PM Douglas turns sod for new St. Paul’s Day Care Centre

St. Kitts and Nevis’ Prime Minister the Right Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas speaking at Monday’s ground breaking ceremony.

Resident Ambassador of the Republic of China(Taiwan) His Excellency Miguel Tsa (left), St. Kitts and Nevis’ Prime Minister, The Right Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas (center) and Minister of Education, Sen. the Hon. Nigel Carty break the ground to begin construction of the new St. Paul’s Day Care Centre.

St. Kitts and Nevis’ Prime Minister, The Right Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas (left) hands the US$500,000 cheque to Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Mrs. Ione Liburd-Willett.(Photos by Erasmus Williams)

BASSETERRE, ST.KITTS, MARCH 6TH 2012 (CUOPM) – Residents of St. Paul’s, who would one day become the custodians of the new Day Care Center when it is completed, have been urged to ensure that the infants in their care are treated with kindness and patience in shaping their minds and hearts.

“To those who will apply to, one day, work as caretakers at this Center I say: You will be entrusted with the care of our Federation’s most precious, yet the most vulnerable, possessions: our very young. When the day comes for you to be here with them, treat them with kindness, when that day comes, treat them with love. When that day comes, treat them with patience. This is what we count on all persons, who work in all our day care centers, throughout out Federation, to do. We expect our day care workers to talk with these tiniest of children. We expect them to answer their questions – no matter how simple and seemingly unimportant,” said Prime Minister and Parliamentary Representative, the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas.

He told scores of residents and officials attending the ground breaking ceremony for the new facility that the little children must be encouraged to run and play.

“Let them feel free to roam the area that has been provided for them to roam and to play and to develop themselves. We must encourage them to be kind, gentle and good. They must be kind, good and gentle and we must also teach them to pray. Again, we must teach them to pray. For it is faith in God, the belief in God, and the love of God that uplift and strengthen an individual. And it is faith in God, the belief in God, and the love of God that uplift and strengthen our people, our nation,” said Dr. Douglas before he joined Minister of Education, Sen. the Hon. Nigel Carty and Resident Ambassador of the Republic of China (Taiwan), His Excellency Miguel Tsao in breaking ground for the start of construction.

“The Day Care Center that will one day stand here, and the adults who will one day make it work, will have a precious, important, and far-reaching opportunity to shape the hearts and minds of the young children who will be placed in their care. And we know that when they do step forward to assume their responsibilities, they will be ready for the task at hand. And for the good and important work that they will do, the children – and indeed, the nation – will thank you,” said Prime Minister Douglas, who was first elected as Parliamentary Representative in 1989.

He said the first thing is construct the building to which “our teachers, our caretakers, and the tiniest of our children will one day come.”

Prime Minister Douglas, who accepted aUS$500,000 cheque as the first installment from Ambassador Tsao, handed it over to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Mrs. Ione Liburd-Willett.

Since taking office in July 1995, the governing St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party has constructed, expanded or renovated daycare centres in Mac Knight, Challengers, Old Road, Sandy Point, Newton Ground, Dieppe Bay, Saddlers, Tabernacle, Cayon and St. Peter’s.