Keeping Culture In Good Hands! by Government of Saint Lucia

Issue 15 | 10 Nov, 2018

Building Resilience

OUR SAINT LUCIA www.govt.lc

Bi-monthly Progress Report from the Government of Saint Lucia

CONTENTS

10 Nov 2018

4 New CDF Executive Director

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Year-round Calendar for Arts & Culture

5 National Arts Festival

Celebrating Rameau

Another Successful Arts & Heritage Month

8 Ministers on the Move

Greater Prominence for Culture & Creative Industries

or society to develop in the area of creative industries, Hon. Senator Fortuna Belrose believes the nurturing of an environment of peace, love and care is vital. The Minister with responsibility for Local Government and Culture on island shared some of government’s plans as it relates to the progression of arts and culture, and some of the successes thus far experienced as this administration continues to prioritize wholistic progress. Q: Can you summarize government’s overarching policy when it comes to culture? Belrose: If we look at what culture itself is; it speaks to a way of life of a people, the attitudes and characteristics of a people, what distinguishes them from others and how they express themselves. We are really focused on the development of our society and for us to develop, I believe we must encourage an environment in which we share in positive values. The government of Saint Lucia wants to foster this, as we engage in various areas of our expressions – song, dance, theatre, the arts, our indigenous festivals, our heritage and history. I believe that if we utilize all of these, we can get closer to realizing and achieving a more harmonious society, instilling a sense of pride in our people, while at the same time securing avenues for employment and economic empowerment through the creative industry. Q: What are some of the priorities for the Government where culture is concerned? Belrose: When I became Minister, we decided that more prominence should be given to our culture and our indigenous festivals. As such, we sought to provide more funding for these events. The second thing we did was to establish the Events Company of Saint Lucia. The idea is that, we can now produce these national festivals at the highest standard on par with events such as Saint Lucia Jazz. Through these events our people can derive

Hon. Senator Fortuna Belrose, Minister responsible for Local Government and Culture. the economic beneﬁts, as we encourage the interest and growth. Q: Can you elaborate on the support given to our national festivals? Belrose: The two ﬂower festivals La Rose and La Marguerite have been given more support than they have received in over a decade. We needed to demonstrate to all Saint Lucians that these festivals were important, and we also recognized that the majority of those involved were from an older demographic. To do this we needed a better platform for them and we needed to create the enabling environment while providing more resources. In addition, we continue to ensure that these events are taken into the schools so that the young ones coming up get an appreciation for what is ours.

Then there is Jounen Kweyol, which is now no longer a weekend celebration but a whole month of activities. This year, we had an extensive program put on by the CDF and the FRC with the assistance of the Events Company of Saint Lucia. With carnival, the grandest of these festivals, we have had two successful years in a row. Carnival as you know was given a major boost by the increase in the ﬁnancial allocation by this government. It has also been great to see the CDF and Events Company of Saint Lucia collaborating with the other stakeholders to deliver a quality product that Saint Lucians and visitors participate in. We saw an increase in the number of visitors and of course one of the big attractions is the music especially the Dennery Segment, which we continue to support.

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Q: Can you speak to the work of the CDF? Belrose: “The government continues to view the CDF as having a critical role. They are responsible for the training and development of everything cultural. The Events Company of Saint Lucia assists in the production of the events conceptualized through the CDF and so I think this government has been better able to help the agencies – CDF, Events Company and the FRC, understand and appreciate

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their roles. We also want to make the CDF more accessible to persons in the arts and to oﬀer more training programs. Q: What are the plans in the immediate future for the Ministry of Culture? Belrose: We are currently reviewing the overall policy on culture to make it more relevant to our

times. We also want to ensure that we continue to synergize the various agencies and utilize our local government councils by getting them involved in more meaningful ways in cultural activities in the communities. We are also spearheading the activities for the 40th Independence anniversary celebrations next year, which we expect to launch in December.

