The Community and the Church have a role to play in guiding and shaping the lives of young people, says Attorney General Dale Marshall.
Delivering brief remarks at the We Gatherin’ St Joseph Thanksgiving Service at St Ann’s Anglican Church in Parris Hill, held yesterday morning under the theme Thanks For The Harvest, he asked for “blessings and protection for the harvest of the future”.
Marshall, who is Member of Parliament for St Joseph, quickly pointed out it was not in reference to “yams and breadfruits and eddoes”, but young men and women.
“To say that we live in troubled times is not an exaggeration. It’s not to suggest that we haven’t always lived in troubled times. Different generations experience challenges of one form or another but the pioneers in this church, this St Ann’s Church, have helped to save and to shape the lives of the many people in the older generation in this community and in the neighbouring communities,” he said.
He added that there had to be a focus on how “as a church, how as a community, we can help to rescue another generation of Barbadians”.
“Each generation will have their troubles, and you can tell that we have ours, but our job is to make ourselves fit for the purpose of these times. So, let our month of gathering celebrate our past, enhance our present and build better communities in St Joseph for our future,” Marshall said.
Among those in attendance were director of the We Gatherin’ 2025 Secretariat, Senator John King, and parliamentary representatives for St Lucy and St Andrew, Peter Phillips and Dr Romel Springer, respectively.
Priest in charge Reverend Myra LaPlante urged everyone present and watching the live stream to keep their focus on God during the celebrations.
“When we look to God’s Word, when we are obedient to God’s Word, it will help to make life easier, life more worthwhile for all of us – those who give and those who receive. We are asked to give until it hurts,” she said.
Change for the best
There was a sense of nostalgia evoked by both chairman of the parish’s
We Gatherin’ Organising Committee, Matthew Hinkson, and Parish
Ambassadors Dennis Forde and Regina Howard, who lamented the way things were.
Forde said St Joseph was the best place on the island and he wanted to showcase it to the rest of Barbados. Howard said when she was growing up, it was known for “lots of community”, but as time went on, she noticed it was changing and not for the best. She said she would like that love to come back.
Hinkson said he hoped to see this type of community spirit reborn and urged residents to support the various activities.
In her brief address, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Senator Dr Shantal Munro-Knight, in responding to the sentiments expressed by the young people, said there was a legacy being built through We Gatherin’ and Government’s partnerships with the private sector.
“So yes, we have been able to attract just under $5 million in partnership with the private sector, but interestingly, that partnership is not only, again, monetary.
“We have partnerships that will help us in every parish to build a ramp for the disabled. We have partnerships in every parish that would help us rebuild, repaint our tennis courts, our murals. We will be launching a partnership that will provide scholarships for young people and we have partnerships that are about making sure that we build sustainability,” she explained.
“All of that is what we need to be thankful for. That even as Barbados changes, that we can still hold on to the very kernel of us, those things that make Barbadians who we are, that there is still a spirit of giving, of sacrifice and still impetus for us to come together to build community.”
Munro-Knight said there was a role for ordinary Barbadians, the church, Government and the private sector. (SAT)
