Photo is not of an actual incident in St. Lucia but is for dramatization purposes.

CASTRIES, St. Lucia, Mar 1, CMC – The St. Lucia government says it is moving to abolish the use of corporal punishment in schools.

In a statement, the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Gender Relations and Sustainable Development said it has suspended and eventually abolish corporal punishment in schools in keeping with the many international conventions that the island is a signatory.

Chief Education Officer, Ruffina Charles, said that while the Education Act had no stated policy for the abolition of corporal punishment it did contain structures in the Act that stipulated how corporal punishment should be administered.

Charles said however that the department must ensure that the mandates stipulated in the conventions, which includes protection of children, are achieved.

The Ministry said that to aid in the implementation process, it has established a working committee charged with the responsibility of deciding the required initiatives and implementation dates towards the eventual abolition of corporal punishment.

The initiatives will include the sensitization of the general public and training for educators on island.

In 2007, the Ministry of Education established the Child Friendly Schools initiative with a pilot project implemented at two schools and has been adding two new schools every year.

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FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Teachers of the Sir Ira Simmons Secondary School: Abegail Jean-Joseph, HOD English; Ms. Jueanne Cherubin, English Teacher; Janin John-Gaillard, Literacy Specialist; Mrs. Eva Marius, English Teacher

(PRESS RELEASE) – The Sandals Foundation is the major supporter of Hands Across the Sea’s Remedial Reading Toolkit program for high school students in the Eastern Caribbean.

For the 2018-2019 school year, the Sandals Foundation has funded 12 Hands Across the Sea Remedial Reading Toolkits for three secondary schools on Saint Lucia (Anse Ger Secondary, Sir Ira Simmons Secondary and Stanley Jon Odlum Secondary), five secondary schools on Antigua and four secondary schools on Grenada.

The centrepiece of the Remedial Reading Toolkit is the innovative 24-book, three-level Decode series, a phonics system designed for teenagers that features dynamic full-colour photos and engaging content such as action/adventure, sports, music, and teen issues.

The Decode system builds teen reading skills in phonemic awareness, phonics, comprehension, vocabulary, and fluency. In addition to 86 literacy-building books, the Remedial Reading Toolkit includes a variety of hands-on tools for students and teachers, including three levels of sight-word Bingo, word and sentence-building pocket charts, the Bananagrams word tile game, and phonics and word-family packets.

“We are very proud to have established such a long and successful partnership to be able to support students through this highly effective medium. This step towards literacy development in High School students is critical to their overall educational advancement” said Heidi Clarke, Executive Director of the Sandals Foundation.

Remedial reading teachers report that students who are struggling with reading have responded positively to the Decode system and the Remedial Reading Toolkit manipulatives (http://www.handsacrossthesea.net/RemedialReading.htm).

The stigma of using teen-centric materials rather than “baby books” means that struggling readers can make faster progress in building their reading and related literacy skills. “A high number of students are entering high school with low reading levels, and the Remedial Reading Toolkit gives teachers a variety of tools. The tremendous support of the Sandals Foundation has allowed Hands to serve a large number of schools across the region,” said Harriet Linskey, Co-Founder of Hands Across the Sea.

The Sandals Foundation also funded new amazing reading books for Clare Hall Secondary School in Antigua and St. George’s SDA Primary School in Grenada. The combined value for the 2,500 books is USD $15,577.

ABOUT SANDALS FOUNDATION

The Sandals Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, was created to continue and to expand upon the philanthropic work that Sandals Resorts International has undertaken. It is the culmination of three decades of dedication to playing a meaningful role in the lives of the communities where we operate across the Caribbean. The Sandals Foundation funds projects in three core areas: education, community and the environment. One hundred percent of the monies contributed by the general public to the Sandals Foundation go directly to programs benefiting the Caribbean community. To learn more about the Sandals Foundation, visit online at www.sandalsfoundation.org

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(PRESS RELEASE) — As part of this year’s 40th Independence celebration, the Department of Education, Innovation and Gender Relations partnered with the Daren Sammy Foundation to host an essay competition among primary and secondary school students.

The competition provides students with the opportunity to reflect on this year’s Independence theme “All In: Our Journey, Our Future,” and consider the contributions which young people can make toward the country’s development.

The competition requires students to prepare a speech which would inspire other young people to become active citizens in the development of Saint Lucia; and which would help them to understand that one person can have a positive impact. This initiative will also provide participants with the opportunity to critically examine some of the challenges the country faces, and perhaps recommend suitable solutions.

The Daren Sammy Foundation has donated four laptops which will be used as prizes for the winners. The entries will be judged by a carefully selected panel of educators. Two winners each will be selected from both the primary and secondary schools.

