Freelance Contributor
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has praised the inaugural Miss Afro Trinidad and Tobago Pageant as a fitting celebration of African heritage, remembrance and national identity, commending Minister of Culture and Community Development Michelle Benjamin for introducing what she believes can become a lasting fixture on the country’s African Emancipation calendar.
Addressing a standing-room-only audience of more than 700 patrons at the Southern Academy for the Performing Arts (SAPA), San Fernando, on Thursday night, Persad-Bissessar said the greatest tribute T&T could pay to its African ancestors was to remember their sacrifices and celebrate the enduring legacy they left behind.
“The best that we can do to honour our ancestors who came out of Africa is to remember,” the Prime Minister told the audience after arriving midway through the programme from an official function at the Office of the Prime Minister.
She noted also that African influence continues to shape every aspect of T&T’s cultural landscape.
“Many of you spoke tonight … whether it is in culture, whether it is in rhythm, whether it is in dance, whether it is just in joy of living. Let us give praise … to all our ancestors. They brought us to where we are now,” she declared, just before announcing the winners.
Persad-Bissessar also praised the standard of competition displayed by the 14 delegates, who each represented an African nation, saying that she and the fellow parliamentarians in attendance were particularly impressed by their presentations and knowledge of African history and culture.
“You were so good in your speaking and in the themes that you expressed … Give all these women a round of applause. And we are looking forward to next year’s competition!”
The inaugural pageant, staged under the theme “Threads of Africa, Fabric of a Nation,” formed part of the Ministry of Culture and Community Development’s Emancipation programme and celebrated the beauty, resilience, leadership and limitless potential of Afro-Trinidadian women, while honouring the enduring legacy of African ancestors.
The programme also honoured four cultural stalwarts for their outstanding contributions to African heritage and national development with the ministry’s African Excellence Awards. They were UTT Professor Selwyn Cudjoe, Ella Andall, Dr Efebo Wilkinson and Sister Zakiya Uzoma-Wadada.
The delegates represented the African nations of Botswana, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, Seychelles, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe and researched the history and cultural traditions of their respective countries throughout the competition for their presentations
Vistabella resident Delece Rabathaly, 19, representing Zimbabwe, was crowned the inaugural Miss Afro T&T. Britney Smith, representing Senegal, was named first runner-up and Ms Emancipation T&T, while Rebecca Baptiste, representing Seychelles, claimed second runner-up and the Ms African Essence title.
The winners also received prizes of $20,000, $10,000 and $8,000, respectively.
Organisers expressed hope that the pageant would become an annual national celebration of African heritage.
