Divali Greetings

Fellow Citizens,

Today, on behalf of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, I extend joyous greetings to the Hindu community on the occasion of Divali, the beautiful “festival of lights”.

Divali encourages purity, not just in the cleaning of our homes, but in the purification of our hearts and our minds. Such purity extends to the way in which we interact with our natural and physical environment, the strategies we employ to conserve our most vital resources and the life changes we embrace towards achieving personal goals.

This Hindu festival is about much more than the lighting of deyas. It is the representation of that inner light which dwells in every one of us, when ignorance is pushed aside by understanding and enlightenment; kindness replaces selfishness and where love triumphs over hate, envy and ill-will.

The recent flooding which affected thousands of our citizens was truly a time of darkness. In this time of disaster however many lights pierced the gloom.

School children, multinational corporate giants, the business community, non-Governmental organisations, religious bodies and private citizens worked alongside the State to provide aid wherever it was needed and gave selflessly to ensure that those who were impacted by this catastrophic event were assisted.

In the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges we may be tempted to forget the power we possess to make a positive difference. When we set our hearts and minds to a common purpose we can together make a profound impact.

Let Divali once again remind us of our ability to be a light in our homes, communities and our country. May we all, as we shine our individual lights, create an illumination that reveals a path towards peace, prosperity and national success.

Shubh Divali