We have chosen, over the years, not to blow our own trumpet. Irrespective of the many highs we have achieved we have remained humble, rooted in a simple philosophy that service to country is what matters.
However, over the years, we have come to understand that sometimes in life it is okay to stand back, take a bow and appreciate your efforts, ease up a bit on the restraint you have placed on yourself.
And so this time, as we celebrate our 135th year of existence – a celebration that should have taken place last year but could not due to COVID-19 – we celebrate not just as a media house with a record of longevity, but as an institution that has played and continues to play an integral role in the development and overall evolution of this nation and in shaping the minds of generations of Saint Lucians. We can’t help but feel proud of our accomplishments, even our failures, from which we grew even stronger in facing the many challenges we have faced in our journey.
In today’s publication is a supplement in which we highlight our journey, stretching from when we first made our presence felt in Saint Lucia in the late 19th century (January 1885) all the way up to where we are today in the 21st century, straddling three millennia, a remarkable feat indeed!
Today, we give you a rare insight into our history and the names of the many great owners and editors whom, over the years, have steered this publication amid wars, revolts, fires, pandemics and whatever else that could have made us cease operations for good.
Make no mistake, in the history of the press in the Eastern Caribbean, we hold an enviable position of being the oldest newspaper in that sub-region and one of the oldest in the entire Caribbean.
And just like wine, we get better with age, matching the younger and faster media houses of the New Millennium stride for stride in cutting edge reporting, on-the-button editorials and serving as a conduit for the free expression of the people’s opinions in the community we serve.
Not many Saint Lucians are aware that we are the second oldest company still operating in Saint Lucia. The oldest is Minvielle and Chastanet. We carry this distinction with pride.
Over the years we have had our fights, we have had our struggles, but none of that has relegated us to the sidelines. THE VOICE Newspaper is still the leading newspaper in the country, steadfast and unwavering in its duty to the citizens of Saint Lucia.
This is a position we will use every sinew to protect, pandemic or no pandemic. With these few words, we wish everyone an enjoyable read.