Thousands cheer at Carmona’s swearing-inBy DARCEL CHOY Tuesday, March 19 2013
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MASS OF HUMANITY: Thousands of Trinis filled the Hasely Crawford Stadium to witness yesterday's historic presidential swearing-in....
THOUSANDS of citizens swarmed the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port-of-Spain to witness the inauguration of President Anthony Carmona yesterday including students from several schools.
Persons started arriving at the stadium from early as 3 pm as guests were required to be seated inside by 4.15 pm. Most said they were excited to witness the swearing-in of a president.
One woman who gave her name as Ann Marie Lovell said she travelled from San Fernando by herself just to see Carmona.
“I think he is so handsome and he looks like a very honest man who would do a lot for his country so I had to see him and I just love that they allowed the citizens to be a part of it,” she said.
Another woman said she cut her vacation in Tobago short so she could witness the historical event.
“I have never seen a swearing in ceremony and it is the President of our country. I could not miss it for the world,” Joan Hosein told Newsday.
Hundreds of school children from all across the country also showed up to witness the ceremony. The students along with their teachers were brought to the stadium via buses and maxi taxis. They were all neatly dressed in their uniform some armed with cameras as they wanted a picture of the country’s fifth president.
Principal of Enterprise Government Primary School Judy Guiseppi said her students were very excited to witness the ceremony.
“They could not stop talking about it, they have never seen anything like it and they want to see the President,” she said. Students from the Chaguanas North Secondary said they were also excited to observe the inauguration.
“It is the first time we are witnessing something like it so there is a lot of excitement,” one student said.
As 4.15 pm approached, many persons were seen running towards the front entrance. Those with vehicles were asked to access the stadium from the Maraval Parkway but traffic began to build up and ministers and MPs were forced to walk in. The minsters seen walking in were Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Dookeran and Minister of the People and Social Development Dr Glenn Ramadharsingh. St Joseph MP Herbert Volney was also seen walking in with his wife Tricia.
