"NOTHING but the best."

That is the motto of Santa Flora Government Primary School, the alma mater of Trinidad and Tobago's fifth President, Senior Counsel Anthony Carmona.

According to Patricia Bissessar, principal of Santa Flora Government Primary School, Carmona is the embodiment of the school's motto.

The inauguration of the fifth President took place in a public ceremony at Hasely Crawford Stadium yesterday.

As Carmona strode along the red carpet to take the oath of office, he was greeted with a large banner bearing the school's motto.

"What we are saying is Carmona exemplifies the motto which is 'nothing but the best'," Bissessar told the Express.

Carmona was greeted with loud applause from those who were in attendance.

No one made more noise than the contingent from Santa Flora Government Primary who took up a strategic position near the red carpet and in the line of sight of the dignitaries who strode along it.

Sixty of the 200 pupils at the school made the trek from Santa Flora to Port of Spain, along with 40 parents and seven members of staff, to witness the inauguration of Carmona.

"They (the pupils) are excited, once they heard they were coming they could not contain themselves. It is a period of overwhelming joy for them," Bissessar said.

"He is considered to be the pride and joy of Santa Flora. Some of them want to follow in his footsteps or even to become the next prime minister. He is a motivation."

After he was sworn in Carmona was treated to a cultural presentation which could also be described as "nothing but the best".

It began with Mavis John's rendition of Marjorie Padmore's national song "God Bless our Nation".

Pupils of Cunupia Government Primary School were seen following the words from their school text.

John was supported by Malick Folk Performers who held up photographs of the country's six heads of government and five heads of state.

Following John, pannist Ken "Professor" Philmore performed.

Sharda Patasar performed on the sitar with a Shiv Shakti dancer accompanying her.

The Caribbean Theatre Productions performed a piece from Les Miserables.

The loudest ovation for the cultural presentation came when it was announced that Tiger Tanks Fyzabad 4th Dimension would be performing. Carmona was born in Fyzabad.

The Tiger Tanks Fyzabad 4th Dimension began their performance with John Lennon's hit song "Imagine" and ended with Austin "Super Blue" Lyon's 1992 Road March winner "Wine on Something".

David Bereaux performed a calypso and was followed by Caryll Warner from Tobago on violin and after the Chinese Steel Ensemble, Carmona was treated to parang by Los Alumnos.

Tobago was also represented on the national instrument by Katzenjammers Steel Orchestra, while Nalini Akal and the N9 Dancers performed belly dancing for the new president.

Following the belly dancing, Eddie Cumberbatch performed.

The cultural presentation, which lasted just over an hour, ended with a performance by the Lydian Singers, accompanied by the Malick Tassa Drummers.

The inauguration featured all the elements usually found in an event at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.

Nutsman Don Edwards, known as "Science" was among the thousands who attended the event. Edwards, however, came primarily to work.

He said while the inauguration was an historic event, financially it could not match the 2006 World Cup qualifier between T&T's Soca Warriors and Bahrain.

On that day, Edwards made $20,000 in two hours.