“I did not call you here to celebrate the past. I called you here to motivate you for the future”, THA Chief Secretary Orville London told his guests at the annual Chief Secretary Christmas Luncheon for the Elderly. “It is on your shoulders and on your work that Tobago has developed, progressed, in fact sometimes survived over the years”, he added. The luncheon was at the Magdalena Grand Beach Resort, Lowlands on Monday (19 December, 2011).

The senior citizens from communities across Tobago were charged to “tell the stories” of struggles and triumph which led to a developed Tobago. London explained that this was necessary for young people to understand what it means to be a true Tobagonian. He added that the age-old qualities of self-reliance, discipline, commitment, focus, confidence in oneself and belief in one’s God which typified Tobagonians then, were still necessary for today and the future. “We need true Tobagonians if Tobago is to survive and continue to develop as we know it”

Paying tribute to his guest, the Chief Secretary thanked them for what he said was over 10,000 years of service”. He told them that they still had many more years to serve their beloved Tobago. “I believe that you have a future in the development of Tobago and I want you to take your place.”