Trinidad and Tobago at 63: towards true Independence

By Dr Marlene Attzs, Economist

Email: marlene.attzs@gmail.com

On August 31, 1962, when the Union Jack was lowered and the red, white, and black was raised for the first time, Trinidad and Tobago entered a new chapter in its history. The ceremony was rich in symbolism: a new flag, a new anthem, and a new currency would follow.

The symbols mattered, but true independence requires that we chart our own destiny and shed inherited burdens. At 63 years of independence, we must ask ourselves—how far we’ve come, where we’re going, and, as the late Lord Funny immortalised it, ‘how we feel.’

Independence and the legacy of colonialism

The late Lloyd Best and Kari Levitt advanced the “plantation economy” hypothesis, which argued that Caribbean economies, including Trinidad and Tobago, were structured not for our own development but for the benefit of colonial powers.

The plantation was not just a physical space of cane and cocoa—it was an economic system, a social order, and a mental framework. It created dependency, entrenched inequality, and embedded patterns of consumption and production that persist today.

Independence, then, was not meant to be a mere change of flag. It was to be a breaking of chains, a reimagining of ourselves beyond the plantation system. Yet, 63 years on, we must ask: have we shaken off those legacies, or have we simply repainted them in national colours?

Scripture reminds us of the Israelites’ struggle after leaving Egypt: though free in body, many longed for the security of bondage. In Exodus 16:3, they cried, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted.” Physical liberation is one thing; true freedom of mind and spirit is another.

From Emancipation to Independence: the call to free ourselves

Independence is intimately connected to emancipation. In 1834, when slavery was abolished in the British Caribbean, it did not automatically translate into equality, dignity, or economic opportunity. Formerly enslaved people entered a society still shaped by racial hierarchy and land dispossession.

Marcus Garvey, the great Pan-Africanist, understood this. He urged not only political liberation but mental liberation. His words — “Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery; none but ourselves can free our minds” were immortalised by Bob Marley in the ‘anthem’ ‘Redemption Song’.

At 63 years of independence, this message rings true for us as a nation. Mental slavery is not only about race. It is about dependency, apathy, fatalism, and the acceptance of mediocrity. It is about believing that ‘things could never change’ or that ‘is so we is’.

Positive and empowering thoughts for Trinidad and Tobago

So, what mindset or empowering thoughts should guide our journey forward at 63? I offer a few suggestions.

First, we should embrace that we are more than oil and gas. For decades, our economy has been dependent on hydrocarbons. This has given us enormous wealth but also vulnerability. The plantation was once sugar and cocoa; today, it is energy. True independence means diversification, innovation, and building industries that reflect our creativity and resilience.

Second, too often our national conversations are colour-coded, red versus yellow. As a 63-year-old nation, let us accept that politics is not destiny. True independence requires us to look beyond political colour. It calls us to focus on good governance, accountability, and policies that uplift all citizens. As Proverbs 29:18 teaches: “Where there is no vision, the people perish.”

My third suggestion reflects on the fact that our society is fragmented by crime, mistrust, and inequality, yet we sing lustily about being “forged from the love of liberty”.

Independence was meant to forge a common identity. We must recover the sense that ‘we are in this together’. Each one of us matters—regardless of creed or race—no part of our nation can be left behind.

My final suggestion is we must recognise that youth are not the future, they are the present. Independence is not only about celebrating what the older generations have achieved. It is also about creating space for younger voices to lead, innovate, and shape the society they will inherit.

The road ahead: our shared future

Independence means we must confront our realities honestly. It means we cannot only celebrate past achievements but must also take responsibility for present shortcomings.

Too often, our national story is told in terms of Government versus Opposition, but our future cannot be reduced to the electoral cycle. True independence means cultivating a shared vision that transcends party lines.

Moving forward we must revitalise our economy, rebuild trust in our institutions, strengthen families and communities and embrace our multicultural identity.

At 63 years of independence, we have much to celebrate but we still have much work to do. Independence should be a continuous journey of emancipation, responsibility, and renewal.

Let us commit ourselves to positive and empowering thoughts. Let us reject mental slavery in all its forms. Let us choose life, vision, and community. And let us build a Trinidad and Tobago where independence means not only a flag and anthem, but a society rooted in justice, compassion, and hope for generations to come.

That’s my point of view!