Challengers Community Centre Grand Opening
Photo By Erasmus Williams
Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
September 02, 2008 (CUOPM)
A call for the residents of Challengers and Stonefort to utilise the new Multi-Purpose Centre to shape the lives of the youth in a positive direction and provide services for the senior citizens.
Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas said the new EC$1.2 million building financed by the Government of the Republic of China on Taiwan “symbolise the birth of a new set of opportunities that can be fashioned by the creativity of the people in the communities.”
The two-story structure houses a Day Care and Pre-School facilities on the ground floor and a community centre on the top floor.
“It is a facility that provides daycare services to be used by your families – that is the children who will use the nursery and the preschool as provided by the Department of Education and also for our young people and our adults including the elderly, who will use this multipurpose centre firstly, as a community centre with its several services that it will provide and secondly, as an emergency centre especially to be used in the time of hurricanes,” said Prime Minister Douglas, who paid tribute to former Taiwanese Ambassador His Excellency Mr. John Liu and his successor His Excellency Rong Chuan Wu.
“Indeed, it is a beautiful structure and we must thank not only the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis but also the Government and the People of the Republic of China on Taiwan for the tremendous support that they have provided for this particular project,” said Dr. Douglas.
He advised that with the handing over of the facility, its success lies in the hands of the communities of Challengers and Stonefort. “I wish to remind you that it is your ideas, your projects, and your enthusiasm that must shape the outcome of these facilities. Everyone has the opportunity to use this facility in promoting and implementing projects that are of value to the development of the people Challengers and Stonefort, from the youth to the elderly – all must have access and full use of this facility,” said Dr. Douglas.
He added that the multipurpose centre and day care centre must become a hub around which the entire community can gather its collective wisdom and vision.
“In so doing, it is hoped that Challengers and Stonefort can foster a stronger spirit of community, working together to achieve collective goals. Your communities like any other, consists of many important things, but it is the people that must make its environment productive and a good place in which to live. The youth and our elderly are particularly vulnerable, but everyone needs to perceive the obligation to become involved in community development,” Prime Minister Douglas said.
He noted that the Federation in a few weeks will celebrate its 25th Anniversary of Independence. “We have achieved significant milestones along the way; we must remember that it is the productive efforts of citizens that can make this country much better. Our motto, “˜Country Above Self’ needs to be internalized by every proud citizen of this country. Our future depends on our capacity to work together for the common good, and it is important that every citizen understands this. What better way to do this than by developing strong community spirit inclusive of all of our interests,” asked Dr. Douglas?
He also expressed thanks to the veteran representative of the area, Hon. Rupert Neville Herbert and the other ministries and departments who played a major role which led to the completion of the Multi-Purpose Center.