THE EDITOR, SIR:IT IS not so nice when someone of the stature of the Nobel Prize winner, V. S. Naipaul, refuses to accept and acknowledge the fact that he was born in Trinidad and Tobago.
Let this be a lesson for all of us. It is easy to condemn Naipaul for his stand. But how many of us blame the past for our perils today?
How many of us can say that we are truly grateful for our past because it has crafted us and made us what we are today?
But I can tell you, the day that I became grateful for the fact that I was born in Trinidad and Tobago; grateful to Britain for enslaving and indenturing my ancestors; for bringing them to the New World, - to Trinidad and Tobago - just to produce this tiny little soul - this Auliana Poon; that was the day - a day not too long ago - the day that I was truly free; that I was finally emancipated!
I had the great privilege of travelling through South Africa when the New South Africa was born.
While there, I feasted on Gandhi's memoirs and Mandela's Long Road to Freedom - two incredible human beings in their times.
But, through it all in South Africa, I could not help but feel grateful that I was not born there. Can you imagine what my situation would have been today if this tiny little soul was born in apartheid South Africa?
I also had the great privilege of travelling through India. And there, I feasted on Naipaul's work: India - A Wounded Civilisation.
I could not help but empathise with the author - to see through his eyes and to marvel at what he had seen - it was all so profound.
From the washer women in Bombay to the 'gentlemen' who comfortably left their excretion on the beaches of Goa while in conversation - it was all so vivid.
Mr. Naipaul has to realise that the eyes that he has, his ability to see, interpret, feel and breathe life into what he has seen and experienced is largely because he is a born Trini.
Until Mr. Naipaul accepts, appreciates and is truly grateful for the fact that he was born in Trinidad and Tobago, he will never be free. He will continue to be enslaved.
The moral of the story - stop blaming history and the past for current inertia. Get up and do something!
Take advantage of opportunities today! Otherwise tomorrow will forever be postponed.
Be who you are and love who you are and realise that beautiful person that is buried behind guilt, hatred and envy.
For if we do not do this we will be just like the Mr. Naipaul that we are judging!
I am, etc,
AULIANA POON
Managing Director
Tourism Intelligence International with offices in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Bielefeld, Germany.
