President of Barbados Jeffrey Bostic made an emotional visit to Parkinson Memorial Secondary School, on Thursday, urging Barbadians to end the long-standing categorisation of schools and to recognise the institution’s proud record of producing achievers across national life.
In a deeply personal address, he began with a poignant moment of reflection as he reacted to a musical rendition that evoked memories of a childhood spent in Emmerton and Chapman Lane.
The President shared a raw, personal connection to the community, recalling the painful memory of witnessing the demolition of his childhood neighbourhood which made way for the Bridgetown sewage treatment plant.
“Sometimes it brings tears,” the President said. “As a schoolboy, I was present when the bulldozers came and pushed down the houses. Emmerton and Chapman Lane were the greatest communities I have ever lived in. Nothing compares.”
After receiving a spirited and colourful welcome from students and the Cadet Corps — an organisation the President once served — the address shifted towards the school’s reputation. The President noted that Parkinson Memorial has been a quiet powerhouse in Barbadian society, producing leaders across the public service, entertainment and cultural sectors.
“This school has produced so many people who have done so well in different areas of endeavour in this country that it should not be hidden,” President Bostic said. “And let me say so, because when I checked, I see people in the ministry, people in public life, some senior people as well, people in entertainment, culture, you name it, right across the board, Parkinson School has done extremely well.”
He challenged the public tendency to classify schools based on old stigmas, stating it is time to “accentuate” the successes of Parkinson graduates.
“I believe it is time that we accentuate those things so that this thing of characterising and classifying, categorising schools, should become a thing of the past, not in the way that it has been done over time.”
The Head of State also warned that certificates alone do not define a successful student. “If you get certificates and you did not learn about life… then you have not achieved during your school life,” he said, emphasising discipline, humanity and respect.
Moving away from a standard monologue, the visit was structured to be interactive, featuring a dedicated Q&A session with the students.
Challenging the students to envision their own potential, he asked them to imagine themselves as the President of Barbados for 90 seconds and consider what they would say to their class.
Accepting the opportunity, Upper Fifth Form student Makia Hinkson asserted that “excellency does not come over overnight”. The student encouraged classmates, saying: “We can do this.” He expressed confidence that “through time, through hard work, through consistency, through pushing, through the late nights”, every student would eventually be able to celebrate.
The President highlighted the value of listening to the youth, noting that previous school visits have provided “extremely good comments” that are currently helping to refine presidential initiatives.
He promised to engage directly with the student body, signalling a new era of transparency and mutual respect between the highest office in the land and the nation’s classrooms.
Also sharing his experience was Aide-de-Camp to the President, Captain Tevin Maynard.
Capt Maynard, a Parkinson alumnus, returned “home with a message”: “that excellence is possible for each and every single one of you in here today.” He declared that “Excellence does not discriminate” or “show preferential treatment”. He stated that the only requirement for excellence is “relentless tenacity and self-discipline”, and that he is a “testament of that excellence”.
He advised students to “embrace productive discomfort” even when they feel unsure about what they are doing.” (RR)
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