As the twin-island nation of Trinidad and Tobago prepares to mark 64 years of self-governance, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has delivered a landmark Independence Day message urging the country to break free from decades of blaming colonial rule for its current struggles and embrace full accountability for its post-independence policy choices.
Persad-Bissessar emphasized that after more than six decades as an independent nation, the habit of pointing to colonial legacies to excuse poor decision-making has become a barrier to progress. “It’s time we grow up and stop blaming our problems on our colonial past to escape accepting responsibility for bad decisions we made post-Independence that have resulted in negative consequences for ourselves and our nation,” she stated in the address, released a day ahead of the official anniversary celebrations.
The Prime Minister drew on historical context to ground her argument, noting that when Trinidad and Tobago gained independence from Britain in 1962, it inherited a uniquely strong economic and institutional foundation compared to many peer nations emerging from colonial rule. At the time of independence, the country boasted a higher per capita income than a long list of global economies including Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Chile, Spain, Malaysia, China, Turkey and Brazil. Today, almost all of those countries have surpassed Trinidad and Tobago in economic output and development, she acknowledged.
Beyond macroeconomic foundations, Persad-Bissessar highlighted the robust infrastructure and governance systems the nation inherited at independence: a well-structured legal and public administration framework, a leading regional oil exploration and refining industry, a large and productive agricultural sector, and an extensive operational railway network. She also recalled the country’s low crime rates and well-preserved natural environment in the early years of independence, reinforcing the point that “the British left us a very prosperous functioning country in 1962.”
Acknowledging that all societies and leaders make missteps along their development journey, the Prime Minister noted that countries often prioritize quick, short-term gains over sustainable long-term growth, leading to regrettable outcomes that hold back progress. Despite past errors, differing ideological perspectives, and historical grievances, Persad-Bissessar reminded citizens that all Trinidadians and Tobagonians share a common national identity and collective responsibility to prioritize the nation’s interests above individual and partisan gains.
Looking ahead, the Prime Minister said that building a stronger, safer, and more prosperous country to pass on to future generations requires moving forward with unwavering conviction and a radical new commitment to accountability. The message frames accountability as a critical first step toward national renewal, calling for an honest reckoning with post-independence history to unlock progress for the Caribbean nation.