By ANDRE BAGOO Monday, April 13 2009

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THE FAMILY THAT PRAYS TOGETHER: Port-of-Spain Archbishop Edward Gilbert (right) blesses these two youngsters who accompanied their relative for Holy C...

TRINIDADIANS living in the United States are proud that the country of their birth is to play host this week to US President Barack Obama and 33 other leaders at the Fifth Summit of the Americas.

“I am extremely happy for Trinidad and Tobago,” said Bryan Grell, 38, the Trinidad-born president of the Washington-based Trinidad and Tobago Association (TTA) yesterday. Noting that Obama will attend the Summit alongside his Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Grell said, “to have two major people from within the US government in Trinidad and Tobago as well as other leaders, that is off the charts!”

“We are a small country but we have a lot of pride in our heritage. I hope all goes well,” he said. Referring to the fact that two cruise ships will sail into the country to accommodate the expected inflow of delegates and visitors for the Summit, Grell said, “To see us attempt to accommodate more than we can host, that is just amazing.”

The TTA president noted that while hosting the Summit will be expensive, the benefits to be derived are long-term and intangible. “There are pros and cons. Of course there is a lot of money involved in hosting such an event. But you cannot justify and compare the benefits in terms of money and figures,” he said.

Michael Dupigny, assistant fiscal co-ordinator to the president of Howard University, Washington, echoed Grell’s views. “I think this is a good thing for Trinidad and Tobago and for the entire Caribbean,” he said. He linked the hosting of the Summit to a message of hope. “I think it is a sign that we can do anything so long as we believe.”

Grell noted that for Trinidadians living in the US, things are hard these days because of the global economic slowdown. “I think times are hard,” he said. “But there is a lot of hope because of what Obama is doing.”