The deadline for submission is Friday, March 15. Entries can be submitted to the Office of the Chief Education Officer.

The Daren Sammy Foundation and the Department of Education, Innovation and Gender Relations would like to wish everyone a Happy 40th Independence anniversary. Let us all continue to do our part to contribute to the continued development of our country, Saint Lucia.

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(PRESS RELEASE) — The teachers and students of the Des Barras Combined School in Babonneau, Saint Lucia, now have an Apple iMac computer that will serve as a teaching aid during classes, and support the students in ICT development.

The computer was donated by former Commissioner to the OECS for Martinique, Ms. Murielle Lesales.

A delegation from the OECS Commission visited the school on Tuesday, Feb. 12 to officially hand over the iMac to an excited auditorium of students.

Staff of the OECS Commission’s Information Technology Unit also volunteered to set up the device and review its functionality with the teachers.

This latest donation reaffirms the Commission’s dedication to support the students in their studies.

The Des Barras School, the Organisation’s adopted school, was selected because of its remote location and the recommendations from staff members of the Commission to support this community.

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(PRESS RELEASE) — On Tuesday, February 26, 2019, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Saint Lucia Office was pleased to welcome a group of nine university volunteers from the Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, the Hokkaido University, and the Kagoshima University.

The group of students are currently attached to the Department of Fisheries within the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Physical Planning, Natural Resources and Co-Operatives, and will spend a total of four weeks on Saint Lucia where they will engage in a number of activities including workshops and cooking demonstrations.

During presentations to the National Trust and the Department of Fisheries, the volunteers outlined their mission while in Saint Lucia.

Mr. Glen Lake, who serves as officer responsible for communication at the JICA Saint Lucia Office, boasted about the longstanding relationship between Saint Lucia and Japan as it relates to volunteers.

“The Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV) was inaugurated in 1965 and is a principal program of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Saint Lucia actually received the first Japanese volunteer in 1995 and that person was stationed at the Ministry of Education, meaning that this year would make it 24 years of service and friendship.”

Mr. Lake continued: “As usual our volunteers are together with the local community working closely with the southern extension of the National Trust and the Fisheries Division.”

Highlighting the importance of the projects to be undertaken by the volunteers, the communications officer referenced the “Sargassum issue” that has been plaguing the region.

He stated: “We as a single island nation cannot move forward and overcome difficulties without looking at best practices of others and applying it to our society and reality.”

The Japanese volunteers are expected to engage students from various schools during their stay in Saint Lucia as part of the sensitization aspect of their projects.

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(PRESS RELEASE) — A landmark study on adolescents in Saint Lucia, developed by the Government of Saint Lucia and UNICEF, have identified several concerns for this key demographic, which represents 16 per cent of the country’s population.

The ‘Adolescent Well-being and Equity in Saint Lucia’ study, which was released last week, provides an up-to-date and comprehensive snapshot of the social, economic and educational lives of adolescents, their well-being and any inequities and injustices they face.

Saint Lucia is the first country in the eastern Caribbean to undertake such a detailed assessment of the critical 10-19 age group.

The research highlights several areas of concern. Poverty remains significant and although it decreased in the last decade, nearly 1 in 3 adolescents is still poor; that’s about 9,500 young people. In addition, data show that a third of adolescents are not in education, employment or training (NEET) and the great majority of those over the school age are unemployed.

While the education system consistently achieves high school attendance rates, just 36 per cent of students pass Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and there is a substantial mismatch between the educational needs of employers and the qualifications of job seekers. Over 40 per cent of job openings require post-secondary qualifications, which are held by less than 10 per cent of those seeking work.

Almost 60 per cent of adolescents live with one biological parent (mostly mothers). This already high prevalence of single-parent families is increasing. A positive development is the reduction, by 30 per cent, of the adolescent pregnancy rate in the last decade, although the figure is still relatively high. Two thirds of young adolescents having experienced violent discipline in their home, more than half of it physical.

The study however highlights that a great deal of progress has been made and recent policy and legislative reforms have positively impacted adolescents. For example, on November 20, 2018, the Government of Saint Lucia passed the Child Justice Bill and the Children Care, Protection and Adoption Bill. Their passage was a crucial step to operationalize the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and can help address the neglect, abuse, exploitation and violence affecting young people.

Ministry of Equity, Social Justice, Empowerment and Local Government Leonard Montoute pledged that government will use the rich source of data in the report to help plan polices for the country’s young people who face challenges which previous generation of adolescents did not have to contemplate.

“Despite living in an era that is laden with opportunities for personal advancement, the risk that the ordinary Saint Lucia youth is currently faced with is equally unprecedented, and in most cases outweighs the opportunities. At the core of this turbulent period of development for each and every youth, is the issue of decisions, be it positive, negative or making no decision at all,” the minister added.

