Celebrating 75 Years of Sikh Advisory Board: Raising Awareness and Honoring Legacy
Opening
Speech by Mr
Malminderjit Singh
Chairman,
Sikh
Advisory
Board
SAB
75
th
Anniversary
Celebrations
Mr
Lawrence
Wong,
Deputy
Prime
Minister
and
Minister
for
Finance
Mr
Alvin
Tan, Minister
of
State
for
Culture,
Community
&
Youth
and
Trade
&
Industry
Mr
Pan Kin
Keong,
Perm Sec,
MHA
Ms
Liew
Wei
Li,
DG
of
Education
Ms
Shie Yong Lee,
Commissioner
of
Prisons
Mr
Jimmy Toh,
CEO of
PA
Prof Tan
Tai
Yong,
President,
SUSS
Community
Leaders,
Distinguished
Guests
and
Friends
Background
1.
It gives me great
pleasure
to
be here today,
on
behalf
of the
SAB to
welcome
you
to this
momentous
occasion.
2.
When
the
SAB team
met last
year
to
discuss this milestone
– we
asked
ourselves
why
celebrating the
75 years
should
matter? –
and
if
it
did
–
how
should
we
mark
this
occasion?
3.
After all, the SAB
has
always
operated
in the
background of
the Sikh
community.
A little
bit of soul searching never
hurts
and
in doing
so we
arrived
at what
appeared
to
us
to be
sensible and important
reasons –
four
of
them
to
be
exact
-
to
undertake
this
exercise.
Raising Awareness
within
Sikh
Community
4.
The
first
was the
need
to
increase awareness about
the
SAB
within
the
Sikh
community.
5.
Unless
you are
associated
with a Sikh organisation, I dare
say
that
other
members
of
the
community
may
have
little
or
no
knowledge
and
understanding
of
the
SAB,
its
role and
what
it
stands
for.
6.
And that
is unsurprising
given
the
low profile of the organisation and the
manner
in
which
it
exists.
With
no
permanent
office,
no
full-time
staff
and
no resources
of
our
own,
the SAB
has
originally
been
set
up as purely an
advisory
board.
7.
But
that hasn't stopped the SAB from
making a
difference
as is evident
from the
tribute
video
we
saw earlier. Past SAB teams have
certainly
worked hard
for
the
community and
the
nation.
And that is
why
we are
grateful
to
have
some
of
our
previous
Board
members
with
us
today.
8.
A
special mention
to
four
outstanding
individuals
–
former
SAB
Chairmen
–
Mr
Bhajan
Singh,
Mr
Harmit
Singh,
Mr
Jarmal
Singh
and
Mr
Surjit
Singh
–
for
their
tireless
and
exemplary
leadership
of
the
SAB
and
the
community
in
the
past.
Please
join
me
in
applauding
them.
9.
To
be
honest,
some
of
the
depth
and
extent
of
our
predecessors’
contributions
was
also
unknown
to
me.
On
a
personal
note,
the
exercise
of
finding
out
about
the
SAB’s
history
and
evolution
was
very
enriching
as
it
gave
me
a
greater
perspective
of
the
work
we
do.
A
few
things
stood
out
for me.
10.
As
you
heard
from
Prof
Tan
in
the
video
earlier,
the
colonial
government
set
up
the
SAB
a
few
months
after
the
Indian
Mutiny
of
1915
in
Singapore.
It is also
unsurprising
then that the highest-ranking
Sikh
police
officer of
that time
was traditionally appointed
the Chairman
of
the
SAB. In some
years where
there was
no suitable Sikh
available,
the
Inspector-General
of
the
police,
an
Englishman,
would be
appointed
chairperson.
11.
I
am
glad
that
the
requirement
of
a
policeman
to
chair
the
SAB
is
no
longer
applicable
–
I would probably
not
have
qualified.
12.
So why is it important that we create an awareness
of
the SAB in
the
community?
As
you would have
seen from
the
explanatory video just
before this,
there
are
many
instances where
Sikhs here
need
assistance
to
help
them
educate
other
stakeholders
of
our
unique
religious
traditions
and
values. Often,
they
don’t know who to go to for such
assistance or
what
channels
to
explore.
The Gurdwaras are certainly a touch point for
these
matters
to be
channelled
to the
SAB and that arrangement
has
worked
very
well.
But
we
also
want
to
tell
the
community
members
that
the
SAB
is
well-placed
to
help
you
with
these
challenges
and
that
we
are
only
a
phone
call
or
email away.
