In a profoundly hopeful New Year’s address to the community of St. Paul’s, a visionary roadmap for 2026 was unveiled, centered on empowering the younger generation and fostering collective progress. The message, delivered with spiritual reverence and community solidarity, framed the new year not as a mere calendar change but as fertile ground for shared promise.
The cornerstone initiative declared 2026 the ‘Year of the Youth,’ recognizing young people not as future leaders but as a present force to be unleashed. This commitment will be materially supported by the soon-to-be-completed Leroy ‘Billy’ Tonge Technical Center in Liberta, hailed as a beacon for vocational training in cosmetology, architecture, and building trades. The center is presented as an inheritance for the youth to actively claim and shape their destinies.
Beyond youth empowerment, the address outlined a multi-faceted community development plan. This includes advancing home ownership programs, fueling local entrepreneurship to strengthen the economic soul of St. Paul’s, and nurturing spiritual roots to maintain unity. The message also emphasized honoring elders with unwavering support while ensuring every child has access to educational resources and opportunities.
The community’s recent upgrades, including health facilities in Liberta and Cobbs Cross, were reframed not as distant infrastructure but as monuments to shared well-being, entrusted to the people for their use and protection. The address also acknowledged the ongoing work to renew roadways and water services, requiring collective patience.
A special tribute was paid to local athletes, whose discipline and victories are celebrated as pathways to inspire others and lift community spirit. The speech concluded with a powerful call for a chorus of commitment rooted in deep mutual love and biblical hospitality, urging residents to be their brothers’ and sisters’ keepers in building a community renowned for compassion, opportunity, and unshakeable faith.