Dr Aloys Kamuragiye, representative for the UNICEF’s Office for the Eastern Caribbean Area, said the report compels action.

“The task going forward will be for all actors — government, private sector, academia, development partners, non-governmental organizations, and parents – to understand and ensure that the second decade of life for our young people is their first window of opportunity, and that we can work together successfully to address their needs,” he added.

In addition to providing data needed for monitoring progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals, both the Ministry of Equity and UNICEF expect the findings from this study to help policy makers, government, NGOs, and advocacy organizations to identify marginalized adolescents, take appropriate policy and programme decisions, prioritize investments and motivate additional data collection, analysis and research.

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SLTU President Julian Monrose

CASTRIES, St. Lucia, Mar 6, CMC – Plans by the St. Lucia government to abolish the use of corporal punishment in schools have been criticised by stakeholders, who said they were not consulted on the initiative.

Last week, the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Gender Relations and Sustainable Development, said it has suspended and eventually abolish corporal punishment in schools in keeping with the many international conventions that the island is a signatory.

Chief Education Officer, Ruffina Charles, said that while the Education Act had no stated policy for the abolition of corporal punishment it did contain structures that stipulated how corporal punishment should be administered.

But the National Principals’ Association (NPA) and the St. Lucia Teachers Union (SLTU) have criticised the move by the ministry, saying that principals and teachers were only invited to meetings after the announcement.

SLTU President Julian Monrose told a news conference last Wednesday that corporal punishment has been part of the school system since its inception, even as he acknowledged the right of the ministry to abolish the practice.

“However, if you are going to withdraw it, you would want to put systems in place and give the teachers skills training in alternative forms of punishment, because bad behaviour is a problem in our schools,” Monrose told reporters, adding that the notification of the intention to suspend and eventually abolish corporal punishment in schools came as a shock.

Monrose said that the SLTU is concerned that the ministry would act with such haste on the issue of corporal punishment, but appears to be powerless when it comes to violence among students.

“Nothing is happening when it comes to security in schools,” he said, adding that almost on a daily basis students go to school with weapons, including guns, knives and scissors.

He said that the union had in the past requested that the Ministry of Education address the issue of security in schools, and would support the authorities moving with haste to achieve that goal.

NPA President Pauline Antoine Prospere said that while she does not believe principals have a problem with the abolition of corporal punishment, such a change takes time.

“There should be adequate consultation with stakeholders if this were to happen,” Prospere said.

The Ministry of Education said that to aid in the implementation process, it has established a working committee charged with the responsibility of deciding the required initiatives and implementation dates towards the eventual abolition of corporal punishment. The initiatives will include the sensitization of the general public and training for educators on island.

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(PRESS RELEASE) — The Ministries of Agriculture and Education have joined forces, with financial support from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), to host an exposition among secondary schools, promoting the use of cassava and other root and tuber crops.

The activity has been scheduled for Wednesday, March 13, 2019 on the grounds of Clendon Mason Memorial Secondary School in Dennery from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The objectives of the exercise are to help students sharpen their culinary skills, encourage the use of local foods in meal preparation, and to encourage students in preparing home-cooked nutritious meals.

The expo will also be used to acquire market exposure in the tourism industry and local commercial sector, and to encourage self-employment among the youth.

This activity is targeted at forms three and four students, who have opted for food and nutrition and health sciences at the CSEC Level.

Students are to prepare two or more items of cassava-based dishes (sweet and savory dishes) along with other root and tuber crops using the root itself, the flour, farine and cassava mash.

Organisers are calling on the general public to give support to the Wednesday’s initiative

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(SNO) — Saint Lucia’s largest youth network, Youth Power Group (YPG Saint Lucia), is reporting that there is an increase in students engaging in self-harm on the island due to depression.

The organization said it has visited a number of schools and discovered that the number of young people who are depressed, suicidal, rejected by their parents and “cutting themselves” are on the rise.

“The Youth Power Group has visited three secondary schools and found out that three youth out of ten have cut or are cutting themselves, and what’s more shocking, is that parents are not realizing it,” the organization said in a statement. “We found that this practice is more prevalent with girls ages 14 to 16.”

Pastor Williams, the coordinator of YPG Saint Lucia, is now calling on parents to pay more attention to their children.

“The advice I would like to give to parents are that they should pay more attention to their children and sometimes to check on their arms and wrists because the youth are under pressure, depression, being bullied, and the sad part is that parents are not even aware because sometimes they work very hard and too many hours, and ended up neglecting the family relationship,” Williams said.