Raising
Awareness
within
the
Wider
Society
13.
The
second objective of
undertaking
this 75
th
anniversary
exercise
is to
help increase
awareness
about
the
SAB and
the
Sikh community within
the wider
society
in
Singapore. The Sikh community
is
a
minority
within a
minority
community
in
Singapore.
Yet
we
are
privileged
to
be
regularly
on
the
minds of government leaders and
our partner
organisations,
as is
evident
today.
14.
For
that
we
have
a
lot
to
thank
the
MCCY,
the
SAB’s
chief
stakeholder,
for
ensuring the
Sikh community
is a
constant
part
of
the wider
social fabric.
MOS
Alvin
Tan
and
the
MCCY
CRED
team
are
here
today
to
join
us
in
these
celebrations,
and
they
are a key part
of
this equation as
are
Minister
Edwin
Tong
and
PS
Tan
Gee
Keow
who
always
make
themselves
available
for the
SAB
and the Sikh
community. MOS
will
tell
you that
on several
occasions, on
our request to make time for the Sikh
community,
he has
had
to
add
to
his
already
packed
schedule.
We
are
indeed
grateful
for
the
time
you
make
for
us.
15.This
relationship
is
long-standing
–
MCCY
and
SAB
teams
past
and
present
have
shared
a
close
and
trusted
relationship.
DPM
himself,
during
his
time
as
MCCY
Minister,
contributed
greatly
to this
partnership.
16.
I
recall
clearly
how,
in
2013,
DPM
attended
the
Harmony
Games
hosted
by the
Sikh community
in
this very location and only two years
ago, he
was in
this
very
same
room to
grace
the
30
th
anniversary
celebrations of
the
SSEF,
on
the
invitation
of
the
SAB.
17.
Mr Abdullah Tarmugi,
who we
are
very
honoured
to have
with
us today,
was
also
a part
of this equation
during his
time
as Minister
MCYS.
Mr
Bhajan
Singh
has
reminded
me
many
a times
of
the
role
Mr
Tarmugi
played to
support the
SAB in much
of
its work
for
the
Sikh community
in
the
past.
18.
The
importance of the
SAB to engage the wider
society
goes beyond that
however.
19.
Some may say
it is cliché
to
talk
about
the
importance of racial
and
religious
harmony
in
Singapore
but
that
doesn’t
mean
that
it
shouldn’t
be
spoken about.
Today,
nearly
marks
the end
of
the very first
racial and
religious
harmony
month
in
Singapore
and
it
is
fitting
to
see
that
spirit
alive
in
this
room
today.
It
is
a
Sikh
community
event, but
we
have
in
our
midst
our
friends
from
the
different
faith
groups
–
the
SAB’s
interfaith
family.
20.
We
share
a
special
and
unique
bond
–
we
meet each
other
a
few
times
a
month
at
formal
occasions,
informally
to
chat,
to
attend
training
and
development
together
and
to
participate
in
each
other’s
celebrations.
We
write to
wish
one
another on
our
respective festivals.
I am
so grateful
for
your
friendship
and
for
your
support
here
today.
21.
This
is
rare
in
most
places
in
the world. And that
is
why
we
need
to
constantly
remind ourselves
of the importance of racial
and
religious
harmony
–
cliché or
not.
22.
But what we have hasn’t
come easily. Every faith group has
worked
hard
to
outreach,
to
focus
on
positives
and
similarities,
rather
than
differences,
to place unity
and pragmatism over factionalism and extremism.
The
Sikh
community
has
been
no
different.
23.
You have heard
about how the SAB
contributes through
the
Harmony
Games
and
the
National
Steering
Committee
of
Racial
and
Religious
Harmony,
among
other
initiatives.
We
are
not
alone
–
every
Sikh
institution
in
Singapore
plays
their
part
to
contribute
to
racial
and
religious
harmony.
Here
are
some
examples of
how
Sikh institutions
have
been
outreaching
to
other
communities
in
such
efforts.
[slide]
24.
However,
there
is
much
more
work
to
do
on
this
front.
With
the
society
in
Singapore
becoming
more
diverse
over
time,
the
Sikh
community,
as
a
minority
group,
has
to
work
even
harder
to
ensure
it
is
recognised,
understood and contributes to stronger societal bonds
- something it
has
always done. That
is
why
we are using
the
opportunity of
the SAB’s
75
th
anniversary
to
reiterate
the Sikh community’s
story
to
Singapore.
