I am grateful for all of you attending this ceremony today, and recognize my fellow politicians past, and present who took the time to be here to share with the Ministry on this occasion. Regardless of your political persuasion, your motivation to serve this country we love is commendable and the Turks and Caicos Islands love and thank you all. To all who have spoken today I want to say thank you for your kind words and the examples you have set.
I want to say a great thanks to the members of my Ministry and Department of Education who are here to partake in this celebration today. Each and every one of you’ve worked tirelessly on this project and it is only fitting to offer public thanks for your involvement and commitment. So with that said, PS Jones, Deputy Secretary Robinson, Director Howell, EO Thomas, HOS Lightbourne, Executive Assistant Williams, new DS Cox and the team at EMS, PWD and GSS Thank You for making this vision, promise, and pledge a reality!
And as time does not permit me to name everyone, I will conclude my thanks to the Members of Cabinet, Premier, Governor, Ministers, DG and even the CFO by saying that someday when the history is written, History will show that I served with great people — a talented, dedicated, intelligent team — team of men and women who love our nation as much as I do.
Today marks a major milestone in a journey started almost 40 years ago. In 1976 the Turks and Caicos Islands embarked on an official journey of nationhood, today that journey takes another step with the development of this school that represents the modernization of Secondary Education in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Today I present a bridge to the future!!!
The construction of this school represents the first new major infrastructural investment by Turks & Caicos Islands Government on the island of Providenciales in a number of years. And while roads have been built and the airport renovate & extended, the idea of a new purpose built Government building on this island has become almost a rare thought – but today I say NO MORE.
Through dedication and motivation we have built a bridge over the obstacles an as we turn the sod on a new Government investment, for which I say proudly JUST LOOK AT US NOW.
Another day, another bridge, another reason to continue — A bridge from a dream illustrated years ago in a newspaper advert that had been placed by my predecessor of this Constituency Galmo “Gilley” Williams. The advert envisioned a new school in a new area, with a new vision to uphold an old ideal, the ideal of more and better education for all, the ideal of keeping hope alive and keeping the dreams of the next generation always within their reach. Today, Gilley, Our dream is now a reality.
American journalist Sydney J. Harris once wrote, “The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows.” In nation, after nation and generation after generation, education has opened more doors for more people then any key, or influence, or power or might, ever could. You see, in an era of building bridges, EDUCATION represents the strongest, longest and more reliable bridge to take the youth of the Turks and Caicos Islands to the future.
Education is our bridge, a bridge over discrimination, a bridge over unsatisfactory jobs, a bridge over insufficient pay, a bridge over bridges that were built to act against us, a bridge over national debt and even a bridge over the sinking fund! As I say to my colleagues time and time again, if the sinking fund is going to be deprived for EDUCATION, then we must either borrow to learn or learn to borrow.
When I came office, I was awarded a group of people who were beyond all else passionate. Passionate about the TCI yes, and also passionate about the future, but I noticed an overarching passion in each of them, the passion to elevate the TCI education system above and beyond the best that the region and even the world has to offer. That kind of passion demanded my support, because while the passion was very much alive, the spirits were slowly dying.
This school project marks a tangible accomplishment of years of hard work and determination. The passion of a people has resulted in this advancement in education and this advancement in education shall cultivate a new passion of our people. Educational philosopher Jean Jacques Rousseau once wrote – “Plants are shaped by cultivation and (people are shaped) by education”.
In times like these when the future may not appear as certain as it use to, we are charged as adults and leaders to always preserve the vision of a bright and promising future for our youth. This is our focus in the Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports and Libraries. And while other Ministries work equally as hard to ensure that we have a good present and a great future, we in my Ministry are dedicated to make sure that we the people of the Turks & Caicos Islands, through the Children that will be educated in this and other schools, would become the Masters of this country’s future.
This project is of utmost significance to us as a Country, and a People. This project is the sign of bolder and grander things to come for our people, and while this is no time to bask in the accolades or gloat over accomplishments, I want to assure you the Ministry is nearing completion of the design and specifications for Phase 2.
Today’s ceremony, although a major development for this Government and our People, it is only one step in a bolder plan for the investment in our People through Education.
Turks & Caicos we are staying the Course, and on the road to prosperity Good Morning.
