Port of Spain: Terming terrorism as the enemy of humanity, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the global community must stand united to deny it any shelter or space.
In his address to the Joint Assembly of Parliament of Trinidad & Tobago, Prime Minister Modi also announced that the Caribbean nation will be a priority nation for India.
“Terrorism is the enemy of humanity. This very Red House has itself witnessed the wounds of terror and the loss of innocent blood. We must stand united to deny terrorism any shelter or space,” he said.
The Prime Minister thanked the people and the government of the Caribbean nation for standing with India in its fight against terrorism.
Modi said there are new challenges and the old institutions are struggling to deliver peace and progress.
“At the same time, the Global South is rising. They wish to see a new and fairer world order,” PM Modi said, pushing for long-pending reforms of the United Nations.
Modi said he was humbled to be the first Indian Prime Minister to speak to the people in the iconic Red House, referring to the Parliament of Trinidad & Tobago.
“Friends, when I look at the golden words of the Speaker’s chair ‘From the people of India to the people of Trinidad and Tobago’, I feel a deep sense of emotion that the chair is not just a piece of furniture, but a powerful symbol of the friendship between our two nations,” he said.
The Speaker’s Chair in the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago was gifted by India in 1968. The ornate chair carries an inscription -- “From the People of India to the People of Trinidad and Tobago”.
Moreover, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred with ‘The Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago’, becoming the first foreign leader to receive the Caribbean country’s highest civilian honour.
This is the 25th international honour bestowed upon PM Modi by a country.
In a special ceremony at the President’s House, President Christine Carla Kangaloo conferred upon Prime Minister Modi the highest national award of Trinidad and Tobago for his statesmanship, for championing the priorities of the Global South and for his exceptional contribution to strengthening the relationship between the two countries.
Modi, who is on a two-day visit to the Caribbean nation, expressed his gratitude to the government and the people for being honoured with the highest national award.
“I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to you, your government, and the people for honouring me with the highest national award, the ‘Order of the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago’,” Modi said after receiving the award.
“This honour is a symbol of the eternal and deep friendship between our two countries. I accept this honour on behalf of 140 crore Indians as a shared pride,” he said as he dedicated the honour to the enduring bonds of friendship between the two countries.
Modi said the conferment of this honour on a foreign leader for the first time reflects the deep bilateral ties, which are based on our shared history and cultural heritage.
“I also see this honour as a responsibility towards our relations. As a close and trusted partner, we have continued to emphasise skill development and capacity building for the people of Trinidad and Tobago,” the prime minister said.