Good evening.
Her Excellency and I are delighted to welcome you back to the Bandstand, for today’s Father’s Day Concert.
During her Inauguration Address, Her Excellency spoke about making the Office of President more and more accessible, and about developing even greater levels of interaction between the Office and the wider community. Her Excellency also promised to advocate for the widespread adoption in our communities of programmes based on the model of the panyard, as a means of steering our young people into positive directions. Last year, at the Ceremonial Opening of the 4th Session of the 12th Parliament, Her Excellency advocated for the steelpan to be officially made our national instrument.
This evening’s event is just one of several ways in which Her Excellency has been making good on these commitments. Like last year’s Mothers’ Day concert at the same venue, this year’s concert, dedicated this time to our nation’s fathers, brings together the strands of accessibility, community-interaction and the steelpan – strands that are vital elements of Her Excellency’s Presidency.
Her Excellency and I are delighted to have been able to collaborate, yet again this year, with BP Renegades, who have produced and organised this entire event. To Colin, the bandmembers, and to the entire team at BP who have worked so hard to make this event happen – you have, as you always do, Her Excellency’s and my admiration and deepest appreciation.
To all of you who have come out this evening to celebrate our nation’s fathers, despite the inclement weather, Her Excellency and I say thank you for accepting our invitation to spend the evening with us.
And last, but certainly not least, to our nation’s fathers, in whatever forms or manifestations they exist in our lives, Her Excellency and I say “thank you”. Of all the rocks upon which we build our lives, may we be reminded today, that family is the most important. And may we recognize and honour how critical every father is to that foundation. They are our teachers and coaches. They are our mentors and our role models. They are our examples of success. They are the men who constantly push us towards it.
May this evening’s concert be a fitting tribute to them all. And may I close by paying a special tribute to my own father, who is here with us this evening, for his love and his example. Daddy, I love you. Happy Fathers’ Day to you.
And now, let us sit back and enjoy the music, the moment, and the company. Her Excellency and I wish fathers here, and all across the nation, a Happy Fathers’ Day.
May God Bless you all. And may God Bless our nation.
