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THE Water and Sewerage Authority celebrated Emancipation Day, on August 8, with a cultural show at its head office in St Joseph.
A new Emancipation queen was also crowned.
Jamilya Wells, of the Strategic Programme Development and Implementation Division, and representing Burkina Faso, beat out five other contestants to claim the crown.
Derecia Ali, of the Human Resources Division, representing Senegal, placed second; while Rebecca Murphy, of Kew Place Office, representing Benin, took third place.
In a news release on August 8, WASA said Minister of Public Utilities Barry Padarath, was so impressed by the high standard of competition, he committed along with the WASA Executive Evolution Team, to doubling the prizes for the top three winners.
The show themed “Bi Nka Bi: Shaping Sustainable Futures Through Reparatory Justice” was also attended by the Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Public Utilities, Shivanna Sam, members of WASA’s Board of Commissioners and the Executive Evolution Team, led by Acting CEO, Jeevan Joseph, along with guest speaker, Dr David Muhammad, Founder and Director of the Black Agenda Project Organisation and the Kwame Ture Education Centre.
Padarath, in his remarks said that when you consider after centuries of emancipation of our African brothers and sisters, our forefathers who laboured and toiled to build TT, it cannot be that you are replacing one form of slavery centuries later, with another form of slavery. He suggested this is done by not appreciating workers such as those at WASA, who have been a bastion of support to many communities, particularly along the East-West corridor.
Sam said our African ancestors did more than just survive.
She said they taught the values of unity, dignity of hard work and the importance of passing on traditions that remind us of who we are.
Joseph told employees that as WASA marked 60 years of service on September 1, to reflect on how they can embody Emancipation in their daily work by breaking barriers through innovation; strengthening unity; and leading with compassion.
Muhammad, WASA said, delivered thought-provoking remarks on reparatory justice, perfectly complementing the event's theme.
He provided a historical lesson on the African slave trade, identifying several Afro-Trinidadians, such as Stokely Carmichael (Kwame Ture), who rose to global prominence in the civil rights and Pan Africanist movements.
He said, "Even after going through the African Holocaust and coming out on the other end, we were still able to rise up to not blame slavery and say that we're down because of slavery, but we are in a position to say that we can come up in spite of slavery."
The cultural showcase, the release said, featured powerful performances, including spoken word artistry by WASA's own Kyle "Skeeto" Amos, dynamic song and dance by the Top Premier Performing Academy, and an electrifying performance from the Evolution Band that kept the audience dancing.
The release said, “This vibrant celebration of African heritage attracted strong support from WASA's leadership and staff, demonstrating the organisation's commitment to cultural preservation, while promoting unity, education, and sustainable development. The event successfully highlighted the enduring significance of Emancipation through its blend of pageantry, performance, and meaningful dialogue.
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