Young urges reflection on freedom in African Emancipation Day message

“Eman­ci­pate your­selves from men­tal slav­ery, none but our­selves can free our minds.”

Op­po­si­tion MP Stu­art Young yes­ter­day quot­ed the late Bob Mar­ley in ex­tend­ing African Eman­ci­pa­tion Day greet­ings.

"Hap­py African Eman­ci­pa­tion Day 2026. As we cel­e­brate African Eman­ci­pa­tion Day, it is an op­por­tune mo­ment for us to re­flect on the mean­ing­ful, deep and ap­pro­pri­ate mes­sage of the great Robert Nes­ta 'Bob' Mar­ley. At this time in our his­to­ry, Trinidad and To­ba­go has found it­self in a very dark pe­ri­od where our de­mo­c­ra­t­ic rights have been con­tin­u­ous­ly, un­jus­ti­fi­ably sup­pressed and democ­ra­cy is lit­er­al­ly be­ing threat­ened."

Young added, "We are re­mind­ed of the un­for­giv­able atroc­i­ties of slav­ery com­mit­ted against our African an­ces­tors who were brought here against their will. We learn and draw strength from their re­silience, de­ter­mi­na­tion and courage which led to Eman­ci­pa­tion in 1834 (192 years ago).

"As we cel­e­brate African Eman­ci­pa­tion Day, let us nev­er take our fun­da­men­tal free­doms for grant­ed. I con­tin­ue to pray for the day that every creed and race finds an equal place in Trinidad and To­ba­go."