EULOGY MRS NORMA HOPE DARLINGTON
Reverend Fathers and Mothers, Brothers and Sisters all, you have heard the eloquent and erudite tributes that have been paid to Mrs. Darlington, providing rich details of her life and […]
NOTHING WITHOUT HARD LABOUR
Mr Master of Ceremonies, Mr President and members of the Executive, honoured guests, distinguished members of the head-table, ladies and gentlemen, you have afforded my wife and myself a great privilege by allowing us to share this occasion with you. Accept our heartfelt thanks. Speaking personally I must immediately confess that I belong to the ranks of the underprivileged, by virtue of not having attended York Castle High School.
ENGINEERS AND CARIBBEAN TRANSFORMATION
Tonight is a one of recognition and celebration where colleagues of the engineering profession honour some from among you. As an outsider to the profession, I am humbled to be asked to address this very august body on this occasion. Coming from a natural science background my understanding of engineering is that it is the application of scientific knowledge to make things work. However, in preparing for this address I decided to check some authoritative sources about what engineering was. I was relieved to find that my layman’s understanding was not too far out. Several sources state that engineers apply the principles of science and mathematics to develop economical solutions to technical problems. Their work provides the link between social needs and commercial applications. Indeed, currently, there are seventeen different areas of specialisation in engineering.
THE SHORTWOOD ON THE MOVE
The last three months have been almost totally preoccupied with political and financial matters. First, it was all about the bail-outs, then the debate about the electoral system followed by the spectacle of the elections themselves and the announcement and formation of the new government. In these circumstances, it is not hard to miss some of the more constructive and long-term actions that are being taken by people without any prompting from the government or corporate leaders.
EDUCATION: A WATCHING BRIEF
During the recent election campaign, all three major parties placed education as the top priority in their manifestos. To all educators, and to the electorate as a whole, this was a welcome sign. Such recognition of the importance of education to our future by the major contenders gave hope that whoever won, the support for education would be assured.
