Newly installed President Christine Kangaloo hopes to reshape the public’s perception of the relevance of the Office of the President during her term of office, and she used her inaugural speech on Monday to highlight some of the goals she hopes to achieve over the next five years.

Here are the key takeaways from Her Excellency’s speech: 

-Her Excellency Christine Kangaloo has vowed to make the Office of the President more accessible to citizens during her term of office and says she believes educating the public about the role of the President should begin at the primary school level. President Kangaloo says she intends to examine ways of modernizing the protocols that govern how citizens relate with the Office.

– President Kangaloo advocated for the effectiveness of the panyard model as a means of helping to engender discipline in the nation’s youth, steering them away from a life of crime, saying:  “For decades, there have been those who have been telling us that the discipline and structure that the panyard brings into the lives of young people combine to create one of the most effective youth delinquency prevention programmes available in the country.”

-President Kangaloo says one of the ways she hopes to see the Office of President made more and more accessible, is by having its facilities put to even greater use in hosting cultural, educational and artistic ventures – particularly among the youth. “For example, I would like to see the Bandstand put to regular use as a platform for new and emerging young artistes. I would like to see the main ballroom and the grounds at President’s House used to host displays, such as art exhibitions by primary and secondary school students. And I would like to see the public areas at President’s House opened up to facilitate endeavours such as book club meetings, and programmes to introduce young people to music,” she said. 

-President Kangaloo hopes to establish a Presidential archive. She said: “One of the initiatives that I feel particularly passionate about pursuing, is putting together an archive of our Presidential history and of the customs and the conventions that attend the Office of President. Such an archive is badly needed. Without it, I have had to rely on the willingness, the patience and the generosity of volunteers, both in and outside of the Office of the President, to work out what to expect, both in the lead up to today’s inauguration, and thereafter, during the term of office that lies ahead. I would very much like to see the Office develop its own recorded, documented history and practices, from which not only future Presidents, but the entire nation can benefit. This will not only help promote a better understanding of the Presidency; but it will also save us from losing an important part of our history.”

-Her Excellency says she believes collaboration is critical in approaching these goals and she does not plan to execute her duties in a vaccum. She said: “I do not, for one second, believe that I, or indeed, any President, can achieve these goals alone. A successful Presidency is the result of a successful collaboration between the Office and the citizenry. In my particular case, I have listened carefully to the conversation that preceded my election to this Office and I am not at all unmindful of the fact that there are those who have expressed disquiet with my occupying this new role and who, for one reason or another, might not currently be fully on board with assisting me to achieve these goals. I know that there have been voices from certain quarters that have given the impression that such collaboration might not be as easily forthcoming as one might have hoped. To any and every such voice, I repeat Merchant’s invitation in the song, so beautifully sung this morning by my beloved Southernaires Choir, to “let us forget spites and grudges and concentrate”; and to “come let us sit and try to relate”.