"I would like to encourage our population to read and to gain knowledge and to become critical thinkers"
At Philipsburg Jubilee Library Event
During a recent event at the Philipsburg Jubilee Library the Prime Minister of St. Maarten the Honorable Sarah Wescot-Williams emphasized the importance of reading to the development of both the youth in particular but of St. Maarten in general.
"I remember an event at the library several years ago during which it was emphasized how important reading is. At that event I highlighted the fact that as a young girl growing up on Aruba my mother used to be a cleaner at a very large school and when I used to accompany her I would go into the different classrooms and read through the books in a secluded corner. When my mother went to look for me she would know exactly where to find me and knew exactly what I was doing, being engrossed in various types of books and until today I still have this love of reading, reading for the sake and love of knowledge and that is something that will remain with me.
"It is therefore good to see new developments moving ahead in the access we give to books to especially to our youth, for example with the recent launching of the e-book section of the library. There is now no excuse for reading, whether it is from a physical book or whether it is accessing books through the use of e-readers and I commend the library, our bastion of books if you will, for their contribution to reading on St. Maarten. I would like to encourage our population to read and to gain knowledge and to become critical thinkers with regards to the knowledge that is out there. We are again building our Nation block by block and step by step, and reading and access to knowledge is an important component of this," concluded the Prime Minister