Acting President Timothy Hamel-Smith says people should look at themselves and transform T&T. He said the nation cannot and must not permit "criminals and misfits to determine who we are as a people." In his Republic Day address to the nation on Sunday night, Hamel-Smith said citizens should use the time permitted to transform and change circumstances on a daily basis. He said, "As we celebrate Republic Day it is a time to take stock. At this juncture we must ask ourselves where we are and what we have achieved after 50 years of Independence. We have much to be thankful for. We have been blessed in so many ways. No matter what the naysayers claim, I believe, over the last 50 years, we have started on the journey to forging our unique national identity. We have a long way to go yet and there is much to be done. Let us focus on the future that we want to create for our beloved Trinidad and Tobago.
Hamel-Smith said the nation must chart its own destiny into the future because that was the real significance of T&T becoming a Republic in which the "supreme power lies with the people." "It is our turn now. We must give up the notion that some fairy godmother is going to emerge to transform our land and fulfil our dreams. It is we the people, each of us individually and collectively working together, who will gain for us the prosperity which we desire. Yes it will involve hard work and sacrifice but I am convinced we can do it and even experience the joy and fulfilment which comes from a job well done," he said. So what must we do to achieve our dream for Trinidad and Tobago? Hamel-Smith asked. "We must look to the only thing over which we have control-the man in the mirror. How we as a people lead our lives will determine our ultimate destiny. We cannot and must not permit the small ring of criminals and misfits in our land, to determine who we are as a people. As a nation we must demonstrate that we are far greater and much too talented to let our history be defined by the criminal minority in our land."