THE AFRICAN COMMUNITY IN TRINIDAD & TOBAGO, unlike most of the Caribbean (with Guyana and Suriname as primary exceptions), is not the
majority ethnic group and shares a similar population percentage as
descendants of India. While the Indian community has forged ahead in
education and business, the African community has noticeably regressed in
these areas. Culturally, the African community in Trinidad and Tobago has
pioneered innovations in language, the arts, music, sports, etc. that have
become standards from which all are judged. But because of the minimal social mobility in the education and business arena, although governing the society by a majority party whose foundational membership is African (although representing all sections of national ethnicities,) the proliferation of racial characterisations, slurs and outright discrimination, is noticeably seen in the cultural attack upon the African child and youth who extol the cultural heritage of Africa specifically in the hairstyles expressive of that African culture. Because of the ferocity and consistency “We want our students to express themselves with respect and to treat others with respect. So the Ministry of Education has undergone an evaluative process to look at the hair policies in the school system.  This change of policy will allow students to wear their locks, braids and other protective hairstyles associated with their racial and cultural identity. One of the most important changes to note is that there will be generally accepted for both boys and girls. There will be no longer any necessity to apply to the Ministry of
Education for permission to wear locks in school.” Dee-Ann Kentish-Rogers,
Minister of Education, Anguilla This progressive and necessary official
governmental policy has not been instituted in Trinidad & Tobago, and we of Traditional African Women’s Organization, in collaboration with Dr Amon Saba Saakana of the publishers, Karnak House, have designed this petition for signatures to present to the Ministry of Education to set up an independent investigative body to study and report on this egregious phenomenon of which no other ethnic group in this country is subjected to.