Queen Elizabeth II

Green. It was the colour of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). After all, there is much talk about “greening” the environment by reducing carbon emissions. It’s also the colour Queen Elizabeth II settled upon when she set foot on T&T soil for the third time, on Thursday afternoon. In her mint-green dress and matching throw, the beloved royal won the hearts of onlookers, including scores of school children from eastern T&T. President George Maxwell Richards and his spouse Dr Jean Ramjohn Richards greeted her first.

She moved along, shaking hands with Prime Minister Patrick Manning and other dignitaries. A zephyr caressed her skirt and fluttered the bunting of flags representing the respective countries, which stretched alongside the bold banner. “She is so sweet. I like her little black hand bag,” said one woman. There to see the Queen were Cabinet ministers, including chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Committee for CHOGM Mariano Browne, Christine Kangaloo, Minister of Science, Technology and Tertiary Education, Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, Minister of Public Utilities, Culture Minister Marlene Mc Donald and Education Minister Esther Le Gendre’s bob. Photographers recorded the visit of the prestigious guest for posterity.

Schoolchildren wait
School principal Tota Maharaj kept watch over about 500 school children of the St Helena Presbyterian, Hindu and Government schools. Although the children were excited to meet the Queen, some didn’t know who she represented or where she lived. But they knew the mature monarch was regarded as a symbol of regality. Itching to catch a glimpse, Kristen Blesdell said: “Why is she taking so long? Is she putting on make up?” Her friend retorted: “She is the Queen. She doesn’t need make up. She is natural.”