Griffith at CIC awards: Teachers are not the enemy

Police Commissioner Gary Griffith was met with uproarious applause as he attended a co-curricular awards ceremony at his alma mater St Mary's College, this morning to receive an award and deliver an address on his experiences.

Speaking before a packed auditorium, Griffith credited his passion and sense of duty to the lessons he learned while still a student at the college, but said some of the most important lessons were learned outside the classroom, as he related his experiences as a member of the school's football team.

"One of the better memories I had in St Mary's College was of the good relationship there had between the teachers and the students. The teachers are not the enemy, they are here to develop you to be the best that you can be.

"This is a good school, and what I would ask you is that when you leave here, remember how good it was. We need to build rather than destroy, as a team and as a country. Use the characteristics you developed in this school to enter your own hall of fame."

Using his own son and former CIC student Gary Griffith III as an example, he said while there will be challenging days, it was important all students remained grounded and motivated to achieve their goals.

The ceremony also featured students who excelled in sports and other co-curricular activities for the year. Among these were members of various sporting teams as well as Sea Scouts, Cadets, the Chess Club and the Computer Society.