GG wraps up school visits

Governor General of Barbados, His Excellency Sir Elliott Belgrave officially wrapped up his visits to the public primary schools in Barbados, yesterday.

 

His final visit was paid to the Arthur Smith Primary School in St. Matthias, Christ Church. The Governor General told staff and students there that he was just as eager to visit the last school, as he was when he initially started the programme. 

While noting that he was extremely pleased to be present with the students there and that he was looking forward to the Meet and Greet session at the end, he meanwhile used the opportunity to thank those who helped to make what is now being called his “Youth Empowerment Programme”, a success.

 

“I wish to express my sincere thanks to members of the fourth estate (the media), who have faithfully reported my remarks. I think that sometimes they have even improved them,” Sir Elliott remarked.

 

“I also wish to express my thanks to members of the Barbados Defence Force, for their loyalty and support. I also wish to express my gratitude to the members of the Royal Barbados Police Force, for maintaining law and order on these visits and providing security. I also wish to thank my new ADC (Aide-de-Camp) Captain Ashton Caddle for his work. He succeeded Captain Carlos Lovell, my well beloved former ADC...” he added, noting that it was Lovell who helped to lay the foundation and the guideline for the school visits, under his guidance.

 

“I notice that the Ministry of Education is well represented here today. Without the solid support of the Ministry, the programme would not have continued for such a long time,” he stated in the presence of Chief Education Officer, Karen Best and a number of education officers.

 

He therefore expressed his profound thanks and gratitude to Education Minster, Ronald Jones and others in the Ministry who have steadily supported the schools’ programme, over the years.

 

“I also wish to thank the principals who eagerly embraced the programme. There was some dissidence about the dress code at the beginning of the programme, but … it was good and is good to see the female teachers in attendance well-turned out, as they should. I thank them for continuing to try to raise the standards of dress in the primary schools. Without high standards, one may be tempted to attend school in any old thing or looking 

any old how,” the Governor General commented.

 

He meanwhile thanked the teachers and students at Arthur Smith for the entertainment package presented in his honour, which he thoroughly enjoyed. 

(RSM)