Dear Editor,
On behalf of Patron Beverley Harper, President Keith Foster and members of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTYSC) I would like to express congratulations to the President of our founder group, the St Francis Community Developers, Alex Foster on his major achievement of winning the inaugural Commonwealth Caribbean Youth Worker Award. This award represents another major achievement for Alex, who has also won numerous national, regional and international awards for his achievement as a youth leader who has touched and changed the lives of thousands of youths, the elderly and less fortunate.
When the history of youth development in Guyana is written, the outstanding work of the St Francis Community Developers (formerly the St Francis Xavier Youth Club) and the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club shall be unmatched. Alex has been the driving force behind our success and played a major role in the formation of the RHTYSC in 1990.
Success is achieved via a simple formula of visionary leadership, honesty, sheer hard work dedication, faith in God and a strong belief in the work you do, and the Commonwealth awardee is a perfect example of those traits. The members of the RHTYSC are very proud of Alex, who is a role model to all of us. While we do not work for awards as our main objective is to make a positive and everlasting difference in the lives of others, they do inspire us to strive for greater success. Together the St Francis Community Developers and the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club have received over twenty major awards from the Commonwealth, Caribbean, at the national level, International Olympic Committee, Rotary International, United Nations and the Guyana Cricket Board. These awards were presented for service of the highest standard in the work we do.
On a personal basis, I would like to congratulate my brother on behalf of our mother Clandette, late father Hilbert Spence, my wife Sylvie and his only niece Marissa. I know that his wife Annie is very proud of him while our beloved grandmother Josephine must be smiling down from heaven. I am very proud of my brothers who together with our eldest brother Keith are my role models and inspiration.
The nation has benefited from cricketers like Assad Fudadin, Royston Crandon, Shemaine Campbell, Erva Giddings, Esuan Crandon, Delbert Hicks because of his vision. Thousands more youths might not be in school and instead be involved in drugs and other illegal activities. Our achievements over the years have been unbelievable as we grew up in poverty and had to overcome numerous obstacles. It is my sincere hope that this well-deserved international award from the Commonwealth would not only inspire Alex to continue his remarkable work but would serve as an inspiration to all of us at the St Francis Community Developers, the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club and the recently resuscitated St Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Youth Club. May we all remain humble and remember our old motto at all times: “What I am is God’s gift to me and what I make of myself is my gift to him.” Congrats to Alex and may God continue to bless and guide him.
Yours faithfully,
Hilbert Foster