The group is advising the education minister “to encourage schools to allow external youth groups to work with students at risk, because they may not be comfortable sharing private information with someone in the school because of confidentiality issues”.

“Make it mandatory for at risk youth to be involved in extracurricular activities which should help to deter negative groups such as gangs. Allow the use of sports and other activities to be done on the schools compound, playground or court on Saturdays and Sundays with the aim of keeping the youth busy,” it said.

YPG Saint Lucia was established with the aim to help young people to become successful.

The group is reporting many success stories among young people on the island.

“We have the story of Stanley Stephen who ran away from home three times but after he got to know the work of the YPG Saint Lucia, he is totally transformed and back home,” the group said. “Another life story that brought amazement to the people of Saint Lucia was Stanice’s Transformation. He hated his mother for no reason and smoking marijuana from the age of fourteen, today he is totally transformed.”

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(SNO) — The Saint Lucia Teachers Union (SLTU) has sent a strong message to the government of Saint Lucia as negotiations for the 2016-2018 triennium hit a stalemate, saying teachers are not prostitutes but professionals.

The union held an emergency meeting with members on Monday with permission from the government. Teachers and students stayed away from school on Monday and Tuesday.

The Trade Union Federation, of which the SLTU is a member, last year offered a lump sum for Christmas 2018 by the government in lieu of negotiations but the SLTU rejected it.

“Why did we reject the idea of the one lump sum?” a fiery President of the SLTU, Julian Monrose, told members. “One, we are not prostitutes. We are not. We are professionals and we must be treated as such. Two, which union that is worth its salt will negotiate for Christmas. So, there isn’t life after Christmas?”

Monrose said that the Trade Union Federation submitted proposals in November 2016 to the Allen Chastanet government on the matter but since the administration was still new, time was given to adjust.

The proposals were again submitted on August 14, 2018, but there has been no word from the government.

He said teachers in Saint Lucia are frustrated.

“It is like speaking to the ministry on those things, you feel at the meeting that you are getting somewhere,” he told members of the media. “They engage you, we speak but after the meeting, that’s it. The undertaking is not carried out.”

It has been six years since teachers in Saint Lucia have received a pay raise.

Meanwhile, members of the Civil Service Association (CSA) walked silently through the streets of Castries on Monday to vent over the stalled negotiations with the government.

CSA President Cyprian Montrope told HTS News that the walk was being done because members are frustrated because conclusions to the negotiations, which should have ended in 2016, remain elusive.

Montrope

“The members have rejected the concept of waiting,” he said. “They believe the time has come for government to take the unions more seriously and that we complete negotiations in the shortest possible time.”

Montrope stressed that negotiations must continue.

“Members overwhelmingly accepted the fact that negotiations must continue in a manner that it is supposed to, which is a collective agreement tha tmust be completed…” he stated.

CSA members during the ‘silent walk’

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Pierre

(SNO) — Leader of the Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP) Philip J. Pierre has said his party is not against the abolition of corporal punishment in school but believes more time is needed to achieve it.

He also believes that the government should have engaged all stakeholders on the matter before making a decision.

“What the commission should have done, before they made the pronouncement, they should have floated the idea, let discussions happen through the PTAs, through the principal association, through the teachers union and then come to a conclusion,” he said at a press conference.

Earlier this month, the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Gender Relations and Sustainable Development, said it has suspended and eventually abolished corporal punishment in schools in keeping with the many international conventions of which the island is a signatory.

Chief Education Officer, Ruffina Charles, said that while the Education Act had no stated policy for the abolition of corporal punishment it did contain structures that stipulated how corporal punishment should be administered.

Pierre pointed out that the SLP is not against abolishing corporal punishment but thinks that teachers should be given more time to adjust to other forms of discipline.

“If you notice, none of my colleagues has stated we are against abolition or for,” he stated. “We haven’t said so … what we are saying is the process.”

The idea has already been criticized by the National Principals’ Association (NPA) and the St. Lucia Teachers Union (SLTU).

They said that principals and teachers were only invited to meetings on the matter after the announcement for the abolition was made.

The SLTU believes that systems should be put in place to give the teachers skills training in alternative forms of punishment, while the NPA said such changes take time.

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(PRESS RELEASE) — The Saint Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority (SLASPA) and the Department of Fisheries will jointly undertake boat safety and inspection training from March 12 to 15.

The initiative is a directive of the Department of Fisheries to ensure the comprehensive training of extension officers in areas of boat safety and boat inspection. This is in keeping with the Fisheries Act that states: “all vessels must be inspected within a year.”

Chief Fisheries Officer, Sarita Williams-Peter, said the exercise will improve the department’s service delivery.

