By Baron Henri Estramant.
On Thursday, 17 July 2014 Her Excellency Ambassador Margaret King-Rousseau, and her husband Ambassador Learie Rousseau (himself having held the same ambassadorial posts previously) held a reception at the Manhattan Hotel to honour a visiting carnival delegation in Rotterdam.
Ambassador Margaret King-Rousseau is accredited to The Netherlands but resident in Brussels. The embassy also covers Luxemburg, France, Belgium, the Holy See as well as the EU.
The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago gained independence from the UK in 1962 as a Commonwealth Realm, that is, retaining Queen Elizabeth II as Head of State. However in 1976 the country became a republic. The islands’ carnival is the largest and most colourful event; annually held on the Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday in Trinidad and Tobago. This year it was held on 3 and 4 March.
Trinidad and Tobago boasts a multicultural society (i.e., Amerindian, European, African, Indian, Chinese and Middle Eastern). All of its groups have contributed to the musical influences and sounds of carnival which thus distinguish themselves from the others carnivals held around the globe.
