“Let us have music for Christmas…
Sound the trumpet of joy and rebirth;
Let each of us try, with a song in our hearts,
To bring peace to men on earth.” Mildred L. Jarrell
A Merry Christmas to my readers everywhere. It is that time of year when people of goodwill share the sentiments of the season and hope for peace on earth. As we go to church this Sunday, we should ensure that we take a moment to pray for peace as conflict poses the greatest threat to human existence on planet earth. There are not only rumours of war; there is an active war at this time between Russia and Ukraine. People of Faith can only conclude that the world needs divine intervention for peace.
No matter what is happening in the world at this time, people will always find a way to celebrate Christmas, some travelling thousands of miles to fellowship with family and friends. Others seek special ways of caring and sharing with the less fortunate. This is a time when our humanity strikes at the very core of our being. There is a special feeling regardless of the circumstance of the moment as we seek to embrace love.
I usually commence my fun activities for the festive season on my birthday, which is the day after National Day. I look forward to the ensuing weekend when I attend Youth Fest, now renamed Music Fest Sent Lisi. This event was held this year for the 19th time, only on three occasions away from Vieux Fort when it was moved to Castries. Two of those events were held behind closed doors due to the COVID 19 pandemic which surged in 2019 and 2020. It is unfortunate that this year when we should have been celebrating in a free environment without mandatory COVID-19 protocols, many patrons opted to stay away due to recent incidents of crime in the community.
The time has come for the government and business community to earnestly support Music Fest Sent Lisi and place it on the National Events Calendar in the New Year as recognition for 20 years of continuous service to Vieux Fort and its environs. It is time to take Music Fest Sent Lisi to the next level and give it the recognition it deserves. Based on discussions with the Directors of the event, I am convinced that Youth Fest/Music Fest Sent Lisi over the years has set a standard for the entertainment industry in St. Lucia.
Many young persons are on the Management Committee of the organisation. The feature item on the event card is the Youth Star Competition. This year, ten young entrants participated for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places which carried prize money of $5,000.00, $1,500.00, and $1,000.00 respectively. The 2022 Youth Star is Mr. Kyle Henry with Stephen Deterville and Kurtly Estava in second and third places. The financial impact on the community including service providers and local artistes is substantial.
Putting money in the pockets of artistes at this time can be crucial. The change of name from Youth Fest to Music Fest Sent Lisi a few years ago was timely as with every passing year the audience welcomes many older folks. This year, I saw a number of over 70 enjoying the ambiance. It is worthy of note and should be highly commended that Mr. Omar Davis and his team of dedicated young people, headed by Nyeem Saltibus have done a profound and remarkable job over the years to keep the event alive. Not many organisations have attained such longevity.
The Southern Business Association (SBA) hosted the annual Meet and Greet for its members and well-wishers at the Skyway Inn, Beanefield, Vieux Fort. The event was well attended. Networking was the highlight of the evening and many new businesses were introduced. A strong commitment to making the Association a viable entity in the New Year was the consensus. I get the feeling that business persons in the South are ready to get together, share experiences and collaborate in business deals.
It is my prayer that in spite of all the challenges we face at this time, we will take a few moments to give thanks to our Creator for life and the gifts that have been bestowed upon us during the year that is swiftly coming to a close.
I will be back next week to fulfil my promise made last week so that we can enter the New Year with confidence that things will be better.
Stay safe, be happy while enjoying the festive season. Be blessed. Our best life is ahead of us!
Edward Harris
Freelance Journalist/Realtor/Business Consultant
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