SCORES of Guyanese nationals living in Saint Lucia gathered last Saturday in Vieux Fort in celebration of their mother country’s 43rd Republic Anniversary, in a social congregation dubbed “A celebration of our heritage”.
The event was held in the courtyard of the Baron Foods complex , and saw the attendance of nationals from across the island, gathered for a common cause – national pride.
Among the outstanding Guyanese nationals living in the island present were former Vice Chancellor of the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, Professor Nigel Harris and others. Professor Harris has recently taken the up the new role of Chancellor of the University of Guyana.
Also, St. Lucia’s Senator Debora Tobierre along with Mayor of Vieux Fort Winhall Joshua and Mrs. Joshua and president of the Jamaica Association Mr. Leathon Khan were also present along with representatives of the commercial community in Saint Lucia.
This was the first time an event of this magnitude was held in the south of the island.
President of the Guyana-Saint Lucia Association Ms. Karen Lawrence, who also chaired the proceedings, commended the number of long-standing Guyanese nationals residing in the island who had contributed to the continued growth of Saint Lucia while maintaining their national pride and encouraging the development of their own state.
Resident Consulate for Guyana in Saint Lucia Mr. Lokesh Singh echoed Lawrence’s stance and underlined his own commitment to the continued representation of all Guyanese nationals living in the island. He went on to extend words of congratulations to Guyanese nationals across the island on behalf of their country’s recently elected President David Granger.
Guyana and Saint Lucia have maintained a long history of partnership and friendship dating back decades before both countries’ independent standing.
To reconfirm this commitment to friendship and partnership was Mr Alva Baptiste, Saint Lucia’s Minister for External Affairs, International Trade and Civil Aviation, who served as the island’s official government representative at the event.
The Minister reaffirmed Saint Lucia’s commitment to mutually respectful and beneficial ties with Guyana and welcomed openly the Guyanese community on the island. He tagged a series of influential Guyanese nationals now living here, who had contributed considerably to the shaping of Saint Lucia’s growth pre and post independence.