Caption: Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi arrives in Trinidad and Tobago
By Alicia Chamely
PRIME Minister of India Narendra Modi arrives to a red carpet welcome to Trinidad and Tobago.
Modi landed at the Piarco International Airport’s South Terminal shortly after 3.30pm on Thursday afternoon, when he was greeted by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and Indian High Commissioner Dr Pradeep Rajpurohit.
Dressed in a cerulean blue and gold sari, Persad-Bissessar presented the Indian PM with a bouquet of flowers before he was led to be formally welcomed by the Regiment of T&T.
Modi was given the official salute and the honour of inspecting the Regiment procession and then led down a red carpet where members of the cabinet were lined up to greet him.
Persad-Bissessar accompanied Modi to a small cultural show organised for his arrival.
Featuring Indian dancers and Moko jumbies, the Indian Prime Minister clapped along with the sounds of the beating Tassa.
Specially invited guests, who braved the afternoon heat were given a chance to shake Modi’s hands.
After the arrival ceremonies, the Indian Prime Minister was escorted to the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Port of Spain.
Modi was scheduled to attend a Community Diaspora Event later that evening at the National Cycling Velodrome, Balmain Couva.
On Friday, Prime Minister Modi was expected to meet with President Christine Kangaloo, at the Office of the President, Port of Spain.
Modi was to be awarded the Order of the Republic of T&T by Kangaloo. This would be his 25th national award, awarded to him outside of India.
He was then scheduled to address a joint assembly of Parliament, followed by the exchange of a memoranda of understanding and a tree planting ceremony, at the Red House, Port-of-Spain.
Prime Minister Modi was on the second leg of his five-nation tour. He was scheduled to visit T&T between July 7 and 8.
Due to Modi’s arrival there were traffic disruptions in and out of the capital city and along the Churchill Roosevelt Highway.
Schools and government offices were closed at 11:30 am to help clear the roads.