Musicians Avail Themselves of Government Funded Training

he Ministry of Culture, through the Cultural Development Foundation (CDF) earlier this year funded an extensive two-day Music Symposium. The event, which attracted a wide cross section of persons involved in the music industry in Saint Lucia including producers, songwriters and performers, was born out of a need to better educate, engage and foster connections for aspiring local artistes, singers, and musicians. The music symposium was facilitated by an international panel which included Tracy Hamlin; International Recording Artist, Owner of DMH Records, Vocal Coach and National Trustee for the Recording Academy (Grammys); Stephanie Thomas, Entertainment Attorney and owner of SKTLegal, a law practice focusing on Entertainment Law, Small Business Law, Copyright and Trademark Law; Crystal Bozeman, Founder and President of Shazier Enterprises LLC and Manager for Multi-Grammy Award winning Singer/Actress Mya and Traci Braxton; Elise Perry, Music Producer for Kindred and the Family Soul/Engineer/Composer/Video Director for Black Girls Rocks and Owner of BeauxArt Media LLC. The sessions which were free to participants were held over a two-day period

and focused on topics including artiste management, copyright, branding, imaging and marketing as well as sound engineering and recording techniques. The Music Industry Symposium through the panel, facilitated breakout sessions that allowed participants to get involved by asking questions and showcasing their talent and music. Speaking at the symposium Mrs. Ramona Henry-Wynne of the CDF thanked the

presenters for their stimulating and informative presentations. She also expressed her satisfaction at the number of persons who attended the symposium saying that this was encouraging for the CDF. “It is our intention to host more of these as we seek to develop and build on our music industry here in Saint Lucia,” she stated. The symposium was held April 27-28 at the Dolphin Conference Room, Bay Gardens Beach Resort.

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New Head at CDF Central Government via subventions.” Part of the sustainability she believes, is ensuring that some of the training programs offered by the CDF will lead to certification for the participants in various fields. The CDF Executive Director spoke of some of the very successful undertakings by the CDF this year including the Music Symposium, the Summer Arts Program, the Steel Pan Program and the Arts Fusion Project in the south. “This year we did Canaries steel pan, the previous year we did Soufriere and participants from that program were able to take part in Panorama as SoufCan, placing fourth. This is a success story because they did just a four-week program and we supported them in going into the National Panorama.” CDF’s new Executive Director Raymona Henry-Wynne.

aymona Henry-Wynne has been appointed Executive Director for the Cultural Development Foundation (CDF). Henry-Wynne’s designation took eﬀect this past September. She previously served as one of the administrators at the CDF as well as Acting Director. An administrator by profession, she was trained in the UK and holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Management (Banking & Financial Services), BA Hons. Banking with Economics and Law and a Master of Business Administration. As a teacher and former dancer, she tutored in dance, and was involved in coordinating the Schools Marguerite Festival. She has also acted in local theatre productions, making further contributions to Arts and Culture as a member of the National Carnival Queen Pageant Committee and serving as a judge for several poetry competitions and junior pageants over the years. Henry-Wynne’s role is to pursue and ensure the CDF’s overall mandate is carried out. In her words, “This mandate is to promote and develop arts and culture as one of the pillars of development of our society, as well as to train the human resource which is the artistes themselves and to help them promote and develop their various skills.” Asked whether she believed the role of the CDF was clearly understood by artisans, cultural groups and local creatives, she answered in the aﬃrmative. “I think it is up to us now to deliver on the mandate of training, promoting and development in a consistent and sustainable way with the support we get from

The CDF Executive Director is hoping that the Steel Pan Program can continue island-wide and year-round, eventually feeding not just into Junior Panorama and the National Panorama but also via steel pan exposés and events. The CDF’s 2018 training program also included workshops in drumming, photography, theatre, ﬁlm and speech development. The recent staging of this year’s Icon Series Tribute (Rameau Poleon) as part of Arts and Heritage Month was also a high point for the CDF. According to Henry-Wynne, “This was in Belle Vue on October 1 and it was very well attended. Leading up to the event we did an edutainment program utilizing our culture crew comprising unemployed past SALCC students. They went to twelve schools around the island presenting Poleon’s work in music, song and drama.” The CDF has also collaborated with the Events Company of Saint Lucia for Carnival and with the FRC and the Events Company of Saint Lucia for Arts and Heritage Month. Moving forward, the Executive Director says the institution needs to continue to be more accessible. “We want to do more work at the community level,” she said. “We really want to tap into the communities so that the CDF is not only seen as a Castries based body.” The CDF’s ﬁnal activity for 2018 is the December Festivals which include the Lantern Festival, Festival of Carols and Festival of Lights. The body is also looking forward to playing its part in the celebration of the island’s 40th Independence anniversary in 2019.

