一句话顶一年

[Lu]

I'm having trouble coming up with a good translation for this, and actually with grasping what exactly it means.

Context: old director has retired and made new director his successor. New director is not entirely happy with how this was done, but realises he has to appear grateful, so every year he invites old director to a birthday dinner. And every year on that occasion, he says '工作一年忙到头，顾不上看望老领导；但老领导的生日，还是得我亲自来主持。' The text then goes on 虽是一句话，一句话顶一年，但是一句总比没一句强 and the old director is always happy when he hears it.

So what does 一句话顶一年 mean here? I kind of get it (something you say only once a year) but can't quite grasp it. Or what does 顶 mean here?

Thanks for anyone's thoughts on this.

[skylee]

To sustain a year on those words.

[陳德聰]

I got the feeling it was more to make up for the year of being busy rather than to last the next coming year, but that's just me.

[Lu]

Thank you both!

[Theophania]

Geez,I just wrote a bunch of stuff,and it's all gone now,cos I clicked the wrong button.