We
shouldn’t
miss
any
opportunity
to
create
awareness
and
strengthen
bonds
and
this
is as
good
an
opportunity
as
any
other.
25.
In
a
few
minutes
you
will
see
the
launch
of
the
SAB
75
th
anniversary
book,
which aims to document
the
community’s
contributions
through
the SAB
and tell many stories of
nation-building.
The book
is
currently
being put
together
by my
two esteemed predecessors
– Mr
Bhajan Singh and
Mr
Surjit Singh
– and we are honoured that
DPM
will be launching its cover
today.
26.
The
exhibition
you
view
downstairs
and
the
videos
you
saw
on
the
screen
earlier will
also
be
useful tools
to
shape these
narratives as
they will
be
shared
widely
on
social
media
and
we
aim
to
take
the
exhibition
and
the
Sikh
community
to
the
grassroots
like
we
did
four
years
ago
by
bringing
the
Sikh
Heritage
Day
to the
residents
of
Tampines.
27.
We
believe
these
small
steps
will
go
some
distance
in
building
closer
links
between
the
community and
the
rest of
Singapore.
Recognising
our Stakeholders
28.
The
third
reason
we
found
it
useful
to
celebrate
this
milestone
event
is
to
take stock of
the SAB’s
contributions
and
to
appreciate
our
stakeholders.
29.The
thing
is,
although
the
SAB
was
formed
in
1915
by
the
British,
we
are
today
marking
75
years
of
its
reconstitution
in
1948.
And
the
reconstitution
marked
an
important
turn
in
the
SAB’s
history,
notably
its
composition.
30.
Up until
then, the members of
the
SAB were appointed
by the
Governor
of the Straits Settlements
with meetings
conducted
in
Malay. It was
only
after
it
was
reconstituted
in
1948,
that
the
SAB
got
a
more
distinctive
Sikh
flavour with meetings
then
conducted
in
Punjabi.
And it
was only then
that
it
truly
became
representative
of
the
community
as
nine
out
of
the
12
members
were
nominated
by
the
five
gurdwaras
then
with
the
remaining
three
nominated
by
the
government.
31.
That
trend
has
continued
until
today
where
the
seven
gurdwaras
nominate
13
out
of
the
17
SAB
members
with
the
remaining
four
nominated
by
the
government.
Thus,
the
gurdwaras
in
Singapore
are
important
stakeholders
and
contributors
to the
SAB.
32.
Much of
what
the SAB does, including
putting
together tonight’s event,
could not
have been
possible without their
support.
When we
need
to
present a
perspective from the
Sikh
faith
to the government
on
a
policy
matter,
we
seek
the
wise
counsel of
the
gurdwaras.
33.
We are grateful to the
Gurdwaras
for being
with
the
SAB on
this
long
journey
and
we
look forward
to
this
partnership for
time
to come.
34.
Though
not
our
direct stakeholders,
we also have the benefit
of
the
support and cooperation of
the other
Sikh institutions
that
are
present
today.
From
co-organising
events
to
working
together
to
invite
key
government
leaders and foreign speakers
to their
events, there
are
many
examples
of collaboration
that we
can take
heart
from.
We look forward
to honouring
and
thanking
all
of you
tonight.
35.
It
would
be
remiss
of
me
to
not
acknowledge
the
heart
of
the
Board
–
the
SAB
team itself.
I would like to invite
my
teammates
at the SAB to please
rise to be
acknowledged. They
have worked hard
behind
many
of the
initiatives
we
have spoken
about
tonight and some
for many years.
Led
by
organising
committee
chairperson
and
SAB
Secretary
Ms
Satwant
Kaur,
they
have
endeavoured
to
present
these
celebrations
to
the
community
and society.
Thank
you
friends.
36.
I would
also
like to acknowledge two
former SAB chairmen
and
yeomen
of
the
community
who
could
not be
with
us
tonight. Unfortunately,
Mr
Jeswant
Singh
Bandal’s
health
prevented
him
from
joining
us
this
evening.
And
sadly,
as
many of you
would know, we lost
the
very humble
Mr
Harbans
Singh
earlier
this
year.
We
are
grateful
for
their
many
contributions
to the
Board
over
the
years.
37.
When
one
does
community
or
public
service,
one
does
have
to
lose
a
little
of
one’s
self.
That
underscores
the
concept
of
sewa
in
the
Sikh
faith
and
is
also synonymous with servant leadership
in
the
wider context.
