A new library was officially opened on Friday at the St Giles Primary School. The library was sponsored by former student of the St Giles Boys School, Colin Carter.
Speaking at the launch, Carter who is a United Kingdom-based author who has published his autobiography entitled Walk With Me, said that children in societies today are being taught fiction but they do not know the history of the countries in which they live.
“I do not have a problem with fiction, but I think that our children should be exposed to serious reading. They don’t know our story. I am sure that very few here, if any at all, could tell me what was the name of this island before the white man came,” he said
“I am saying that we need these type of books here to pull our children out of the morass that black people did not make a contribution to human civilization and we need to tell them about the great things that we have done and give them a sense of pride in their blackness,” he said.
Education Officer Janelle Little charged the pupils of the Ivy, St Michael learning institution to become authors as they all have a story to tell.
“I want to make a call for those in front of me and even the children to become authors. Just like Mr Carter has written about his life, each of us has a story to tell and each of us should be willing to write that story,” she said.
“Often times we see so much work done by Trinidadian authors and Jamaican authors especially in the educational context but I really want to encourage our Barbadian teachers and our Barbadian students to write. Let the world hear your story.”
Principal Sandra Anderson thanked Carter for ensuring that he maintained the promise he made to the school last year that he would outfit it with a library.
“At his book launch, he made a promise that St Giles Primary School would get a library and Mr Carter I am so proud of you and you kept your word.” (LG)
