Black Immigrant Daily News

France-Antilles Martinique

242 mots – 09.09.2022

NewsAmericasNow.com

Black Immigrant Daily News

News

FILE PHOTO: Queen Elizabeth II arrives at the Piarco International Airport for a Commonwealth heads of government meeting (CHOGM) on November 26, 2009. –

QUEEN Elizabeth II died in Balmoral, Scotland surrounded by family on Thursday, she was 96. Reactions in Port of Spain were mixed. Some expressed gratitude, others repudiation for colonialism, but all agreed she was a good woman, “a decent and nice lady.”

The queen’s 73-year-old son Prince Charles automatically became king and will be known as King Charles III, his office said. Charles’ second wife, Camilla, will be known as the queen consort.

Kathleen Francis was advertising ice-cream on Frederick Street. She was shocked, “Who is going to take over now? The colonial spirit and ambience come like it gone. I feel, its like wow.”

She remembered being a little girl, “going to the complex, to see the motorcade with the Queen. Everybody had flags.”

Francis didn’t think the new queen consort was “suited” but added, “Anyway, I for Prince Charles.”

Kelvin Fraser, 85, was sitting in Woodford Square when he got the news.

“She was a very decent person, she had discipline. She leave a legacy with her family.”

He remembered, in 1952, he “break biche” at Richmond Street Boys’ to watch the coronation in front of Parliament. He and his friend, Desmond Davis, joined everybody in the street singing God Bless the Queen.

Anthony Bruno, 60, was also in the square.

He said, “I don’t follow the queen and them, because them was colonialists. Them did believe in taking people things, because England don’t have minerals, art, diamonds and gold.

“She was just a woman like anybody else. I don’t see why anybody have to worship she. Why they don’t worship the Virgin Mary? Because she name Queen and control the world by force, we have to worship she. The onliest queen I know I had was my mother (sic).”

Queen’s Royal College student Ishayu Ali, 15, said students began hearing the news at lunch time and had to tell teachers. Ali predicted an uncertain future for the United Kingdom, “Basically, Scotland is going to secede, Northern Ireland is going back to normal Ireland and, aside from that, the United Kingdom is basically over.”

A man who chose to react anonymously said he worked as a butler at President’s House when the nation became a Republic.

“I was the man who placed the queen’s belongings in boxes to send back to England. She was good to Trinidad. If she was controlling Trinidad still, we would be in a better state. Trinidad has become a police state.”

Amir Mohammed, 67, remembered lining the Eastern Main Road as a seven year-old student of Arouca Boys RC to glimpse the royal motorcade. Though the 1955 motorcade was for Princess Margaret, the queen’s sister.

He said, “I am so sorry to hear she died but, what I am saying, some people tend to not go home. She was asked to go home and give the son a chance. She wanted to die in the work and she fulfilled her desire. She could have given the son a break.”

Despite the fact that Queen was 96, so many people expressed great shock at her “sudden” passing.

One young student, who had not heard as yet refused to believe the news.

Another student, 14-year-old Mikhail Melville from St Mary’s College said, “It’s kind of surprising, because I did not expect it really, not this year. There are so many memes how she is immortal and keeps going, year after year. Suddenly, dying on a day like this is just so surprising.”

Jeniel County, 33, a sales clerk said, “In my lifetime I never thought that I would see the death of the queen. She was just one of those persons who you thought would never die because she’s always been around.”

NewsAmericasNow.com

Black Immigrant Daily News

News

British High Commissioner Harriet Cross speaks on the death of Queen Elizabeth II outside the commission’s office on St Clair Avenue St Clair on Thursday. The British flag is being flown at half-mast behind her. – SUREASH CHOLAI

HARRIET Cross, British High Commissioner to TT, says Queen Elizabeth II was particularly fond of TT and the region, having made three memorable visits to this country between 1966 and 2009.

Cross was speaking to reporters at the British High Commission in St Clair on Thursday afternoon, shortly after the queen’s death was announced. Questions were not taken, apparently because of protocol restrictions.

Cross said, “She was a queen that loved the Caribbean, she loved Trinidad and Tobago.”

Elizabeth II was the UK’s longest serving monarch, celebrating her Platinum Jubilee in February to mark 70 years on the throne.

TT’s Defence Force Steel Orchestra visited Windsor for the celebrations, putting on a rendition of Abba’s Dancing Queen, essentially her final “interaction” with TT.

Cross referred to the performance, saying, “She smiled, she laughed and she clapped, and I’m just really pleased that she got that moment, a sort of Caribbean joy, as part of those celebrations.”

Cross said she had not met the queen before the queen’s last visit to TT, in 2009, for the Commonwealth Heads of Government of the Commonwealth of Nations.

The queen’s other visits to TT were in 1966, during a four-day royal tour and in 1985 for the TT stop on the Caribbean Commonwealth Tours.

In 1966, Elizabeth II opened the new session of Parliament and gave a speech, outlining the government’s plan for that year. According to the West India Committee Chronicle, “(Elizabeth) prayed that God would give the strength and steadfastness to the Government and the nation to keep the path they had been freely instructed to do.”

She visited again for the TT leg of the Caribbean Commonwealth Tours when she was hosted by then President and TT’s last governor-general Sir Ellis Clarke.

“I actually had the pleasure of meeting her for the first time in Trinidad and Tobago which was such a coincidence really.

“I never thought I’d actually be back here and having to make such a sad announcement today.”

The high commission and the UK will observe a period of mourning until a state funeral takes place, on a date of which is expected to be announced within the next ten days.

The high commission shares its building space with the Embassy of Germany and both flew their country’s flags at half-mast.

“You’ll notice that the flags will go back up again because the king will accede to the throne probably within the next 24-36 hours,” Cross said.

She thanked all who offered condolences and support, and said all messages will be passed on to the (Buckingham) palace and to the king.

A book of condolences will be opened for the public to sign at the high commission, on Friday, together with an online condolence book.

Earlier on Thursday, Cross tweeted on the queen’s passing, writing, “I am heartbroken by the death today of Her Majesty The Queen, the only Monarch most Britons have ever known, so long was her service.”

The Ministry of National Security also announced on Thursday that all state and non-state agencies, together with all TT diplomatic missions, will hoist TT’s national flag at half-mast immediately, as well as on Friday, and again on the day of the queen’s funeral.

NewsAmericasNow.com