Minister of ECYS Drs Rodolphe Samuel congratulates Youth Brigade
PHILIPSBURG -- On the heels of the 10th-anniversary celebrations of the St. Maarten Youth Brigade, the Minister responsible for Youth Affairs, Drs. Rodolphe Samuel, extends his congratulations to the brigade, adding, it has been rewarding to partner with the group and he looks forward to more collaboration between his ministry and the youth group.
The Youth Brigade started on May 17, 2013, with a view to addressing the lack of social and educational activities on the island for the youth.
Over the weekend the youth organization hosted a celebratory evening during which they honored some of their partners including the Minister of Education, Culture, Youth, and Sports Drs. Rodolphe Samuel and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports (ECYS).
“As Minister of Education, Culture, Youth, and Sport, I am happy that we could assist with the brigade receiving a structural subsidy after nine years of trying. I know that our youth will benefit from the work of the Youth Brigade.
“It is a great honor to have my efforts noted by the board of the Youth Brigade. As the Minister, I join with all the well-wishers to congratulate the Sint Maarten Youth Brigade Board, its members, and the youth brigades present and past for persevering amidst all the challenges since May 17, 2013.
“As I reflected on the many conversations and discussions I have had with the founder Mrs. Peterson, I can confidently state that she is a person who from the start has been leading this group with vision, one who kept this team aligned and one who fostered collaborated culture to ensure that each member of this unit, each volunteer, each youth leader, each trainer and sponsors of activities understood the importance of accomplishing the organizations shared goal,” Minister Samuel said over the weekend.
Since its inception, the Youth Brigade has achieved many milestones and Minister Samuel expresses his wish that they achieve many more and his hope is to continue to help them accomplish these goals.
“I express my thanks to the many organizations who have partnered with the Sint Maarten Youth Brigade, namely the St. Maarten Police Force, the Voluntary Korps of Sint Maarten (VKS), the Dutch Marines, Fire Department, Coast Guard, and many others who have contributed to the aim of the organization to help build self-confidence and resilience,” Minister Samuel added.
The Minister applauds the perseverance of members past and present, adding, “I encourage you to continue to gain strength, courage, and confidence with every experience as a member of the Sint Maarten Youth Brigade. To the board and all members of the Youth Brigade again, congratulations and my best wishes for your great success,” Minister of Youth Affairs Samuel concluded.
