TRINIDAD & TOBAGO

** Map of Trinidad & Tobago

**Celebrating

Trinidad & Tobago:
Independence Day

** The National Anthem

Patrick S. Castagne composed the words and music of the anthem in 1962. The words reflect the nature and strength of the people of T & T, and our courage as one nation working towards living in unity despite our diversity.

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Forged from the love of liberty
In the fires of hope and prayer
With boundless faith in our destiny
We solemnly declare
Side by side we stand
Islands of the blue Caribbean Sea
This our Native Land
We pledge our lives to Thee.
Here evey creed and race find an equal place
And may God bless our Nation
Here every creed and race find an equal place
And may God bless our Nation.

* The Honourable Prime Minister

The P.M. of T & T:

Mr. Patrick Manning

* The President

President George Maxwell Richards

The President is the Head of State and the country's Commander in chief of the armed forces. The office was established when the country became a Republic in 1976, replacing the Bristish Monarch. The last Governor-General, Sir Ellis Clarke, was sworn in as the first President on August 1st 1976, under a transitional arrangement. He was formally chosen as president by an electoral college consisting of members of both houses of Parliament on September 24th 1976, which is now celebrated as Republic Day.

Under the 1976 Constitution, the office of the President is a ceremonial post, with executive power remaining with the Cabinet, headed by a Prime Minister. The President appoints as Prime Minister the leader of the largest party in the House of Representatives, and also appoints Members of the Senate on the recommendation of the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition. The President must be at least 35 years old [although no President has been younger than 59], a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago, and at the time of nomination, must have been resident in the country for an unbroken period of 10 years

** Scarlet Ibis

The Scarlet Ibis which is represented on the Coat of Arms. Its nesting ground is at the Caroni Swamp, and it has become illegal to hunt these birds. [Apparently the meat is a delicacy!].

** National Flower

The Chaconia

Also called the "Wild Poinsettia" or "Pride of T & T" is a flaming red forest flower of the family Rubianceae. This title is in honour of the last Spanish Governor of Trinidad & Tobago - Don Jose Maria Chacon.
This flower is in bloom for every Independence anniversary we celebrate, and represents the continuity of our Nation.
The flaming red colour matches that of the National Flag and Coat of Arms.

** T & T Coat of Arms

THE COAT OF ARMS

The birds represent our national birds [Scarlet Ibis (Trinidad), Cocrico (Tobago), and the Hummingbird.

The 3 ships represent the ships of Columbus - The Santa Maria, the Nina and the Pinta.

The 3 peaks were principal motifs of Trinidad's early British Colonial Seals and Flag Badges. They commemorated both Columbus' decision to name Trinidad after the Blessed Trinity [ the Trinity Hills ], and the 3 peaks of the Southern Mountain Range called the "Three Sisters".

The fruited coconut palm at the top, dates back to the great seals of British Colonial Tobago in the days when the island was a separate administrative unit.

Our Motto "Together we aspire, Together we achieve" promotes harmony in diversity for national achievement.

** Trinidad & Tobago... national flag

National Flag and its symbolism:

The national Flag was designed by an Independence Committee, and was chosen to be used as the national flag in 1962 - the year of our Independence.

RED - The vitality of the land and its people, the warmth and energy of the sun and the courage and friendliness of the people.

WHITE - The sea by which we are bound, the purity of our aspirations, and the quality of all men under the sun.

BLACK - The dedication of our people joined together by a strong bond. It signifies strength, unity and wealth of the land.

*It is said that the colours chosen represent the elements Earth, Water and Fire which encompass our past, present and future, and inspire us as one united, free, vital and dedicated people.

** Pictures of Trinidad

For some lovely photos of Trinidad, check the link below =)

http://users.rcn.com/alana.interport/trinipics.html

** Hilarious

Hahahahah!!!!! This is too funny!!!!

** Tell Me

[Medicine Lake, Canada]

There are so many things I wanna say
There are so many thoughts inside of me
Oh but my words can't seem to find a way
I can see you're changing more and more
Acting like you did and do before
I see you're slippin' away but I don't wanna lose you
I would do anything for us to remain
Cause I know we can make it last to be true
I don't wanna lose you.

[ch]Tell me that you love me from the heart
And nothing in the world can tear us apart
Tell me that we'll be together
For the rest of our lives,
Baby now and forever
Tell me that you still believe in everlasting love
And we will always be together (now and forever)

Baby take a look inside yourself
And right over you're seeing someone else
Baby please be true
You've gotta let me know
Tell me what you do to make you show
Cause I don't wanna feel this insecure
You've gotta give me a sign cause I don't wanna lose you
I would do anything for us to remain
Cause I know that we can make it last to be true
I don't wanna lose you

[ch]

Remember all the promises we made
Remember all the words we used to say
That an open heart will always find a way
What would it take for me to make you realise...


