 congratulations graduating class of 2007. Charles Dickens opening chapter in the book a tale of two cities best describes our surgeon at this college. It was the best of times. It was the worst of times. It was the season of light. It was the season of darkness. We had everything before us. Yet we had nothing before us. unquote. Success is not what you see today. Oh no. It was what we experienced throughout. What you see today is the result. The result of persistence, dedication, and the sacrifice. Moments such as these bless us with the opportunity to self-reflect. And I recall events significant ones such as the really race of getting registered for some persons lost 10 maybe 15 pounds rushing from the registrar's office to the bank back to their division. Stressful events such as walking in protest over the administration's decision to reject the request to place curtains around the gazebos or perhaps just dealing with some very combative patients after surgery. Social events such as class lunches and the after sports party. Soreful ones such as walking to the reprographic center on a zero dollar budget. There were those moments we all experienced in one particular class or another where we've been as raged and intense struggle to remain awake in the face of astounding boredom. We forget the inspirational moments during assemblies and the singing of the songs such as Don't Give Up as alluded earlier by the by Monsignor Patrick Antony. And lyrical lunchtime for those of us who attended it. What an inspiring moment. All these single events are intricately sewn into the tapestry of who we are right now in this very moment. This graduating class experienced several changes. The happy ones such as the employment of a female counselor and the disheartening ones such as the decision of the cafeteria to stop making those sumptuous coconut muffins. Some of us are yet to utilize the one hundred dollars allocated to the use of an overbooked and stable computer lab. Oh yes, you would agree with me that this college taught us the value of a dollar. Libraries, seven dollars and forty cents. Time table copy 25 cents. Research handbook 25 dollars. Locker rental twenty dollars. One one cost outline two dollars and seventy five cents. Total fifty five dollars and forty cents. We would like to write up an invoice to Sal Sisi today. Nurses for the ladders in our stockings. No charge. For the bill from Shoe Express when our heels got stuck in the flooring. No charge. For the gastroenteritis we suffered from classes scheduled between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. No charge. When you add it all up Sal Sisi the real cost of our love is no charge. After a day of lecturing which we all appreciated so much so much. It deemed necessary to write a five pointer to do to do list to complete this program. One, get comfortable shoes padded shoes to tread the terrain of Sal Sisi but this idea like so many did not materialize because of lack of funds which brings me to my second pointer on my to-do list brainstorm on ways to supplement income for ten dollars a day just won't do. Having to juggle the counting prices module cost the rip off my pardon me the repro graphic center my apologies the repro graphic center library freeze. There were even those motionless tattoos remember the strategically located vending machines right next to the library deposit box. It is no wonder the highway was always lined up with students hitchhiking to castries. Number three, wake up at 5 a.m. to prepare lunch. Those lines at the container just curb the appetite by the time I got served. I tell you KFC has nothing on them. Number four, complete assignments assignments and more assignments all with one standard due date if not the first Friday of every month is the last. My final pointer book the computer lab to use it in the next seven weeks. Yes keep my fingers crossed in hope for an open space. I made many attempts to pause this list on the notice board to guide others but lack of funds just did not allow. 2007 graduating class these are the worst of times. Our society is plagued and saturated with social and health issues. The youth of today seem to be choosing a life of crime indecency and complacency but I just say that it is the best of times because we this graduating class are uniquely positioned and adequately equipped to in our various pairs of specializations to reach out to choose differently and to impact our society positively. Some of you may experience difficulty in finding suitable employment but today I declare with unbridled enthusiasm that there are always vacancies in this country they are for persons of integrity, persons of courage, persons who dare to be true to noble character in expense of personal gain and not on the basis of who has scratched their backs or who has ticked their names. To you the business major I say your bottom line should not just be profit maximization but human resource development. To the economist the opportunity cost of your planning should never be annihilating people. The science majors your formula should comprise perfect molecular structures of compassion, patience and love. To the architectural, mechanical and other technical majors I beckon you to weld and cheap away negligence and mindlessness, sketch perpendicular lines of gentleness and draw plans that will beautify the landscape of the character of our people that will live in the buildings you will build and drive the vehicles you will service. To the teachers the educators you are at the very nucleus of our society. I encourage you to model the ideals and mission citizens so your students can emulate. To everyone in this graduating class I say let us leave behind a positive heritage that will be preserved for posterity. Finally today we all look alike in our physical attire but I pray to God that we would be alike in the ultimate purpose of making a healthy contribution to our beautiful St. Lucia. This is indeed the season of darkness and if trends of selfishness and indisciplined are not reversed we could have a society that we would not want to live in. Therefore we needed to make every effort to maintain standards in the pursuit of excellence. We need to find our God. I'm not referring to calling out his name in sudden fear when disaster strikes but living a life of love and sacrifice. We need to return to wholesome values. Values of respect. Values of respect for authority. Life. Values of gratitude. Saying the thank yous. The value for reading and scholarship. We need two other Nobel laureates in St. Lucia and even more. We need to reclaim our Helen of the West. After intense study and contemplation allow me to present to you my newly gained philosophy after completing this program. Life devoid of meaningfulness is simply existing not living. Disappointment will come. Rejection will come. Pain will come and so will suffering but no matter what comes remember you have overcome. You have passed this hurdle in life. You sat in the walls which have produced greatness. There therefore remains no excuse for complacency. Helen Keller both dumb and blind wrote inspirational themes which are still in use today. The mighty Pele. Physically disabled is one of our greatest calypsoanians in St. Lucia. Ben Carson, a failing student in his earlier years. Became the world's first neurosurgeon to separate the primaries twins joined by the head and they lived. The odds have been met. The odds have been conquered. There remains no excuse for us I say again. It is our time. Our season of light. We too must carry the torch of perseverance and achieve against all odds. The future does belong to those who believe in the power of their dreams. We say thank you to the administrators, faculty and staff for being there for us and going beyond the call of duty. For saying no to us. For challenging us and inspiring us. And for offering us more than just an education. We did not only realize how much you knew but how much you cared. That level of commitment you demonstrated will spur us on to become active members of the alumni association. To the college board, governments of St. Lucia both fast and present, we express gratitude for the opportunity afforded us to study at this institution. Above all, we ascribe not just thanks but praise to God for life, wisdom and for learning in a land of peace. To our parents, loved ones and those who encouraged us, we say thank you. Congratulations class of 2007. As Deseratu says and I quote, you are a child of the universe. No less than the moon and the stars. You have a right to be here. But I hasten to say, seize your right by building on and not destroying what has been laid and become the best you that you alone can be. You have everything, you have everything, everything before you. Live life meaningfully. Love life completely. Congratulations graduating class of 2007. We deserve to give yourselves a rounding round of applause. I thank you.