Amid a sea of blue, white, yellow, and black flags waved vigorously by students from the Dame Pearlette Louisy Primary School and surrounding schools in Babonneau, the National Independence Baton Relay kicked off on Wednesday, January 29, with an assembly themed The Power of Kindness.
The relay launch was planned and executed largely by the Babonneau Constituency Council and staff of the Dame Pearlette Louisy Primary School, bringing the Babonneau community into the spotlight as it united students, teachers, staff, community members, and state officials.
After the initial leg in Babonneau, the baton was passed to the Gros Islet constituency and will continue making its way around the island over the next few weeks.
Babonneau’s representative in the House of Assembly, Virginia Albert-Poyotte, expressed hope that as the relay passes through the constituency, it will highlight the community’s achievements and the contributions of those who have played a role in its development.
She also apologised to constituents who did not see the baton pass through their communities, explaining that unlike last year—when the baton made its way through all 18 small communities within the constituency—the time was more limited.
Poyotte took the opportunity to advocate for further development in Babonneau: “The next big task I have for the Ministry of Housing and Local Government is when you will return to upgrade Babonneau to either a town or village.”
“We need to define Babonneau as one of the most prosperous communities in Saint Lucia, one of the fastest-growing communities in Saint Lucia, and this year, we will see how housing has taken over and everybody wants to live in Babonneau.”
Also in attendance was Minister of Housing and Parliamentary Representative for Castries Central, Richard Frederick, who is credited with conceptualising the Independence Baton Relay. He expressed appreciation for the relay’s growth.
“We never envisaged the baton relay to have grown into what it is today. It has grown so largely, so much appreciated, that I’ve received calls from persons around the world asking me about the various constituencies, the days that they will be showcasing their talent—because, mind you, there are people in the diaspora who look forward to this baton relay so keenly that some of them take days off to see persons in their various communities,” Frederick stated.
The minister highlighted the relay’s role in fostering national pride: “We have to remain proud as Saint Lucian people because no matter what they say, our smallness has created indentations on the global village that cannot be erased.”
“We are the only country in the world with a drive-in volcano. We have the most Nobel Laureates per capita in the world. We have the second most Olympic medals per capita, even if it’s two, in the world. That makes us a special breed of people,” he asserted.
Frederick urged all Saint Lucians to encourage their children, peers, friends and families to believe in themselves and in the potentially immeasurable contributions they can make to the country.