In Brief
- Historic Milestone: Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles highlighted that this year marks the 60th anniversary of Divali being declared a public holiday in 1966 under first Prime Minister Dr Eric Williams.
- Message of Solidarity: Acknowledging that many families are currently making quiet sacrifices and facing an uncertain future, Ms Beckles reassured citizens that ‘you are not alone.’
- Call to Action: She urged the nation to honour its diverse heritage and actively become a ‘light for someone else’ through neighbourly kindness and support.
Leader of the Opposition Pennelope Beckles has extended Divali greetings to the Hindu community, using her message to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the festival being declared a national holiday and to offer solidarity to citizens facing hardship.
Noting that Divali is a sacred season of devotion, prayer, fasting and reflection culminating in prayers to Mother Lakshmi and the lighting of deyas, Beckles said the flames carry an enduring message across the land: “light will triumph over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and good over evil.”
“That message calls on each of us to examine the values that guide our lives, the way we treat one another, and the responsibilities we share in building a better society,” she stated.
The Opposition Leader highlighted that this year’s celebration carries added historical significance, marking sixty years since Divali was first recognised as a public holiday in 1966 under the leadership of the nation’s first Prime Minister, Dr Eric Williams.
“That decision was far more than the acknowledgement of a religious observance,” Beckles said.
She said, “It affirmed the vital place of the Hindu community in the story of our nation, and it declared that the strength of our young country would be built on respect for the faiths, traditions and contributions of all its people.”
Adding that the principle has lost none of its power sixty years on, she praised generations of citizens for preserving their distinct identities whilst building a common home.
“Our ability to honour one another’s beliefs, to share in each other’s celebrations, and to find common ground across our differences is among the finest things we have achieved as a people,” she noted.
Beckles said, “As we mark this anniversary, let us recommit to a Trinidad and Tobago where every faith is respected, every culture is valued, and every citizen knows, without question, that they belong.”
Turning to the current challenges facing the country, the Opposition Leader said the message of Divali speaks directly to those struggling with unseen burdens, quiet sacrifices and an uncertain future.
“To them, I say: you are not alone,” Beckles said. “No darkness is so deep that it can extinguish the possibility of light. Let us hold fast to that belief, to the goodness of our people, and to the promise of a better future.”
She urged citizens to let the festival inspire practical compassion: “The light we celebrate at Divali must do more than point us toward a brighter tomorrow. It must move us to become that light for someone else, to be the helping hand, the encouraging word, the neighbour who shows up.”
Beckles called on citizens to renew their resolve to build a nation worthy of everyone’s hopes.
She said, “May the blessings of Mother Lakshmi bring peace, prosperity and joy to your families, and may the light of Divali restore and strengthen our faith in the future of our beloved Trinidad and Tobago. To the Hindu community, I extend my warmest wishes for a blessed and joyous Shubh Divali.”
