Christine Kangaloo inspecting the Guard of Honour after her swearing in. Photo: Trinidad Express

This was the theme of President Christine Carla Kangaloo’s inaugural address, in which she focused on the role of Office of the President, and what it can mean to the people of Trinidad and Tobago. She was adamant that the Office of the President should not be remote and that a modernisation of the protocols associated with that should be done to allow for the opening up of the doors of President’s House.

The nation’s seventh President, who showed no sign of nervousness as she assumed her new role, also promised to be there for those who “have not yet signed on to the idea of my Presidency”.

Quoting singer Melanie Hudson’s song, President Kangaloo stated: “I will always be there for you, no matter what you do, whatever joy or pain that you are going through.”

To those who expressed disquiet with her occupying the role of President and who “might not currently be fully on board with assisting me”, she urged collaboration and quoting late calypsonian Merchant’s song “Let us build a nation together”, to exhort those persons to “forget spites and grudges” and “come let us sit and try to relate”.

Speaking before an audience that included members of the Government, the Judiciary, the diplomatic corps, attorneys, former ministers and attorneys general, former presiding officers, and schoolchildren at the Grand Stand of the Queen’s Park Savannah, Kangaloo, dressed in a rose gold pants suit, took the presidential oath.

Noticeably absent were Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar, whom all speakers, including Kangaloo herself, mentioned in their salutations, and all the UNC members of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

As she sat on the podium, awaiting the moment, Kangaloo and her husband, first gentleman Kerwyn Garcia, held hands with their fingers entwined.

As she rose to take the oath, the first gentleman held the first citizen of the nation’s clutch purse.

In her address, Kangaloo said she hoped to “demystify” the role of the President for the citizenry who remained unclear about it, by providing more information about the role and by bringing the Presidency into greater contact with the people.

“One of the ways in which I would like to see the Office of the President become more and more accessible, is by having its facilities put to even greater use in hosting cultural, educational and artistic ventures- particularly among the youth…I would like to see the Bandstand put to regular use as a platform for new and emerging young artistes. I would like to see the main ballroom and the grounds at President’s House used to host displays, such as art exhibitions by primary and secondary school students. And I would like to see the public areas at the President’s House opened up to facilitate endeavours such as book club meetings, and programmes to introduce young people to music…I would like to see (the) President’s House and its grounds serve the public by becoming a cradle for intellectual, cultural and artistic exploration among our youth, and, in so doing, helping to improve observation, perception and communication skills among young people,” the President said.