“This exercise will improve the competencies of officers to provide exceptional and far-reaching service to fishers,” she said.

Director of Maritime Affairs at SLASPA, Christopher Alexander, added: “SLASPA recognizes the significance of collaborations like these and will continue to embrace them as a medium to develop employees, other relevant agencies, our fishers and by extension, their families.”

In attendance were field officers of the Department of Fisheries and ship surveyors representing the Division of Maritime Affairs. Upon completion of the program, participants will be certified in boat safety and inspection.

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(PRESS RELEASE) — Please take note that District I Primary Schools’ Athletics Meet 2019, scheduled for tomorrow 14th March, 2019 at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground from 9:30 a.m. will take place as scheduled.

Parents who did not receive a consent form for their child/ward to attend or participate in the meet, due to the Union’s General Meeting and sick out yesterday, are asked to facilitate them with a written note granting them permission to attend the meet.

All parents, past students and the general public are invited to come share their support and make it a fun filled day.

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Johanan Dujon (right) accepts his award from Saint Lucia’s High Commissioner to London Guy Mayers

(PRESS RELEASE) — Johanan Dujon from Saint Lucia has developed a process to transform sargassum seaweed to a high-quality fertiliser which he now exports to other small states.

Johanan is among four exceptional young people from India, Nigeria, the Solomon Islands and Saint Lucia have won prizes at the 2019 Commonwealth Youth Awards in recognition of their efforts to end hunger, sexual violence, sanitation issues and climate change.

A ceremony was held today at the Commonwealth’s headquarters in London, where winners shared a £12,000 grant for their innovative projects.

The Commonwealth Youth Awards regional winners are:

– Africa and Europe: Oluwaseun Ayodeji Osowobi, Nigeria, focus on SDG 5: Gender Equality
– Asia: Padmanaban Gopalan, India, focus on SDG 2: Zero Hunger
– The Caribbean and Canada: Johanan Dujon, Saint Lucia, focus on SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
– The Pacific: Bobby Siarani, Solomon Islands, focus on SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

Oluwaseun, who also scooped the overall prize of 2019 Commonwealth Young Person of the Year, set up the ‘Stand to End Rape’ (STER) initiative.

A survivor of sexual violence herself, she set up the service to offer support to women, men and young people who have experienced any form of gender-based abuse in Nigeria.

STER trains healthcare workers how to deal with survivors and provides them with free health kits such as HIV tests.

Speaking at the awards, she said: “I dream of a future where this work is not required. I dream of the day when sexual violence is completely eradicated from this world.”

Oluwaseun’s work has reached over 200,000 people providing pro-bono medical, legal, mental health, educational and empowerment services.

Her sentiments were echoed by an Indian socio-entrepreneur, Padmanaban Gopalan, who hopes to end hunger.

He founded the ‘No Food Waste’ programme in India which sees 12,000 volunteers collect surplus food from parties and restaurants. The volunteers then deliver it to ‘hunger spots’ in India to feed the hungry.

He said: “My programme has recovered over 650,000 meals in my country which have benefited nearly one million people.”

From Saint Lucia, Johanan Dujon founded an indigenous biotechnology company ‘Algas Organics’. His company develops commercial agricultural products from harmful Sargassum seaweed.

These products unblock fish landing sites and reduce the harmful effect of the seaweed’s hydrogen sulphide emissions on local communities.

Speaking at the ceremony, he said: “Saint Lucia heavily depends on tourism. This seaweed problem has been having a crippling effect on our tourism and local fishery sector.

“We have developed a process to transform this seaweed to highly quality fertiliser that we now export to other countries.”

Johanan hopes to use his grant to expand his work to other affected small island states in Africa and the Pacific.

Solomon Island’s advocate for sustainable livelihoods, Bobby Siarani, founded a bio-gas initiative to address waste disposal and sanitation issues. The project delivered biogas-based construction workshops to over 500 young people and has provided clean energy to hundreds of people in rural areas of his country.

Bobby plans to use his Commonwealth grant to take his initiative to remote areas in the Solomon Islands.

Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland, who presented the awards, said: “The pace, depth and scope of development in any society depend on how well its youth are nurtured and supported.

“This means providing the space for young people to thrive, to contribute and to realise their potential.

“In such an environment, they are able to exercise their rights and citizenship, and to find fulfilment and purpose; passing on to others the gains and positive values that come from the true community.”

Every year the Commonwealth Youth Awards for Excellence in Development Work recognise the exceptional contribution of young people, aged 15-29, of 53 Commonwealth countries who are leading initiatives in view of the sustainable development goals.

From more than 500 nominations from over 45 countries, 16 finalists were chosen by a panel of judges including representatives of high commissions, partner organisations and young leaders.