The
SAB
team
is
no different
–
often spending their own resources, social
capital
and
time to
contribute
to the
Board, community and nation.
Many
would
also
sacrifice
family time,
choosing
to
attend
to
important community
matters
over
time
spent
with
loved
ones.
It
is
an
important,
and
sometimes necessary,
sacrifice.
38.
And
that is
why
we are pleased to have
with
us today the
families of
two
of
our
previous chairmen
– the
families of
the
Late
Mr
Sardool
Singh
Narula
and
of
the
Late
Mr
Nirmal
Tej
Singh
Chopra.
Thank
you
for
joining
us
today
and
we
are
grateful
for
the
foundations
your
ancestors
have
laid
for
the
SAB
to
reach
this
milestone
today.
The
Way
Forward
39.
Lastly, as we look
back
at the past, these celebrations are
also
a useful
reflection
point
on how
the
SAB should move forward and
to
gear
up
for
current and
future
needs and challenges.
Already, the
current
SAB
team
has
worked
on
a
number
of
areas
that
we
see
as
challenges.
40.
You heard earlier about the setting up of EnKaur
to
increase the
level
of
female
leadership within
the
community.
In
the
past
two years
we have
also
worked
with
the
MSF
to
strengthen
family
relationships
and
marriages
within
the community.
41.
This is the
tip of
the
iceberg and there
are
many more challenges
that we
can work with the
community
on.
Perhaps
this is a
discussion
for
another
day
and
the
mandate
of
the
next
SAB
team.
But
discuss
we
will.
If
in
2011,
we
could
bring
the community leaders together
to brainstorm and
work
towards
several solutions
to
the
issues
we
faced then,
there
is
no reason
why
we
can’t
do
the
same
again.
42.
For
that
we
look
forward
to
the
support
of
all
our
stakeholders
–
both
those
present
here
tonight
and
those
who
are
not
with
us.
Please
continue
to
support,
guide
and
collaborate
with
us.
43.Thank
you
and good
night.
The Sikh Advisory Board marks its 75th anniversary, aiming to increase awareness within the Sikh community and honor the contributions of past leaders. The historical background reveals the evolution of the SAB and its significance in providing assistance to the community. Recognizing the importance of educating stakeholders on Sikh traditions, the SAB continues to play a pivotal role with the support of dedicated individuals.
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Presentation Transcript
Opening Speech by Mr Malminderjit Singh Chairman,Sikh AdvisoryBoard SAB 75thAnniversaryCelebrations Mr Lawrence Wong, Deputy Prime Ministerand Ministerfor Finance Mr Alvin Tan, Minister of State for Culture, Community& Youth and Trade & Industry Mr Pan Kin Keong, Perm Sec, MHA Ms Liew Wei Li, DG of Education Ms Shie Yong Lee, Commissionerof Prisons Mr Jimmy Toh,CEO of PA Prof Tan Tai Yong, President, SUSS CommunityLeaders, DistinguishedGuests and Friends Background 1. It gives me great pleasure to be here today, on behalf of the SAB to welcome you to this momentousoccasion. 2. When the SAB team met last year to discuss this milestone we asked ourselves why celebrating the 75 years should matter? and if it did how should we markthis occasion? 3. After all, the SAB has always operated in the background of the Sikh community. A little bit of soul searching never hurts and in doing so we arrived at what appeared to us to be sensible and important reasons fourof them to be exact - to undertake this exercise.
