3 Mins Read
By Frank Martin
Honorable Members of the River Gee Legislative Caucus,
With the deepest sense of duty and reverence as a former student leader and unwavering advocate for educational advancement, I extend this open letter with the highest regard for your roles as stewards of our county’s future.
Let me begin by commending your collective efforts in amplifying the voices of our people and addressing their pressing concerns.
Indeed, your advocacy has not gone unnoticed.
However, I write today to convey a most urgent plea: that more deliberate, united, and strategic actions be taken in support of the proposed legislation introduced by Hon. Alex S. Poure, Representative of Electoral District #1, seeking to establish the River Gee County Community College.
This proposal is not only timely, it is visionary. It offers a tangible solution to the longstanding educational vacuum that has persistently plagued our county. It is disheartening, to say the least, that countless high school graduates in River Gee are compelled to trade the pursuit of higher education for menial labor in gold mines, commercial motorcycling, or fall victim to societal ills due to the glaring absence of local academic institutions. This tragic cycle of underdevelopment must end, and this bill presents a pathway forward.
Having personally engaged Hon. Poure nearly a year ago on this matter, I am gratified to witness his legislative courage in championing this cause. Yet, this initiative should not be borne by one individual alone; it is a River Gee cause, and as such, it demands a unified front from every caucus member.
Some have postulated that River Gee lacks the human capacity or demographic weight to sustain a community college. Such an argument is not only unsubstantiated, it is regressive. Grand Kru County, with similar challenges, has a functioning community college. Moreover, the nation of Barbados, with a population under 400,000, boasts one of the highest literacy rates and a robust economy. If others can rise against structural limitations, so can we.
Let us, therefore, put aside parochial interests and political egos. Let us view this bill not through the lens of individual ownership, but as a county-wide imperative. The time for visionary leadership is now. The establishment of a community college in River Gee would not merely be an educational milestone, it would be a transformational legacy for generations.
I am not alone in this sentiment. If you were to consult the ordinary sons and daughters of River Gee, many would echo this cry: “We need a university, yes, but we will embrace a community college as a stepping stone toward that future.”
Honorable Caucus, I beseech you, rally around this bill. Give it your fullest backing in both chambers. Advocate for it, fund it, defend it, and most importantly, own it together.
History is watching. Let us not be remembered for what we failed to do when the moment of action came. Let us be remembered as the generation that stood tall for education, equity, and empowerment in River Gee County.
Thanks!
Frank Palison Martin
Son of Chedepo Klaboken
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