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NAF 2018 ends on High Note

The National Arts Festival highlights the talent of Saint Lucian artists in various categories including visual arts.

he National Arts Festival (NAF) is a major activity on the annual cultural calendar in Saint Lucia. The aim of the festival is to sustain the invaluable and systematic developmental work in the arts that was achieved during the years of the M&C Fine Arts Awards Scheme initiated in 1979 by Minvielle & Chastanet Ltd. Since 2013 in response to the call from the arts community, NAF has become a truly national event, taking the arts into communities across the island. The ﬁshing village of Canaries was the proud host of this year’s Community Festival. The two-day aﬀair (April 14th & 15th) showcased visual and performing artists from the community who illustrated through a variety of creative means their unique talents and abilities. Creatives came out with an array of visual art, from recycled newspaper bowls and functional calabash craft to locally produced chocolate and soap, wood sculp-

tures and graphic animation. The event was attended by Minister for Local Government and Culture, Senator the Honourable Fortuna Belrose as well as Parliamentary Representative for Canaries, Honourable Dominic Fedee. Then, in a brilliant display of thought-provoking and insightful theatrical performances, students of the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College’s (SALCC) Drama Club put on two nights (April 21st & 22nd) of the production, ‘A Little Folktale’. The production written, directed and performed by the students was well received on both evenings by a warm and welcoming audience. The play tells the story of the Caribbean folklore characters ladjablès, ti bolonm and kòkma weaved into an exquisite modern-day setting. Commendations for the performances were glowing, complimentary and heartfelt. On Friday 27th April, Cadet Street was trans-

formed into an outdoor downtown café. Interpretations of an extensive body of work by Adrian Augier, the featured poet as well as original pieces were presented by Tori Leonce, Garner Raymond, Swithin Cornelle, Fayola Lubin, Runley Gordon, Ethan Fletcher, Perlina Murray, Jean Mederick, Sadia Chandler, Kerr Glasgow, Felicia Montoute and Krystal Nestor. In a 45-minute set, Adrian Augier along with Dianna Philip (vocalist) and Kenson Hippolyte (keyboardist) amplified the sounds of the Castries Underground in a dramatic display of literary prowess and without doubt left the audience in a state of reflection, and inspired to explore one’s culture, identity, and the inequalities existing in society. Organizers of NAF, the CDF, looks forward to next year’s celebration and once again thanks all the partners who continue to support efforts in the development of arts and culture in Saint Lucia.

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Collaborating for the Betterment of Arts & Culture

he Ministry of Culture overseas several major local events annually. These are conceptualized, managed, produced and presented by the department in collaboration with various agencies including the Events Company of Saint Lucia, the Cultural Development Foundation, the Folk Research Center and the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority and are either fully funded or partly funded by the Government of Saint Lucia. These activities have several objectives including helping engender a sense of pride and appreciation in our culture, helping to grow the creative industry, derive economic beneﬁts, create employment and generate interest from potential visitors.

Events

• Saint Lucia Food & Rum Festival (January): Main agencies – The SLTA, Ministry of Tourism and the Events Company of Saint Lucia • Saint Lucia Independence (February): Main Agencies – the CDF, Events Company of Saint Lucia • National Arts Festival (April): Main Agencies – CDF

Saint Lucia Carnival now forms part of the annual Soleil Festival.

• Saint Lucia Jazz Festival (May): Main Agencies – Events Company of Saint Lucia, SLTA • Saint Lucia Carnival (July): Main Agencies – Events Company of Saint Lucia, CDF • Mercury Beach (August): Main Agencies – Private Promoter with assistance from Events Company of Saint Lucia, SLTA and the Ministry of Tourism

La Woz and La Maguerite are the island’s prominent ﬂower festivals.

• Youth Summer Arts Programme (July-August): Main Agencies – CDF • Emancipation Exhibition and Events (August): Main Agencies – CDF, FRC Fete La Woz (August): Main Agencies – CDF, FRC • Roots and Soul Festival (August-September): Main Agencies – Events Company of Saint Lucia, SLTA

Billboard chart topper Avery Sunshine was one of the performers at this year’s Saint Lucia Jazz.

• Maguerite Festival (October): Main Agencies – CDF, FRC • Arts and Heritage Month (October): Main Agencies –Events Company of Saint Lucia, CDF, FRC • December Festivals (Lantern Festival, Festival of Carols, Festival of Lights): Main agencies – CDF

The December Festivals feature a wide range of talent on island.

