2012-Aug-25-0201Hrs
My dear Errol,
Iwrote this for a publication in ouston, Texas at the request of the editor of the One Locve CAribbean Newspaper. I thught you might like a copy for the "Weekly Update" I know its long. The comment about my writing was in response to a compliment recieved for this piece from another member of the trinbago community here.
My writing is a gift of the spirit, nurtured by good teachers in my elementary school and college. I never went to secondary school. Linda
I Was There On August 31, 1962.
An eyewitness's retrospective on TnT Independence Celebrations by Linda E. Edwards
The night was a calm and clear one, when we gathered on the front lawn of the Red House on Abercromby Street, to watch the Flag of Trinidad and Tobago, replace the Union Jack, as OUR flag. There were thousands of people in Woodford Square. Hundred of dignitaries were seated on the Red House Lawn. I was there not because I was a dignitary, but because as a young teacher at the Government Training College, I had been chosen as a laison aide to The Hon. R.H. Walsh-Atkins, a member of the British Parliament and Delegation to the "show".It ws a rare opportunity to see things up close, though we were not given seats, but had to stand at the far back, almost against the Red House wall.
There were all the usual speeches by the politicians and the Queen's Representative- Princess Margaret. And then, the MOMENT.
The flags were to be lowered and raised at Midnight, precisely. Undubtedly, the Regimantal Flag Detail had rehearsed it over and over, so that the flags would pass each other at the halfway mark Obviouslty too, they had a contingency plan, because just as he was about to participate, one of the designated soldiers fainted. As he slumped forwards, he was supported and moved back by two others, one of whom took over to raise and lower the flag. You would have had to be right there to notice it. The flags never wavered but continued their movemets, the Red, White and Black up into the air of freedom, the Union Jack to be folded with dignity, and retired.
You would have thought Dr. Eric Williams had comandeered the wind, because as soon as the flag got to the top of the pole a breeze came up Abercromby Street and it waved gaily as if it was alive. The crowd went wild!
We were choked up, my friends and I,Leslie Forbes, Eleanor Rodney, and Benjie, all now living in Canada were part of the team of young teachers, as were Mona Slater, Kathleen Archer-John, and Nanette Nurse, living still in Trinidad, and our friend Stevenson Sarjeant, now deceased.We were part of that group of young people, given a brand new nation, for whom everything was possible. Other aides came from St.Mary's College and QRC
We were enthused with meeting delegates, parliamentarians from all over the world. The Minister of Education of New Zealand was so intrigued with my joyous personality, he wanted to take me back to his country with him.I told him I was engaged to be married, though the formal engagement was months away.
As Laison Aides we got to go to all the parties and official functions, but were reminded that we had to act with circumspection. We represented our country.
Now the new Piarco Airport was opened for Independence, and I got myself into a bit of a pickle upstairs in the lounge. We were waiting for the formal commissoning of the airport. I decided to see if the hot water taps really had hot water. Well, as I opened the tap, the force of the water pushed the entire faucet off. It had not been tightly screwed on, and water shot about five feet into the air. I panicked right in front of the Russian delegation, as the water poured out! One of the men calmly leaned under the sink and turned off the intake pipe. I would not have known what to do, as we still did not have pipe borne water in our own home, and though we had it at the hostel where I lived, I was no plumber.
You can well imagine how embarassed we all were, after having been told to be particularly cicumspect in front of the delegates. I looked at the Russian delegate(there were three of them together) and the"plumber" was laughing with me, not at me. I was so grateful. I could still see his narrow face and close cut blonde hair. I did not know his name.I wonder if he remembers saving the Airport from a massive flood due to an unsecured faucet, at its opening. .
Until that building was replaced, I could not go in and out of Trinidad, without remembering that day.
Fifty years later, I am still proud of the part I played in the independence celebrations of my country.
We had so many national songs to sing,
in addition to the National Anthem.
I still know most of them by heart.
My favorite is
"God Bless our Nation
of many varied races
may we posses the common love
that binds and makes us one.
Let it be known around the world,
that we can boast of Unity
and take a pride in our liberty.
Fifty years later, we have had our upheavals, but we can still boast of our unity of Trinidad and Tobago, one flag, many races, many religions, one people.
Linda Edwards
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