The 12 additional finalists for the awards were:
Africa and Europe:
Alice Mukashyaka, Rwanda
Brenda Katwesigye, Uganda
Turatsinze Mafigi Victor, Uganda

Asia:
Siti Najihah Kamilah Binti Latif, Brunei
Sai Venkata Satya Kedar Illa, India
Shanza Khan Shahani, Pakistan
The Caribbean and Canada:
Ryan Robinson Perinchief, Bermuda
Ashley Komangaapik Rose Cummings, Canada
Curmira Gulston, Trinidad and Tobago

The Pacific:
Sivendra Michael, Fiji
Zoe Paisley and Lisa Paisley, Fiji
Angelica Salele and Isabell Rasch, Samoa
This is the 30th year of the Commonwealth Youth Awards which are run by the Commonwealth Youth Programme (CYP) to promote the innovation, creativity and potential of young people in solving socio-economic and environmental challenges.

– The Commonwealth’s 53 member countries have a combined population of more than 2.4 billion, of which more than 60 per cent are under 30 years of age.

– The 2010 Commonwealth theme is ‘A Connected Commonwealth’, which offers opportunities for the people, governments and institutions of this richly diverse family of nations to connect and work together at many levels through far-reaching and deep-rooted networks of friendship and goodwill.

– The Commonwealth is also a family of dynamic countries at the forefront of innovation, growth and contributing global value. As a diverse and increasingly connected global network, it brings fresh perspectives and new ideas to the dialogue on development.

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I am Laura Akal. Today I have a good job, I got married recently and I have an intelligent son. But sadly, it was not always like this.

In school I was a good student but in an attempt to “fit in” I started hanging out with the girls who were considered cool — and of course, I was obligated to do the things they were doing to be accepted.

I started smoking cigarettes and marijuana at the age of 15. I didn’t like it but I continued because that’s what my friends were doing, and eventually I was hooked. Anytime I got stressed the first thing I would think about doing was smoking. With these kind of friends I started to move with, I was introduced to parties, and of course, relationships.

At the age of 19 I ended up pregnant and trapped in an abusive relationship. He would threaten my life when I tried to break up with him. He would claim that he “loved” me but when he got angry he would take it out on me. I endured both physical and verbal abuse. This continued for a long time until one day he smashed a rum bottle on my face, almost claiming my left eye, and left me with permanent scars. My life was a hell and I was not learning from my mistakes.

After I was able to leave that relationship I continued to enter into more relationships that were abusive. I didn’t love myself and I was looking for it in anyone, especially coming from a family where my dad left us to live with another family, and my mom was always working hard to give us the best.

I needed that attention badly! I jumped from one bad relationship to another. I hated what I had become but it was like I could not escape. I had no way out. I couldn’t talk to anyone because I felt as though no one understood me and judged me for my bad decisions.

I heard about the Youth Power Group before but I was never interested, but when a persistent member continued inviting me I decided to take up the offer because I was a single mother with no job, and in a relationship where I was being cheated on constantly. I was just totally self-loathing, telling myself I don’t deserve better.

I came to the YPG. I was reluctant but I started to take part in the activities. It was there I was able to ask a lot of questions and learn ways to become a better woman, as well as to live a life truly pleasing to God by being guided by the youth leaders!

I was encouraged to be different, being set apart from the crowd, and I am the person I am today and still on this beautiful journey. May God bless you reader and don’t forget you have nothing to lose and all to gain with God. Today I overcame my past and I am able to help other youth.

The life story displayed here is real and if you want to talk to us we are available from Monday to Sunday to talk to you. It is free and private. Contact us at:

YPG Office

Address: #25 Brazil Street opposite Derek Walcott Square

Phone Numbers: 730-4040/724-8041

Find us on Facebook: YPG Saint Lucia

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Dr Patricia Ismond

(PRESS RELEASE) — The UWI Open Campus Saint Lucia will bring the curtain down on Nobel Laureate Festival celebrations, by hosting the 3rd Annual Patricia Ismond Literary Workshop on Thursday 14th March, 2019.

The event will take the form of an intensive examination preparation workshop for all students across the island, currently preparing for the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) Literatures in English.

The workshop is dedicated to the memory of Saint Lucian literary icon and long-serving UWI Professor of Literature, Dr Patricia Ismond, in whose name a posthumous scholarship for Saint Lucian students studying Literature at The UWI has also been established.

To date, three (3) students have been the recipients of the scholarship generously provided by her sister, Ms Hester Ismond. Her Excellency, Dame Pearlette Louisy, Chair of the Nobel Laureate Festival Committee, as well as Ms Hester Ismond, are expected to address the students prior to the start of the event.