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Saint Lucian Sculptor: Arts and Culture solution for resolving social woes

allim Eudovic has never stopped reaching for his dreams. The Saint Lucian sculptor who learned his craft at the hands of his father, renowned sculptor Vincent Eudovic, has grown leaps and bounds from where he first started. In fact, he now has his work featured in international locations as far flung as China and has no intention of slowing down on his quest to share his art with the world. How old were you when you created your first sculpture, and do you remember what it was? Jallim: I was five and it was a sculpture of an abstract horse. What draws you to the art of sculpture? Jallim: Sculpture is imposing and bold, it commands attention and incites confrontation. It also engages more of the senses, it’s tactile and even aromatic especially if you’re sculpting wood. Sculpture is also second nature and resonates with just about everyone because it exists on the same three dimensional plane as we do. What are some of the most important things a sculptor needs to know? Jallim: On the practical side knowledge of one’s medium is vital because you can sculpt with practically any medium if properly applied. Also, one needs a keen understanding of the tensile strengths of their choice materials. Proficiency with tools is also key because sculpting tools can be very dangerous. Philosophy and style are probably what underpins ones creativity, philosophy gives your work meaning and purpose and style gives aesthetic value and uniqueness. Any lessons shared from your father, leading sculptor Vincent Eudovic, that can also translate to real life?

working on a couple of exciting new projects which will be revealed to the public in short time. Where can people ﬁnd your work? Jallim: You can ﬁnd my work online, at galleries in New York and the UK, at my family’s studio, Eudovic Art Studio Inc., and soon at my very own studio Jallim Eudovic Studios. What are your biggest successes thus far? Jallim: China, hands down! I’ve done several public art sculpture projects in a few Chinese cities. If not sculpting, what would be your career of choice? Jallim: I probably would have been an architect or a poet.

Jallim: Yes. “Do it for the love and not the money” and “ You only get out what you put in”.

What are your hopes for the future of arts and culture in Saint Lucia?

What are some of your favourite latest projects?

Jallim: That we’ll have developed our art and exalted our culture on a level that commands global attention and that a sustainable cultural and creative economy could be built on it. Also, that we teach our beautiful Creole language in all our schools and that we recognize the intrinsic value of arts and culture in our day to day lives. Art and culture are the panacea for nearly all our social woes – our current declining situation is as result of us turning our backs against our core values that a strong focus on arts and culture can help restore.

Jallim: I’m very pleased with my last public art project that was recently unveiled in Zhengzhou China because it speaks to environmental degradation and was commissioned by a country which has been accused of crimes against the environment. I’m particularly happy to have been amongst a small group of international artists selected to reﬂect the change in attitude of the Chinese authorities towards the environment and global warming. I’m also

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Interpretations of music by Dame Marie Selipha ‘Sesenne’ Descartes and Florita Marquis were presented at this year’s Icon Series by a range of artists, through dance and music expressions. These included a ﬁve-member Folk ensemble (under the direction of Gregory Piper), Darlene Anius, Dianna Philip, Aneshar Antoine, Claudia Edward, Nahoma “Ready” Jn. Baptiste and Stacey Charles. Entertainment also came from the Laborie Steel Orchestra, Manmay La Kay, Eastern Folk Band, Belle Vue Lawòz Group and Belle Vue’s own Wanjman, Avòtsèvis and Vye Twizeen Boys. Drenia Frederick, Director of Events and Production at the Cultural Development Foundation expressed her satisfaction with the outcome of the Cultural Roadshow and Cultural Icon Series. “For us it was really a validation of why we’re doing the Icon Series and the importance of it,” she said. “This year we were able to fuse the other elements of the edutainment. We went to schools where we were able to educate people to understand and appreciate. You can’t build on something you don’t know about. You can’t innovate if you don’t understand the tradition, the culture, or what previously existed. You must know who you are. If you don’t know who you are, you don’t know where you’re going.” Folk Musician Joseph “Rameau” Poleon was honoured as part of this year’s Cultural Icon Series.

he culturally rich community of Belle Vue hosted this year’s Cultural Icon Series celebration on October 1st. The contributions of folk musician Joseph “Rameau” Poleon were highlighted in what was billed as a masterful display of music and dance. Into its fourth year, the Cultural Icon Series aims to cultivate national pride and cultural identity. The annual showcase highlights the substantive work that illustrates the essence of a selected icon’s contribution and impact on Saint Lucia’s culture that will also form the core of the legacy product for future generations.

