Source: Paras Ramoutar
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, CARIBBEAN, October 25, 2002: The religious festival of Deepavali holds special significance for the people of Trinidad and Tobago. This year to commemorate the 16th annual Deepavali Nagar, Dr. Uma Mesthrie, a great granddaughter of the late Mahatma Gandhi, was asked to speak. Knowledgeable about the experience of East Indian immigrants who were brought to the Caribbean as laborers, Dr. Mesthrie chose to speak about Mahatma Gandhi as an Apostle of Peace. Dr. Mesthrie wished all Hindus who are doing their dharma a prosperous Deepavali and she prayed that those who are not fulfilling their duty to love and serve, will be inspired to do so in the future. As part of the nine-day festival, Prime Minister Patrick Manning also spoke on October 28th. Manning said, “In Trinidad and Tobago we must of necessity hold the view that our national celebrations, in particular the religious ones, should serve as a vehicle for bringing our society together. They must somehow bond our collective spirit. Like the Mahatma, the Apostle of Peace, we must continue to believe that keeping the peace and exercising goodwill are not a sign of weakness but are manifestations of the highest level of strength.”