THE 2016 Independence Day celebration will be observed under the theme “The Journey Continues.”
Chairman of the Independence Standing Committee, Darrel Montrope, spoke on the importance of Saint Lucia’s independence.
“It meant that we got our own flag, constitution, coat of arms, national anthem and the right to self determination. Some, perhaps, may question what that means; what exactly self determination is and whether or not we have anything. Those who choose to be negative will still question whether we are confident, self aware, still dependent on foreign forces for support or too heavily influenced by external sources.
“However, Independence 37 is about our journey. One cannot expect to have resolved all limitations within a 37 year span but, we have made significant strides over the last 37 years and this is what we want to celebrate.”
Montrope said the celebration of Independence will showcase Saint Lucia and its talents.
“We will have, during Independence, a chance to answer some questions about ourselves: who we are, what is Saint Lucian character, how it has changed, how it is evolving, and what makes us Saint Lucians in terms of language and rituals.
“And throughout the activities for the year, , not just during the month of February but for the calendar year, we will attempt to tease out those answers and responses from the public.”
Saint Lucians are encouraged to promote their culture and participate in the Independence activities.