The Cultural Icon Series forms part of activities for Arts and Heritage Month and was presented in collaboration with the Monsignor Patrick Anthony Folk Research Centre (FRC), Events Company of Saint Lucia (ECSL) and the Belle Vue Development Committee Fèt Kwéyòl. The three-hour celebration ‘Strings’ took place at the Belle Vue Primary School Courtyard. The Cultural Icon chosen for the year 2019 is famous Saint Lucian sculptor, Vincent Joseph Eudovic.

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Ministry of Culture and Local Government Embrace Independence Pageant

Prime Minister Allen Chastanet with contestants from this year's Miss Independence pageant

tyle, grace and charisma led the ladies to become finalists at this year’s Miss Independence pageant, but talent was a necessity to win the crown. The stakes were even higher this year, as the event was being held as part of Saint Lucia’s 39th Independence Anniversary Celebration hosted by The Independence Committee in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Local Government. The pageant was held on Friday February 16th, 2018 at the National Cultural Center. This was the first time the event, which was previously run by a private promoter, was entirely embraced by government. The Ministry of Culture and Local Government’s support for the pageant was driven by its commitment to social development through positive cultural activities. According to Sen. Hon. Fortuna Belrose, the event has created a platform of opportunity for young women and was thus embraced by the various communities and councils. “We are very happy that the objective of allowing the communities to take ownership of the event was achieved. The pageant has also created a platform for some of the girls who also got the opportunity to showcase their talent at the 2018 National Carnival Queen Show Pageant,” the Minister said. This year’s pageant was keenly contested and was won by Kernisha Augustus from Dennery. She received a Monroe College scholarship worth EC$15,000.00, a trip to Martinique, a check of $3000.00 and other gifts from sponsors. The first runner-up was Miss Earlyca Frederick from Choiseul, second runner-up Miss Kiana Nicholas from Vieux Fort, while the third runner-up was Miss Kaysia Verneuil from Laborie. The pageant saw the participation of nine talented young ladies from various communities. They competed in five segments including swimwear, talent, costume, evening wear, and interview.

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Saint Lucia Carnival Continues to Grow

aint Lucia Carnival took center stage from May 30th this year when it was launched through to the national Parade of the Bands on July 16 and 17, 2018. As part of the revelry closing the curtains on this year’s event, thousands of Saint Lucians and visitors paraded through the streets, dancing to the sweet sounds of Saint Lucia Soca and the increasingly popular Dennery Segment. Saint Lucia’s carnival falls within the ambit of the Ministry of Culture and was managed this year through the Events Company of Saint Lucia and the Cultural Development Foundation. Several stakeholders, community groups and agencies as well as private promoters, helped to ensure that this year’s event was a great spectacle and experience. This year’s carnival was funded and promoted by the Government of Saint Lucia to the tune of EC$3 million. Funding was targeted at infrastructure, support for community carnivals and activities and the staging of national events like the Carnival Queen Pageant, Junior Carnival, National Panora-

ma, the Calypso Competition, Inter-Commercial House Competition, Power & Groovy Soca Competition, King and Queen of the Bands, J’ouvert and the Parade of the Bands. The increase in Government’s financial injection also saw an increase in prize money to participants in the various competitions. Government is cognizant of the spinoffs from carnival and the links to the creative industry. Fashion and costume designers, make-up artistes, songwriters, music producers, dancers, performers (calypso and soca), light and sound engineers, stage managers and others now form part of the myriad of artisans benefitting from carnival. Several other sectors also saw the direct benefits from carnival with increase in sales and business opportunities during the period. These included food and drink vendors, service suppliers, security services, taxi drivers, mini-bus operators, boutiques, hair and beauty salons, restaurants and other related businesses and sectors.

The Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association has welcomed the growth of carnival and government’s thrust to raise the standard of the overall product. The SLHTA also noted the increase in the demand for hotel rooms this year by visitors, particularly during carnival. There was also an increase in demand for airlift into Saint Lucia for carnival, the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority has reported. This year, through the eﬀorts of the CDF, the Events Company of Saint Lucia and the Oﬃce of the Mayor of Castries, the two-day parade received a major upgrade. Several bleachers, comfort stations, tents, medical and emergency outposts and other amenities lined the route like never before. Organizers say this change was to ensure spectators were given the opportunity to enjoy the event in comfort, and more than three months later the reviews are in. Agencies, revelers, and other participants have unanimously declared Carnival 2018 a major success. Plans are already in the works for next year’s big event.