Raising Awarenesswithin Sikh Community 4. The first was the need to increase awareness about the SAB within the Sikh community. 5. Unless you are associated with a Sikh organisation, I dare say that other members of the community may have little or no knowledge and understandingof the SAB, its role and what it stands for. 6. And that is unsurprising given the low profile of the organisation and the manner in which it exists. With no permanent office, no full-time staff and no resources of our own, the SAB has originally been set up as purely an advisoryboard. 7. But that hasn't stopped the SAB from making a difference as is evident from the tribute video we saw earlier. Past SAB teams have certainly worked hard for the community and the nation. And that is why we are gratefulto have some of our previous Board memberswith us today. 8. A special mention to four outstandingindividuals former SAB Chairmen Mr Bhajan Singh, Mr Harmit Singh, Mr Jarmal Singh and Mr Surjit Singh for their tireless and exemplary leadership of the SAB and the community in the past. Please join me in applauding them. 9. To be honest, some of the depth and extent of our predecessors contributions was also unknown to me. On a personal note, the exercise
offindingoutabouttheSABshistory andevolution wasvery enrichingas it gave me a greater perspective of the work we do. A few things stood out for me. 10.As you heard from Prof Tan in the video earlier, the colonial government set up the SAB a fewmonths after the Indian Mutinyof 1915 in Singapore. It is also unsurprising then that the highest-ranking Sikh police officer of that time was traditionally appointed the Chairman of the SAB. In some years where there was no suitable Sikh available, the Inspector-General of the police,an Englishman,would be appointed chairperson. 11.IamgladthattherequirementofapolicemantochairtheSABisnolonger applicable I would probably not have qualified. 12.So why is it important that we create an awareness of the SAB in the community? As you would have seen from the explanatory video just before this, there are many instances where Sikhs here need assistance tohelp themeducateother stakeholdersofouruniquereligioustraditions and values. Often, they don t know who to go to for such assistance or what channels to explore. The Gurdwaras are certainly a touch point for these matters to be channelled to the SAB and that arrangement has worked very well. But we also want to tell the community members that
the SAB is well-placed to help you with these challenges and that we are onlya phone call or email away. RaisingAwarenesswithin theWider Society 13.The second objective of undertaking this 75thanniversary exercise is to help increase awareness about the SAB and the Sikh community within the wider society in Singapore. The Sikh community is a minority within a minority community in Singapore. Yet we are privileged to be regularly on the minds of government leaders and our partner organisations, as is evident today. 14.For that we have a lot to thank the MCCY, the SAB s chief stakeholder, for ensuring the Sikh community is a constant part of the wider social fabric. MOSAlvinTanandthe MCCYCREDteamarehere today tojoinusinthese celebrations, and they are a key part of this equation as are Minister Edwin Tong and PS Tan Gee Keow who always make themselves available for the SAB and the Sikh community. MOS will tell you that on several occasions, on our request to make time for the Sikh community, he has had to add to his already packed schedule. We are indeed grateful for the time you make for us.
15.This relationshipislong-standingMCCYand SABteamspastandpresent havesharedacloseandtrustedrelationship.DPMhimself,duringhistime as MCCY Minister, contributed greatly to this partnership. 16.I recall clearly how, in 2013, DPM attended the Harmony Games hosted by the Sikh community in this very location and only two years ago, he was in this very same room to grace the 30thanniversary celebrations of the SSEF, on the invitationof the SAB. 17.Mr Abdullah Tarmugi, who we are very honoured to have with us today, was also a part of this equation during his time as Minister MCYS. Mr Bhajan Singh has reminded me many a times of the role Mr Tarmugi played to support the SAB in much of its work for the Sikh community in the past. 18.The importance of the SAB to engage the wider society goes beyond that however. 19.Some may say it is clich to talk about the importance of racial and religious harmony in Singapore but that doesn t mean that it shouldn t be spoken about. Today, nearly marks the end of the very first racial and religious harmony month in Singapore and it is fitting to see that spirit alive in this roomtoday. It is a Sikh community event, but we have in our
midst our friends from the different faith groups the SABs interfaith family. 20. We share a special and unique bond we meet each other a few times a month at formal occasions, informally to chat, to attend training and development together and to participate in each other s celebrations. We write to wish one another on our respective festivals. I am so grateful for your friendship and foryour supporthere today. 21.This is rare in most places in the world. And that is why we need to constantly remind ourselves of the importance of racial and religious harmony clich ornot. 22.But what we have hasn t come easily. Every faith group has worked hard to outreach, to focus on positives and similarities, rather than differences, to place unity and pragmatism over factionalism and extremism. The Sikh communityhas been no different. 23.You have heard about how the SAB contributes through the Harmony Games and the National Steering Committee of Racial and Religious Harmony, among other initiatives. We are not alone every Sikh institution in Singapore plays their part to contribute to racial and
