Good afternoon,
Lady Allen and I are very pleased to be here to celebrate with you on this occasion, the opening of your first premium grocery operation, Select Grocers. Select Grocers is the manifestation of hard work, determination, focus and a keen commitment to unleashing that entrepreneurial drive necessary to unlock the growth-potential of our country.
The realization of this store will no doubt be a motivation and an inspiration for many persons especially the young to continue reaching for their dreams and believing in themselves to achieve their God-given potential.
While Derrimon’s emphasis is on giving premium service to your customers, it is commendable that Select Grocers will provide employment for a significant number of young people, to include those from the hearing impaired and the speech challenged communities.
Derrimon is also a supporting-partner of the Governor-General’s Programme for Excellence, in particular, the I Believe Initiative (IBI). The IBI affirms and promotes values-based, nation building activities through families, youth and education, and is a testament of what is right with Jamaica.
I am encouraging everyone to be an avid supporter of locally grown and produced goods and services, and trust that the business model you have adopted will give all the assurance of Jamaica becoming the place of choice to live, work, raise families and do business.
It is important that we reflect that confidence in our people and nation as we invest in our businesses. It is the people that we depend on to support our ventures, and the people should therefore be beneficiaries of our corporate social responsibility. We have a ‘duty of care’ to and for our fellowmen and women, our youth, children and the vulnerable.
Ladies and gentlemen, I use these few remarks to frame a template of hope and success for Derrimon and it is my pleasure to declare Select Grocers officially opened.
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Thank you!