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Ensuring the Culture is in Good Hands

wo activities held in October placed the spotlight on Saint Lucian children, in an eﬀort of ensuring an appreciation and the embracing of local culture.

The Ministry of Equity, Social Justice, Empowerment, Youth Development, Sports, Culture and Local Government in collaboration with the Cultural Development Foundation (CDF) and the Folk Research Centre (FRC) held the 2018 Schools Creole Festival on Wednesday October 17th at the St. Joseph the Worker Church in Gros Islet. The festival, which formed part of activities for Kweyol Heritage Month saw the participation of several schools on the island. Then acting Prime Minister and parliamentary representative for Gros Islet Hon. Lenard Montoute applauded the participating schools for their involvement and encouraged the youth to keep the creole ﬂower festivals alive. “I want to congratulate the teachers and parents who have worked with the students to put this together. When I look at the turn out here today I can see that the culture is in good hands and our ﬂower festivals have a safe future,” Montoute said. The participating schools were the Gros Islet infant, primary and secondary, Marchand Primary, Castries Comprehensive, Ciceron, Odsan, Balata, RC Boys Infant, Dunnattor, Lady Gordon, Ave Maria, Ti Rocher, Carmen Rene, CARE and Sir Ira Simmons Secondary Schools. Sen. Hon Fortuna Belrose stated: “It is good to see that the young ones are so taken up by what was happening within the groups. I was impressed by the ways in which they sang and executed their roles. It is very important for us as a people to know how to celebrate. In the creole festivals we can learn how to resolve societal problems.” The festivity was followed by an award ceremony to honor one of Saint Lucia’s leading creole in schools activists, Ms. Lubin, who is the principal of the Marchand Primary School.

On a mission to ensure local flower festivals are kept alive!

The 2018 School’s Creole Festival saw the participation of several primary and secondary schools on island.

Then on Tuesday October 23, the Curriculum and Materials Development Unit (CAMDU), the CDF and the FRC collaborated for the Schools Folk Festival. The event was held at the National Cultural Centre with several schools staging performances in song, dance, masquerade, story-telling and traditional games with an emphasis on the Kweyol language. Participating schools were the Dunottar School, Marchand Combined, Babonneau Primary, Micoud Primary, Belle Vue Combined, Bocage Secondary, Carmen Renee Memorial, Reunion Primary, RC Boys Infant and Primary, SDA Academy and St. Mary’s College. The event stemmed out of workshops for teachers and students under the direction of Jason Joseph of CAMDU. A packed National Cultural Centre, comprising mainly students and teachers, showed their appreciation with resounding applause and interaction during the performances. Events Company of Saint Lucia also collaborated with the presenters of the event.

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Another Successful Arts and Heritage Month!

The Folk Research Center executive has declared Jounen Kweyol 2018 a resounding success.

ilary La Force, Executive Director of the Folk Research Centre has described this year’s event as a wonderful and successful experience. Since 1984 Saint Lucia and other Francophone nations have observed October 28 as International Creole day, with the main celebration staged on the last Sunday of October. In 2016 Government made the bold decision to infuse the activities into a month-long celebration – Arts and Heritage Month, culminating with Jounen Kweyol.

hosted the national Woule Laba competition. Ten teams participated in the event which also included a food fair.

This year’s activities were launched on September 30th in Choiseul under the theme “Dekouve Sent Lisi, Dekouve Ko’w” (Discover Saint Lucia, Discover You). “There we had a wonderful Church service, done in Creole, followed by the oﬃcial opening ceremony which was addressed by the MP for Choiseul Hon. Bradley Felix, the Minister for Culture Senator Hon. Fortuna Belrose and me,” Hilary La Force said. The day culminated with entertainment and a grand craft market at the La Fargue ﬁeld.

Throughout the month of October, several schools and communities also held activities while the organizers staged a craft market in Rodney Bay, school’s folk festivals and other related events including La Marguerite.

The next stop for Arts & Heritage Month was the community of Belle Vue, Vieux Fort North on October 1. “There we staged an amazing tribute to Rameau Poleon, violinist par-excellence,” La Force noted. On October 14, the community of Marchand

Another event, a violin festival carded for Mon Repos on Sunday October 21, was postponed due to heavy rains, but prior to the delay, La Wen Kweyol was successfully hosted at the National Cultural Centre. Phillis Wilson of Mon Repos won the 2018 La Wen Kweyol title.

