President Anthony Carmona brought joy to more than 75 cub scouts on Saturday when he took the time to shake every one of their hands and speak with them at the South West Scout Zonal Camp 2013 at Cedros.Many times the President burst out in laughter as some of the youngsters, who greeted him with the Scout's howl and handshake, revealed they were from his home town of Fyzabad, and fired back questions at him.
It was Carmona's first official Scout function since he was designated Chief Scout only last Thursday.As he formally opened the three-day camp at the Cedros Composite School, the President said he frequented Cedros as a young boy where his parents took him for chip chip. This was in response to a question from Naparima Scout leader Surindra Maharaj who asked him when was the last time he had been to the area.
President Carmona told the cubs their place of birth or simple status in life should not stop them from impacting on the world. He told them the story of two Trinidadians, whom he credited with paving the way for the United States of America to elect its first black President, Barack Obama–former US Congressman Mervyn Dymally, who was born in Cedros and Stokley Carmichael (Kwame Ture), who was involved in the 1960's American Civil Rights movement.
"We love success, we love the end result, but we are rarely interested in the road to success. People like Stokley and Congressman Dymally, they were there on the road to success, to the point that we have President Obama," he said
President Carmona said often times the soldiers who worked in the trenches fighting for equality are forgotten, He recalled the initiatives of former President Arthur NR Robinson in creating the International Criminal Court of Justice which deals with persons who commit war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.
"From small things, great things can happen. From small villages, people can in fact move on to become great men in the world," he said."I would like all you young men and young ladies to listen to your teachers listen to the motto of the scout movement, knowing fully well you have the capacity and power to make a difference not only in T&T, but worldwide."
