PM says: It’s a good time to be young

Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves is of the view that “It’s a good time to be young.” He expressed this as he, along with Taiwanese ambassador Jack Cheng and other government officials and the media, toured the site of the soon to be completed library at Richmond Hill in Kingstown last week.{{more}}

The Prime Minister indicated that a number of the major projects that have been undertaken recently by his government, and some currently underway, are directly related to this nation’s youth, through education, culture or sports.

Prior to the tour, the Prime Minister mentioned a number of these projects at the press conference at which the ambassador handed over a cheque valued EC $2.5 million for the continuation of the national library project.

He noted that the just completed national archives building, which is part of the library project, is in sync with the cultural quest for historical reclamation.

“The library itself, the Y(MCA) building, the technical arts centre and of course the lecture theatre, the auditorium, the cultural arts centre is both a tool for education and the advancement of culture, and it fits in well with what is taking place in the general area.”

Back at the site, Dr. Gonsalves said that upon completion of the library, he believes the area will become a hive of educational, sport and cultural activities.

Dr. Gonsalves expects the refurbished Thomas Saunders Secondary School (formerly the Richmond Hill Primary school) to become one of the top secondary schools in the country because of its location across the road from the library.

The new school is not the only project completed in the area.

The Prime Minister mentioned others that were completed since in office in 2001.

“We have expanded and refurbished the Peace Memorial Hall, which is again cultural and educational. We have rehabilitated the Richmond Hill Playing Field, that is educational, cultural, sporting.”

“We have refurbished the schools around (CW Prescod, Kingstown Preparatory, Girls High School, St. Vincent Grammar School) and in between these facilities the API / 705 new building.”

Also mentioned was the new Intermediate High School.

He said that a Hall of Justice building, which is soon to be constructed in the area, will also add to the development of the area.(JJ)