His Excellency Ambassador Javier Carbajosa of Spain has stepped out of his crease and exposed his leg stump when he says “History cannot be rewritten to the taste of the consumer.” Señor Carbajosa, we Trinbagonians are not consumers of history. We are creators of history, and have always been so.
Your language is indicative of the kind of contempt that gave birth to the colonial mentality which informs the attitude of so-called developed countries to the rest of the world, leading to the continued underdevelopment of so many nations.
Christopher Columbus did not come to the West as a favour to us, to bring sweetness and light to a world of darkness. He came here by accident, on his way to bring death and destruction to the Far East, which was a place to be conquered and plundered.
It was, and should have been, a shame and disgrace that he blundered his way into visiting that death and destruction upon our trusting, well-meaning forbears, who, in their innocence, welcomed him with open arms and lavished upon him the hospitality which he so viciously exploited, to the benefit of the country from whence you came.
Trinbagonians continue to extend our hospitality to all visitors, including Columbus, were he to return, but that does not translate into honouring him and venerating him in the manner of our ancestors who knew not what we know.
History is to be learnt and to be guided by but is not to dictate how we are to behave.
We would be foolish to continue to expose ourselves to the virulence of European colonisation knowing what we know of it today, even acknowledging that it has brought great benefit to the world.
Trinidad and Tobago must chart its own course, consigning history to the history books and giving recognition and honour to those who have brought honour to us, often giving their lives in so doing. Put Christopher Columbus in the museums and history books and give precedence to our own.
And yes, change the names of all the places which remind of the odious colonial times. They all had names before he came and will have names after we are long gone. Other countries, including T&T, have done it in the past and many are doing it now. There is no embarrassment in recognising and correcting an anomaly, even today.
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