President of Dominica, His Excellency Charles Savarin, has called on the public to embrace the elderly as they are a tremendous resource to be called upon.
His remarks came during an address on Friday to mark the beginning of the month of the elderly observed in Dominica every year in September.
This year the Dominica Council on Ageing (DCOA) for the 14th time leads the nation in observing the month of the elderly under the theme: “Embracing the Elderly Everywhere.”
He described the elderly as a resource to be recognized and embraced.
“They are a resource to be called upon, a group to be recognized, celebrated and embraced. What does embracing the elderly mean in the Dominican context? It means using the experience of the elderly for institutional and national development,” he stated. “It means deliberately making a decision to include them in deliberations on economic development and where appropriate, to use their experience in advisory groups. Youth, in particular, should be encouraged to embrace the elderly, so as to learn from them and avoid some of the pitfalls that youthfulness is prone to.”
He believes embracing the elderly will reduce their loneliness and neglect that some of “our parents” and “grandparents” experience today.
The President said that embracing them could also mean revisiting national policy and enhancing programmes to protect the elderly from physical, sexual, financial and emotional abuse.
He commended the DCOA for seeking to promote awareness about the elderly and their needs, advocating on their behalf and providing short term and encourage long-term training in the care of them.
Savarin noted that the council also coordinates activities of its member groups while it collaborates with the Ministry of Social Services, Family and Gender Affairs for observing birthdays of centenarians on island.
“I am pleased to be associated with the work of the Dominica Council on Ageing,” he stated.
He revealed that in 2018 the council will observe 25 years of existence.
“I would like to take this opportunity to encourage the council in its endeavors and to congratulate it for its many achievements,” the President stated. “We in Dominica are blessed with having one of the highest ratios per capita of centenarians and thank the good Lord for long life and thank relatives and friends as well as government and non-governmental organizations for their care and support of the elderly.”
He urged the council to increase its support to the elderly where possible.
“As we observe the month of the elderly I urge all Dominicans to reflect on the many challenges that elderly people regularly encounter in our communities,” he remarked. “Let us all devote some time to visit and care for the elders in our respective communities as we aspire to become the aged friendly community that we all hope to live in.”
All of the Council’s activities for the Month of the Elderly 2017 will seek in some measure to enhance the lives of the seniors in Dominica. The Council will seek to create awareness as to the ills facing older persons and provide moments of learning, teaching, sharing, caring, socializing and fund raising.
A main feature of the programme this year is a Prestige Evening where the new Board of Directors will be officially inaugurated alongside its youth arm and a Diaspora Networking desk. Awards will be presented to a number of partners. A Centenarian Dossier will also be presented for the first time.
The main feature to close the Month is a “Bitin Gwan Moun All White Affair”. The festive gathering will mark the International Day of Older Persons and will include praise and worship as well as opportunities for elders to meet, greet and be entertained.
To embrace someone, you have to respect that individual, have we lost our way in showing respect to our aged ? the answer is in the positive. todays mis-guided people feel very uncomfortable in the presence of the elderly, and have no intensions whatsoever in listening and learning the wisdom coming down, in most cases, the elderly have become a burden, their own children show indifference in taking care of their parents. Nations are judged by the care given to the aged, we need to cultivate within us, that youth don’t last too long, you are on 4 legs once then 2 legs and finally 3legs, our African history tells us , it is the elders that holds court in grooming the child into man/womanhood. The God’ are watching. Bob D.
charlo is getting older hence wants sympathy for the up coming political upserge.
I guess foremost on his mind is the events of Hondurus when the present picked up@ 3 am in pyjamas to CostaRica .Our non -resident Ambassador once left turn right with the Neo DLP transfers from the radical wing of the DFPcan put his spin on this one.
corrections: upsuerge
the President
This president is too hypocrite I hope he remembers
Mr and Mrs GON Emanuel after their house ? Was
Fire BOOMED God doh like ugly
Dear President,
This is by far your best speech in my opinion……..for if we forget our elderly ,…… We’re doomed!
Thank you Mr. President.
Savarin, you that man, you have nothing of morality to lecture to us. You have an inept Prime Minister running all over the place buying the elderly and poor for political gains as our country is deep poverty. Please get lost. Now rather than taking heed and the message to Skerrit, he, Skerrit is flying about every week wasting tax payers money and running to embrace the many Dominicans in Houston. Does Skerrit not have work to do here to account for our CBI money, rather like a soukouya in the night flies all over the world as if h has something worthwhile to do?
Savarin please stop attempting to lecture to us on decency and morality and other matters that we already know of. Where we sit we are honourable, can you say the same for yourself and your inept PM?
good Bye
Skerrit must go…. do something honourable and kick him out. We are suffering too much and you attempt to use nice words that we the public will listen and gravitate towards you , will not work.
Good bye
IYouth, in particular, should be encouraged to embrace the elderly, so as to learn from them and avoid some of the pitfalls that youthfulness is prone to.”Okay Ayatolla! in retrospect was 1977 then the colossal events of 1979 a pitfall.Marring late was it a youthful indiscrection? Did it have to boil down to a calypso by the encye to jolt you? Finally seeing you are well embraced with a $30K/month salary by the public’s purse embracement, do you have any finiancail advise for Skerro et Al to embrace those ur age and older?