Guyana,
Mr. Deosaran Bisnath, Chairman of GOPIO Trinidad and Tobago,
Other distinguished members of GOPIO Trinidad and Tobago,
Distinguished members of the Headtable,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,


I wish to thank Mr Deosaran Bisnath for his kind invitation to attend the inauguration of the new executives of GOPIO Trinidad and Tobago as well as the awards ceremony in the presence of such a distinguished gathering.

At the outset I wish to extend through Mr. Yesu Persaud, our deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims as well as to the Government and People of Guyana for the horrendous and barbaric killings within a couple of weeks time of innocent Guyanese, among which law enforcement officials and children. We do hope that the perpetrators will be caught as soon as possible and brought to justice.

GOPIO is an internationally recognized, well established and respected organization with noble and meaningful objectives, as you have been able to read in the brochure you were handed out upon your entrance tonight.

I extend congratulations to the new members of the Board and wish them well and success in their endeavors. I am delighted to note that the youth represents the majority in the Board, amidst the elderly who will undoubtedly guide the younger ones in becoming leaders in their own right. I am even more pleased to note that the Board has young female members. I congratulate Mr. Bisnath for this very encouraging vision and approach.

I am convinced that through your hard and dedicated work you will be able to contribute to the vision, purpose and objectives of GOPIO International, as outlined earlier by Secretary General Ramsaran.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

You may ask yourself why a primarily political entity as the Organization of American States is part of tonight’s program. For those who do not know, I am pleased to inform you that the OAS is composed of 34 democratically elected governments in the Western Hemisphere, from Canada in the north to Chile in the South.

Our principal objective is to contribute to the establishment of peaceful, prosperous and sustainable societies, through the strengthening of democracy, democratic institutions and democratic governance, through efforts to support the social and economic development of the member states and to assist in improving the security of our citizens and countries through a multidimensional approach.

The OAS leadership regards culture as an important element in the building of peaceful societies and sustainable economies. For this purpose, the OAS member states created the Inter-American Committee on Culture which at ministerial level debates and agrees on measures to strengthen cultural exchange and awareness in a very diverse hemisphere.

We firmly believe that culture is not only important because it represents the norms, values and artistic expressions of who and what we are, but that it also represents an economic opportunity. In our view, cultural industries are of critical importance in a region that strongly depends on tourism for its employment and income.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

As a consequence of forced or voluntary migration, facilitated by rapid improvements in transportation technology, we all live now in a globalized world, in an environment of great diversity. Diversity, no doubt, has enriched the cultural and economic life in many countries, including that of Trinidad and Tobago.

Regretfully, I must observe that diversity in culture has often been used in a negative way; rather to unite citizens it has been a tool to divide peoples. I strongly believe that we have to overcome this temptation, because it is ultimately counterproductive to the establishment of a safe, peaceful and prosperous community.

At the global level, I share the views expressed by Ambassador Nandoe, that there is the need to create more communication and a better understanding between civilizations, which are representing traditions, norms and values of thousands years ago.

We need to bridge the misunderstandings and the ignorance that exist globally, regionally and nationally. Only through knowing each other better we can respect and accept who we are and what we stand for and built a life in peace, confidence and trust. I am convinced that such an environment of peace and stability can be created without losing our cultural identity.

Many of the conflicts and tensions that exist in the world today are based on these misunderstandings, willful misinformation and misinterpretation and often ignorance.

I believe that GOPIO International and its chapters throughout the world can play an important role in achieving these objectives.

It is in this context that I wish to close my remarks by urging GOPIO International as well as its Chapters in Suriname, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago to demonstrate this willingness and through their activities contribute to the establishment of peaceful and prosperous societies.

I thank you for your attention and wish you a very pleasant evening.