~ sandy & junior

** Hurricane Katrina

On Sunday August 28th, the Mayor of New Orleans ordered its half-a-million citizens to flee the city: "We are facing a storm that most of us have long feared," he said. "This is a once in a lifetime event." The Director of the National Hurricane Centre in Miami wasn't any more upbeat: "New Orleans," he said, "may never be the same."
Hurricane Katrina may be one of the most powerful storms ever to strike the US. At one point, its winds rushed at 175 miles/hr (282 km/hr). As Katrina comes ashore, we're hoping it loses its fury and that people in low-lying New Orleans, and along the rest of the Gulf coast, stay safe....

Taken from Knowledge News

** Learning Chinese

Everything has beauty.

*funny as heck

hahaha!!!
sheesh, you mean they actually spent money to make this sign???

* funny

This is hilarious!!!!! :D

* Love You

I don't love you anymore.
I will be lying if I say that
I still want you as I always wanted.
I feel inside me that
You don't mean anything.
I could not never say that
I am keeping a great love.
I feel more and more that
I already forgot you!
I will never use the sentence:
I LOVE YOU
I feel, and I have to say the truth
I am sorry.

Now read from the bottom to the top!

My world

I just thought this was kinda cute =)

** Brazil

Cristo Redentor overlooking the city of Rio and Sugar Loaf Mountain.

** photo

Margarita trip: lounging by the poolside :)

** Talk to me

[Mount Edith Cavell, Jasper]

Every night I hear you cry
Don't you wanna tell me why?
I'm afraid the way cannot be without you
Maybe I misunderstand
But when I reach and touch your hand
I can't feel you anymore
You seem a mllion miles away from me tonight
But baby I'm right beside you.

Talk to me
That's what my love is here for
Can't stand to see
Those tears in your eyes
I'll do anything it takes to make it right
Baby
Talk to me
Even if it's just to say goodbye.

Whatever is so hard to say
Whatever makes you turn away
Can't be any words that I imagine
You gotta tell me what you need from me
To hold you close or set you free
Cause I just wanna see your smile again
But I can't help you if you keep me in the dark
Open up your breaking heart
...

I don't know how to ease the pain you're going through
Baby tell me what to do.

~ SMASH

** Funny :)

** LOTR - Can you identify these places?

** Lyrics : *

[Maligne Lake, Jasper]

If a picture paints a thousand words
Then why can't I paint you?
The words will never show
The you I've come to know.
If a face could launch a thousand ships
Then where am I to go?
There's no one home but you
You're all that's led me to

And when my love for life is running dry
You come and pour yourself for me.

If a man could be two places at one time
I'd be with you
Tomorrow and Today
Beside you all the way
If the world should stop revolving
Spinning slowly down tonight
I'd spend the end with you
And when the world was due

Then one by one the stars would all go out
Then you and I would simply fly away.

~ Babyface

** LOTR - Mystery location

This one should be fairly easy. Think you know the answer as to where this is?

** Sign

Is this for real???

LOL!! :)

** Interesting photo

This is just a remarkable photo!!!!

** Love

"The moment you have in your heart this extraordinary thing called Love and feel the depth, the delight, the ecstasy of it, you will discover that for you the world is transformed."

~ J. Krishnamurti

** Anagram: Go with the flow

** This is too funny :P

:)

** Love :

"The supreme happiness in Life is the conviction that we are loved - loved for ourselves, or rather, loved in spite of ourselves."

~ Victor Hugo

** Love :

"We are all born for Love. It is the principle of existence and its only end."

~ Benjamin Disraeli

** Time

[Big Horn Sheep at Lake Jasper National Park]

"You may delay, but Time will not."

~ Benjamin Franklin

** Trust

[Lake Jasper]

"The best proof of love is trust."

* LOTR - Guess the location

** Quote :

Athabasca Falls [canada] in Spring

"Love builds bridges where there are none."

~ R.H.Delaney

** Friends *

"When I find myself fading, I close my eyes and realise my friends are my energy."

** Impossibility

"In Dreams and in Love there are no impossibilities."

~ Janos Arany

** Thinking of You

"If I had a rose for each time I thought of you, I'd be picking roses for a lifetime."

** Cute :)

LOL :)