religiousharmony.Here are someexamples of how Sikh institutionshave been outreaching to other communitiesin such efforts.[slide] 24.However, there is much more work to do on this front. With the society in Singapore becoming more diverse overtime, the Sikh community,as a minority group, has to work even harder to ensure it is recognised, understood and contributes to stronger societal bonds - something it has always done. That is why we are using the opportunity of the SAB s 75th anniversary to reiterate the Sikh community s story to Singapore. We shouldn t miss any opportunity to create awareness and strengthen bonds and this is as goodan opportunityas any other. 25.In a few minutes you will see the launch of the SAB 75thanniversary book, which aims to document the community s contributions through the SAB and tell many stories of nation-building. The book is currently being put together by my two esteemed predecessors Mr Bhajan Singh and Mr Surjit Singh and we are honoured that DPM will be launching its cover today. 26.The exhibition you view downstairs and the videos you saw on the screen earlier will also be useful tools to shape these narratives as they will be shared widely on social media and we aim to take the exhibition and the
Sikh community to the grassroots like we did four years ago by bringing the Sikh HeritageDayto the residents of Tampines. 27.We believe these small steps will go some distance in building closer links between the communityand the rest of Singapore. Recognisingour Stakeholders 28.The third reason wefoundit useful to celebrate this milestoneevent is to take stock of the SAB scontributions and to appreciate our stakeholders. 29.The thing is, although the SAB was formed in 1915 by the British, we are today marking 75 years of its reconstitution in 1948. And the reconstitution marked an important turn in the SAB s history, notably its composition. 30.Up until then, the members of the SAB were appointed by the Governor of the Straits Settlements with meetings conducted in Malay. It was only afterit wasreconstitutedin1948,that theSABgotamoredistinctiveSikh flavour with meetings then conducted in Punjabi. And it was only then that it truly became representative of the community as nine out of the 12 members were nominated by the five gurdwaras then with the remainingthree nominated by the government. 31.That trend has continued until today where the seven gurdwaras nominate 13 out of the 17 SAB members with the remaining four
nominated by the government. Thus, the gurdwaras in Singapore are important stakeholdersand contributorsto the SAB. 32.Much of what the SAB does, including putting together tonight s event, could not have been possible without their support. When we need to present a perspective from the Sikh faith to the government on a policy matter, we seekthe wise counselof the gurdwaras. 33.We are grateful to the Gurdwaras for being with the SAB on this long journey and we lookforwardto this partnership fortime to come. 34.Though not our direct stakeholders, we also have the benefit of the support and cooperation of the other Sikh institutions that are present today. From co-organising events to working together to invite key government leaders and foreign speakers to their events, there are many examples of collaboration that we can take heart from. We look forward to honouring and thanking all ofyou tonight. 35.It would be remiss of me to not acknowledge the heart of the Board the SAB team itself. I would like to invite my teammates at the SAB to please rise to be acknowledged. They have worked hard behind many of the initiatives we have spoken about tonight and some for many years. Led byorganisingcommitteechairpersonandSABSecretaryMsSatwantKaur,
they have endeavoured to present these celebrations to the community and society. Thankyou friends. 36.I would also like to acknowledge two former SAB chairmen and yeomen of the community who could not be with us tonight. Unfortunately, Mr Jeswant Singh Bandal s health prevented himfrom joining us this evening. And sadly, as many of you would know, we lost the very humble Mr Harbans Singh earlier this year. We are grateful for their many contributionsto the Board overthe years. 37.Whenonedoescommunityorpublicservice,onedoeshavetolosealittle of one s self. That underscores the concept of sewa in the Sikh faith and is also synonymous with servant leadership in the wider context. The SAB team is no different often spending their own resources, social capital and time to contribute to the Board, community and nation. Many would also sacrifice family time, choosing to attend to important community matters over time spent with loved ones. It is an important, and sometimesnecessary,sacrifice. 38.And that is why we are pleased to have with us today the families of two of our previous chairmen the families of the Late Mr Sardool Singh Narula and of the Late Mr Nirmal Tej Singh Chopra. Thank you for joining
us today and weare grateful forthe foundationsyour ancestorshave laid for the SAB to reach this milestone today. TheWayForward 39.Lastly, as we look back at the past, these celebrations are also a useful reflection point on how the SAB should move forward and to gear up for current and future needs and challenges. Already, the current SAB team has workedon a number of areas that we see as challenges. 40.You heard earlier about the setting up of EnKaur to increase the level of female leadership within the community. In the past two years we have also worked with the MSF to strengthen family relationships and marriages within the community. 41.This is the tip of the iceberg and there are many more challenges that we can work with the community on. Perhaps this is a discussion for another dayandthe mandateofthe next SABteam.Butdiscusswewill.Ifin 2011, we could bring the community leaders together to brainstorm and work towards several solutions to the issues we faced then, there is no reason why we can t do the same again. 42.For that we look forward to the support of all our stakeholders both those present here tonight and those who are not with us. Please continue to support,guide and collaboratewith us.