Jounen Kweyol approached its pinnacle Friday October 26, with schools, business houses and government oﬃces staging their own celebrations around creole breakfast and lunches. Throughout the length and breadth of the island, persons could be seen adorned with traditional prints of madras as well as African prints, as Kweyol music permeated the air. The big day, Sunday October 28, dubbed “Grande Fete” saw the main events being staged in Vieux Fort and Soufriere. “In Vieux Fort, we have estimated that more than seven thousand persons partici-

pated in activities there. Besides the wide range of local foods, they were able to partner with diﬀerent agencies like SEDU and the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries to put on interesting showcases. At the Vieux Fort town hall there was a major exhibition, also forming part of the activities,” La Force reported. Performances by various cultural groups were also featured at Vieux Fort’s staging of the event. “Over in Soufriere it was not as crowded, nonetheless we believe that a few thousand persons made their way there from various communities,” La Force said. “Through the cooperation of the Soufriere Development Foundation, the main event was held in Palmiste where vendors were thronged by patrons. A grand stage saw performances by the band Future Lights of Soufriere, Ras Africa, General Bakes, Mighty & Subance as well as folk groups and dancers. “From our preliminary reports we can say that Jounen Kweyol and the Arts & Heritage Month was very successful in terms of the number of people who participated, and the variety of activities involved,” La Force said. “We will be having our post mortem shortly with all our stakeholders to look at what went well and what we need to improve in an eﬀort to keep growing this activity and making it better each year.”

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MINISTERS ON THE MOVE Hon. Gale Rigobert at the 2018 College and Career Fair.

Prime Minister Hon. Allen Chastanet and Hon. Herod Stanislas with Mr Alphonsus Stanislas who was honoured at this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Investiture ceremony at Government House.

Taiwanese support for farmers after passage of Tropical Storm Kirk.

Hon. Lenard Montoute making a presentation to the Gros Islet Primary School Special Education Class.

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At a glance . . . economic growth continues Saint Lucia’s economic trajectory has been positively assessed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), in its published World Economic Outlook October 2018. A 3.4 percent growth increment is projected for Saint Lucia in 2018, and 3.6 percent for 2019. According to the IMF, Saint Lucia’s GDP growth was three percent in 2017, sustained by robust activity in several sectors. Favorable external conditions, coupled with hotel expansions and the addition of new ﬂights, generated a strong recovery in tourism, with stay-over arrivals rising by 11 percent, the fastest growth in the Caribbean.

improvement in cbi program Saint Lucia has secured the 9th position globally and 4th regionally in the recently released Henley & Partners Global Citizenship Program Index (GCPI). The annual report, now in its 4th edition, provides a systematic analysis and comprehensive benchmarking of the world’s most important investment migration programs and has become the industry gold standard for this type of evaluation. The 12 countries included in the GCPI were evaluated according to 10 indicators: Reputation, Quality of Life, Visa-Free or Visa-on-Arrival Access, Processing Time and Quality of Processing, Compliance, Investment Requirements, Residence Requirements, Relocation Flexibility, Physical Visit Requirements, and Transparency. Each indicator had an equal weighting of 10, producing a total score out of 100 for each country.

ta i wa n e s e i n v e s t o r s s e e k pa rt n e r s h i p s Saint Lucia recently hosted a delegation of Taiwanese Investors. The delegation consisted of individuals desirous of beginning consultations with local authorities and businesses/entrepreneurs regarding their interest in investing in Saint Lucia whether through joint ventures or otherwise. The investors have shown interest in areas such as Technical Services (Fire Protection, HVAC and Electrical Engineering), Investment Construction, ICT, Accommodation Services and Fishing Supplies.

fa r m w o r k e r s wa n t e d The Department of Labour is inviting members of the public who are interested in seeking employment in the Canada-Caribbean Seasonal Agricultural Workers Programme, to collect application forms at the Department from October 24 to November 12, 2018. This Programme involves working on farms in Canada in such areas as Vegetables, Fruits, Green Houses, Flowers, Tobacco, Inclusive of Nurseries, Stables, Poultry, Swine, Sheep, Mink, Dairy, Bovine, Apiary Products.

young entrepreneur continues to excel Prime Minister Hon. Allen Chastanet has sent on congratulatory remarks to a young businessman on behalf of the Government of Saint Lucia. Mr. Johanan Dujon of Algas Organics won 1st Place at the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative’s ‘Pitch Competition.’

Building Resilience

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