August 2017


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At the launch of their National Heroes Project, Invicta, CEO of the National Gas Company (NGC), Mark Loquan, said it was an opportunity to reflect on the contributions our national heroes have made. Locating their personal achievements on a broader landscape, he sought to show the nexus between these exemplars and national spirit.

“Trinidad and Tobago’s social fabric has been influenced by exemplars in the field of sport; education; arts and culture,” he said. “These nationals, who have increased the visibility and prestige of the country at both the national and international levels, sometimes remain largely unrecognised, and in other cases, where their accomplishments are noted, the details of their accomplishments and challenges remain relatively unknown.”

As he lamented the lack of visibility of positive role models to inspire the youth, Mr. Loquan said it was NGC’s hope that in celebrating heroes and highlighting their achievements, they would provide models for the youth to emulate.

“The project’s ultimate goal is to preserve and honour our national legacy, disseminate positive attributes and messages of our national heroes and thereby encourage pride in our accomplishments, national unity and cohesion,” he said.

The first subject of the Invicta series is Mr. Hasely Crawford, TC, the Olympic Gold medallist of Montreal 1976, who won the 100m in a time of 10.06.

Mr. Crawford told guests at the launch that he simply wanted to break free of poverty at first, but he also discovered a very competitive spirit in his running shoes. His personal economic circumstance of childhood made him determine to do what he could to contribute to developing young people. Through his relationship with NGC, he has worked all around the country with the Right on Track Programme, which has targeted both primary and secondary school students for more than a decade.

The exhibition, called “The Crawford Legacy,” is currently on at the Reading Room of the Alma Jordan Library at the St. Augustine Campus. It is free and open to the public on weekdays from 9am to 4pm, and on Saturdays from 9am to noon. It will then make its way around the country via the NGC caravan.