Cheque handover — Dr Pat Ismond Scholarship

Facilitating the workshop will be Saint Lucian born Dr Antonia MacDonald, former SALCC Lecturer and current Professor of English Literature and Associate Dean in the School of Arts and Sciences, St. Georges University.

Committed to empowering through education, Dr MacDonald has been active in the development of academic programs that offer quality instruction and respond to local, regional, and international educational needs.

She is currently working on the development of postgraduate programs that, through interdisciplinary initiatives with other regional and international universities, will increase educational opportunities in the Eastern Caribbean. She has also written extensively on the literatures of Caribbean women.

The workshop takes place at The UWI Open Campus Saint Lucia Site on Morne Fortune, on Thursday 14 March 2019, from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00p.m.

About Dr Patricia Ismond

Dr. Ismond was born on December 21st 1944, in Micoud, Saint Lucia, to Elise Ismond and Ceasar Cooper. After her primary school years, she attended the St. Joseph‘s Convent and would later teach there before proceeding on an Island Scholarship to The University of the West Indies from which she graduated with honours in 1968. It was there that she developed her now legendary passion for Literature and the Arts.

She returned to Saint Lucia in 1968 to teach for a year before returning to UWI Mona in 1969 to pursue a Master’s degree on a UWI Postgraduate Scholarship. It wasn’t long before she received the 1970 Commonwealth Scholarship which enabled her to travel to the United Kingdom, where she studied for her PhD at the University of Kent at Canterbury. Her doctoral thesis was entitled, “Derek Walcott: The Development of Rooted Vision (Poetry and Drama).” It was completed in 1974.

Dr. Ismond would once again join The University of the West Indies, this time at its St. Augustine campus as an Assistant Lecturer in 1973. In 1975, she became a Lecturer in English on that campus. She spent thirty faithful years with The UWI during which she headed the Department of English. During her tenure as Head of Department, and with her drive and resolve, the centre for Creative and Festival Arts was established in 1986. It has now become the main training centre for aspiring creative artists from Saint Lucia and the Eastern Caribbean.

In 1983, Dr. Ismond obtained a Fullbright-Laspau fellowship, where she was attached to the Drama Department of Carnegie – Mellon University in the United States. She became Senior Lecturer in English at UWI in 1988, and was visiting Associate Professor of English at Stanford University from 1988 to1989.

Dr. Ismond published widely and often, many articles and papers on Caribbean Literature, especially on her beloved Saint Lucian poet Derek Walcott. In 2001, her work was crowned with the publication by The UWI Press of her book entitled “Abandoning Dead Metaphors: The Caribbean Phase of Derek Walcott’s poetry.” Widely regarded as a leading authority on the work of Derek Walcott, her book is recognized as a seminal study of the work of our second Nobel Laureate.

Sadly, Dr. Patricia Ismond died on June 27th , 2006 after a hard fought battle with multiple myeloma. Subsequently, in recognition of her love and dedication to The UWI and her country,Saint Lucia, Professor Ismond’s entire collection of work produced over several decades, as well as her personal library, was donated by her sister Hester, to The UWI Open Campus Saint Lucia in 2009.

Three years later, The UWI Open Campus Saint Lucia was privileged to host a gathering of friends to witness the handing over of a fifty thousand dollar donation ($EC50, 000.00) to then Vice Chancellor, Professor E. Nigel Harris, on behalf of the deceased Professor Ismond. The cheque, which was presented by her sister Hester, was used to create The Patricia Ismond Scholarship Fund – a revolving scholarship for St. Lucian students wishing to pursue Literature/Literary Studies at The University of the West Indies. The scholarship fund which matured in 2014 has to date funded three students of The UWI Open Campus.

Patricia Ismond’s entire collection of over one thousand (1000) books and nineteen boxes of notes and other writings is currently held in the Special Collections section of The UWI Campus Saint Lucia Library and is available upon request to students; in particular, those focusing on the work of Derek Walcott.

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Photos of a student being beaten by a school official in an African country. The official was reportedly suspended.

(SNO) — The National Student Council (NSC) has said it is in support of a decision by the government of Saint Lucia to abolish corporal punishment in schools on the island, saying that the welfare of students must be taken into consideration.

The organisation said that it condemns all forms of violence and this extends to corporal punishment.

“Given the recent cabinet conclusion outlining the suspension and eventual abolition of corporal punishment in schools, it is imperative that we take into consideration the welfare of students at learning institutions,” the organization said.

The NSC said that corporal punishment has been practiced by educators for years “many of whom have gained popularity among students for the very practice”.

The organization pointed to Article 50 of the Education Act of 1999 which it said clearly outlines the conditions for administering corporal punishment in schools, however, it said that students say many cases of punishment are not consistent with the guiding legislation.

