Anse Boileau Fishermen's Association, businesses adopt district’s home for the elderly |25 August 2022

The 10 elderly residents of the Anse Boileau home for the elderly will from now on have a closer relationship with fishermen from the district and other businesses  who will be supplying them with fresh fish and vegetables on a regular basis and also see to the upkeep of the home and its grounds.

This will be possible now that the Anse Boileau Fishermen's Association has adopted the home and formalising the process with the signing of an agreement.

The principal secretary for the family department under the Ministry for Family, Youth and Sports, Clive Roucou, and the chairman of the Anse Boileau Fishermen's Association, Randolph Valmont, signed the agreement to that effect in a short ceremony at the home yesterday morning.

The association also comprises other businesses namely Rass Fish Limited and Randolph Maintenance Limited.

PS Roucou remarked after the signing that the agreement is the result of a discussion with different concerned parties in the Anse Boileau community as well as the fishermen association.  

He highlighted that this demonstrates the commitment of the ministry to engage different groups in the community to bring their support and assistance to those who are in need. 

“Our aim is also to ensure that the elderly live a comfortable life in line with the theme ‘Mon fanmir, mon leker’ and the adoption shows the engagement of the community, businesses and the government,” PS Roucou highlighted.

Mr Valmont for his part noted that with the two-year agreement, the association will assist the home by providing the residents with fish, vegetables and other items and they will clean and maintain the home and its grounds.

“The elderly are the pillars of our society,” he noted.

He added that as a community, it is their turn to help and take care of those who previously took care of them.

“We need to help them live comfortably, we need to have patience and this is how we came together as businesses and fishermen’s association,” he highlighted.

Eileen Cadeau, the district’s administrator, said the Anse Boileau home for the elderly opened on June 19, 1994 and currently houses three women and seven men. She welcomed such a great initiative which will benefit the residents. 

For his part the district’s MNA, Honourable Phillip Arrisol, stated that the action taken by the fishermen and the other businesses is a great gesture as it is only together as a community that we can improve our lives and the lives of others.

The secretary of the Anse Boileau Fishermen’s Association, Peter Purvis, stated that the idea was to bring the community together and the project will do just that and make them active citizens in the community where they do business.  

PS Roucou then proceeded, together with Samantha Manes, a representative of Rass Fish Limited, to unveil the plaque to formally display the adoption by the Anse Boileau Fishermen Association and the other businesses. This was in the presence of other representatives of Rass Fish Limited as well as of Randolph Maintenance Limited.

The ceremony ended with a brief tour of the home for the elderly.

The accompanying photos show some highlights of the ceremony.

Marla Simeon