Princess Margaret School was in celebration mode yesterday to mark the island’s 46th anniversary of Independence.
Teachers and some students represented the flag by wearing the blue, yellow and black and there was also a parade and a programme which featured presentations in verse and song by members of the Princess Margaret family.
The featured speaker was veteran trade unionist Sir Roy Trotman who referred to some of the outstanding alumni like Trevor Clarke and Juliette Toppin, whose names are displayed in the school hall, and told the gathering they should be proud that their school produced strong minds.
Sir Roy, general secretary of the Barbados Workers’ Union, focused on Independence, work and school.
He said while dictionaries define independence as not being under control of anyone and acting only for oneself, real life shows that the individual will never be able to live without the guidance of others.
Observing that in an average lifespan of 78 to 80 years, most people spent most of their life at work before retirement at 68, Sir Roy stressed that school was where efforts were made to educate, develop values and teach people to create.
He urged the students to aim to leave a legacy where people would want to say of them and their children, that was a good man or good woman.
“It is my view in the year 2012 to talk about independence of thought and thinking and that we should be ready to make decisions, not based on what our neighbour tells us, not based on what our mother says or father says . . . but we should be making independent decisions because we have had the benefit of school.
“We’ve had the benefit of somebody take us from one level of thinking, to a higher level of thinking and drawing out from within our psyche, ideas that are positive and ideas that will go towards a better community for our family and a better society for our nation. That is what we should aim for,” Sir Roy stated.
He said they should not aim to go into a world of work where they were order-takers, but should aim to be leaders, managers and be ready to build a better Barbados.
He also told the students that the amount of money Sin their pocket did not determine how great they would become or how far they would grow. (YB)
