Catholic Commission for Social Justice
The term ‘Windrush generation’ refers to the immigrants who went to the UK between 1948 and 1971 from Caribbean countries. When the MV Empire Windrush docked in Tilbury, Essex, on June 22, 1948, 802 passengers on board came from Caribbean countries. This included about 539 Jamaicans, and about 120 persons from T&T and Guyana.
By Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ & Director, CREDI
“We must not ignore those who claim the status of First Peoples in this country as owners of this land before we came, they ask and say to us, very humbly — as we acknowledge those who came as Hindus, Muslims (and) Christians, as we acknowledge them every year with a holiday — to put aside one day, not every year, but just one day as the day of recognition of our First Peoples….We have heard you and we too will acknowledge you because we are all one people in T&T.” (Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley, October 27, 2016)
On Wednesday, August 9, the world will observe the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, focusing on the tenth anniversary of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
On Wednesday, December28, my 91-year-old father, Balgobin Ramdeen, retired attorney-at-law, author, and former Member of Parliament for Caroni East, passed away in a London hospital. He had been ailing for a while. By the time you read this he would have been cremated. His ashes will be brought back to Trinidad.
We thank everyone for their kind tributes. Pa’s granddaughter, Caroline, said: “Goodbye beautiful grandpa, you instilled great values in all of us and gave us all a chance to live a good life.You will be greatly missed…May your values and wisdom live on in all of us.”
I was in London when I received the news of 83 year-old Prof John Spence’s passing on March 8. When I was appointed Episcopal Delegate for Social Justice after the first sitting of Synod in 2003, Prof Spence contacted me to share his views about some of the justice issues that needed to be addressed in Trinidad and Tobago.
As my friendship with Prof Spence and his dear wife, Yolande, grew, I realised how blessed T&T was to have had such a great man living in our midst. He exuded a warmth and graciousness that is rare in today’s world.