“This hints that over the years corporal punishment has moved from a well thought-through punitive measure to an impulsive way of punishing students who don’t adhere to the school rules,” the NSC said. “The NSC sees reason for the Department of Education implementing this policy and we anticipate the alternative measures that will come into play as of May 1st 2020.”

The student body said it believes that students play a major role in shaping education policy and should be consulted in the months ahead regarding the matter.

“We remain committed to being the voice of all students, ensuring that they benefit from environments conducive to effective learning,” the NSC said.

Earlier this month, the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Gender Relations and Sustainable Development, said it has suspended and will eventually abolished corporal punishment in schools in keeping with the many international conventions of which the island is a signatory.

The way the matter was presented has been criticized by the National Principals’ Association (NPA) and the St. Lucia Teachers Union (SLTU).

They said that principals and teachers were only invited to meetings on the matter after the announcement for the abolition was made.

The SLTU believes that systems should be put in place to give the teachers skills-training in alternative forms of punishment, while the NPA said such changes take time.

The Saint Lucia Labour Party said that while it is not against the idea, more time is needed for implementing the new policy.

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(SNO) — Saint Lucia once again made history at the University of the Southern Caribbean (USC) Trinidad campus Saturday night!

The Saint Lucian contingent of the school’s campus claimed the vast majority of the awards at the annual International Student Week Award Ceremony.

Saint Lucians are no strangers to excellence at USC. In fact, the Lucian club are perennial winners of various competitions held on campus. However, this year was something special.

The club, led by President Mckern Auguste, walked away with a whopping eight awards on the night, clean-sweeping the five prestige awards and also walking away with three individual pageant awards.

Awards for the night included: Mr and Ms Culture USC, Jean Neal Lima and Letia Alexander, both hailing from the community of Baboneau; ISW Booth Display Trophy, ISW Cultural Culinary Trophy and the big one, the overall Cultural Challenge Trophy.

Letia Alexander (left) and Jean Neal Lima

Altogether, the week of activities was a resounding success. We have a lot to be proud of, as our nation’s people continue to showcase their talents to international community, par excellence.

The write of this article, Quinn St. Juste, serves as the editor for the Channel Magazine on campus as well as the male secretary for the St. Lucian Association USC

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(PRESS RELEASE) — The 2019 Summer Employment Programme is now accepting applications.

The Summer Employment Programme provides students with opportunities to gain practical working experience, particularly as it relates to their chosen areas of study. Successful students under this programme will receive remuneration which can assist them in defraying the cost of schools supplies.

Application forms are currently being received at the Department of the Public Service. The minimum age for application is 16 years. Students should reach the minimum age on or before June 1, in the calendar year in which they apply.

The employment period is two months maximum: June to July or July to August.

Forms for the Summer Employment Programme can be found on the Government of Saint Lucia website (www.govt.lc) or they can be obtained from the Department of the Public Service located on the second floor of the Greaham Louisy Building, Waterfront Castries.

The deadline for the submission of all applications is April 30.

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Ruel Reid

KINGSTON, Jamaica, Mar. 20, CMC – Prime Minister Andrew Holness Wednesday announced the resignation of his Education, Youth and Information Minister, Ruel Reid, saying he had asked him to leave office so as to facilitate an investigation into allegations of corruption at the ministry.

“This morning, I met with Minister Ruel Reid regarding certain allegations in the public domain. In keeping with the principles of good governance, I requested and received Minister Reid’s resignation.

“The Minister’s resignation will ensure that any investigation into matters of concern will not be in any way impeded by his presence or oversight of the Ministry,” Holness said in the statement.

Reid has also resigned from the Senate.

The Ministry of Education Youth and Information will now fall under the temporary supervision of the Office of the Prime Minister.

Earlier this week, the main Opposition People’s National Party (PNP), said that it had received reports of misuse of public funds and corruption at the Ministry of Education and suggested that it was equivalent to the scandal uncovered at Petrojam, the state-owned oil refinery.

“We have information regarding…issues of cronyism, nepotism, and corruption which were manifest spectaculary in the Petrojam scandal being also present in the Ministry of Education, involving specifically the Caribbean Maritime University and how funds from the HEART/Trust sent to the ministry for the career advancement programme and the T-VET rationalisation programme are being utilised.

“We are aware that politically connected persons are being employed as advisors but are not doing any work,” Opposition Leader Dr. Peter Phillips told a news conference on Monday.

The Opposition Leader said that this was a clear case of misuse of public funds and that the allegations require further investigation by the authorities.

He had called for the Auditor General’s Department to investigate the matter and report its findings to Parliament.

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