Saint Lucians have been making their mark on the world, for decades. Some of the “Notables” on my list are well-known. They include: our Nobel Laureates, Sirs Arthur Lewis and Derek Walcott; Olympic gold and silver medalist, Miss Julien Alfred; scientist-diplomat, the late Dr. Edsel Edmunds, after whom a nematode, “Longidorus edmundsi” is named; Sir Calixte George, who fought hard to liberalize the telecommunications market in the Eastern Caribbean; Hon. Luther Francois, who has almost single-handedly ignited a passion for jazz among the people of Martinique and Guadeloupe; and Mr. Daren Sammy, who was proclaimed an honorary citizen by the Pakistan government, for successfully advocating for the return of international cricket to that country.
My list also includes some, whose deeds are not well known by most Saint Lucians, such as Sir Darnley Alexander (deceased) who served as Chief Justice of Nigeria; Engineer, (Ing.) George Joseph Francois (deceased) who is recognized by Ghanaians as the “architect” of Ghana’s highway system; and Professor Cato Laurencin who is widely regarded as the “Father of Regenerative Medicine.”
Over the past month, I had cause to add to my list: the late, Dr. Henry “Charlo” Charles, who is fittingly regarded as the “Godfather of Caribbean Youth” and Mr. Horace Walters, who could easily claim the sobriquet, “Godfather of Fishers in Saint Lucia and the Eastern Caribbean.”
The “Henry Charles Commonwealth Cup” (HCCC)
The HCCC was simultaneously launched in Saint Lucia, the UK, and Zambia on October 12, 2024. The competition is aimed at empowering young footballers across the Commonwealth. I consider this a fitting tribute to Dr. Charles who dedicated his entire working life to the upliftment of young people, not only in his native Saint Lucia, but worldwide. Truly, no continent was left untouched by his vision and passion for youth development. He spent the better part of his career with the Commonwealth Secretariat, as its regional director and served as co-chair of its “Year of Youth 2023.” When he passed on July 8, 2023, he was attached to UNICEF as its Senior Programme specialist for Child Resilience.
The HCCC’s launch event in Saint Lucia would have warmed Dr. Charles’ heart, as it featured remarks by persons, who by their own recounting, benefited tangibly from his wise counsel and efforts, including the Hon. Foster Cummings and Hon. Shamfa Cudjoe-Lewis, Minister of Youth, and Sports respectively, of Trinidad and Tobago; Mr. John Roach, Director of Youth of Dominica; and Ms. Michelle Small-Bartley, Programme Manager for Youth Development at the CARICOM Secretariat. Poignant remarks were also delivered by Dr. Charles “comrades-in-arms”—such as Deputy Prime Minister Ernest Hilaire and Saint Lucia’s Honorary Counsel in Canada, Mr. Henry Mangal—who worked in the trenches of youth development issues. They spoke knowingly of Dr. Charles’ humble and affable nature, his comprehensive knowledge of youth matters, his love of young people, family, and culture, (especially calypso, and conscious reggae), and his love for the Caribbean.
For me, the highlight of the launch was a keynote by Dr. Keva Joseph. It’s impossible to succinctly present even a summary of her address. It’s enough to say that I consider her a veritable role model for our young people. All school principals should invite her to speak to students at their schools.
The launch of the HCCC reaffirmed Dr. Charles’ global standing as a champion of youth empowerment and resilience. He rests in phantasmal peace!
The Order of the Rising Sun
At an event held on Friday, October 25, 2024, Mr. Horace Walters, former Chief Fisheries Officer, and Saint Lucia’s longstanding representative on the International Whaling Commission (IWC) was formally presented with “The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon” by the Government of Japan, for his exceptional efforts in promoting the sustainable use of marine living resources and for fomenting friendship between Japan and Saint Lucia.
Established in 1875, this Order is Japan’s first national decoration. It is conferred on foreign nationals for their significant contributions to advancing relations between Japan and its partners.
Mr. Walters dedicated over 50 years of his life to the growth and development of the fisheries sector in Saint Lucia and the islands in the Eastern Caribbean, notably Dominica. He was the first Saint Lucian to be exposed to training overseas in various aspects of fisheries management. After completing a 9-month Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) training course in Barbados, he started work as a Fisheries instructor on April 1, 1969, under the mentorship of Sidney “Fatty” Felix (father of Parliamentarian, Hon. Bradley Felix). Thereafter, he pursued fisheries training at the College of Fisheries in St. Johns, Newfoundland, and studied cooperatives at the Coady International Institute, the premier cooperatives institute in Atlantic Canada. In addition, he successfully completed a Master of Science Degree in sea use law, economics, and policy making, with the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).
Mr. Walters is justly credited with building, arguably, the most effective Fisheries Department (FD) in the Caribbean, staffed by highly trained professionals. The structure and operations of this Department attracted keen interest other Caribbean leaders, notably from the late PM of Dominica, Eugenia Charles who requested the loan of an officer to help set up an FD in her country. Mr. Nigel Lawrence was sent to Dominica and remained there. Mr. Walters’ indefatigable leadership of Saint Lucia’s FD and his adroit diplomacy in the IWC, encouraged Japan to develop expansive and modern fisheries infrastructure across the OECS. Through his efforts, fishers in Saint Lucia became early users of Martinique Thelamon’s FRP fishing pirogues which were better suited for the rough waters of the Caribbean Sea. According to Mr. Walters, “the FRP pirogue became the transition craft away from the typical Carib canoe which did not provide safety, carrying capacity, and adaptability to the use of improved fishing gear and methods.
For me, it’s always a big deal when Saint Lucians are lauded by other countries for making their mark in the world.