Amid a recent debate over the shade of blue used on the Saint Lucian flag, Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre says the country must do more to ensure its national symbol is properly represented.
The issue came into focus following Saint Lucian sprint star Julien Alfred’s victory in the women’s 200 metres at the Diamond League Final in Brussels last Friday. Alfred was photographed celebrating with a Saint Lucian flag, prompting fresh discussion about whether the flag being used reflected the official design.
Asked about providing Alfred with the current Saint Lucian flag, during Monday’s pre-Cabinet press briefing, Pierre said, “It is not our responsibility, but we should make it happen.”
The Prime Minister indicated that his concerns extend beyond the flag used by Alfred, saying he has “some very strong views” about how the National Flag is currently being used.
The flag, designed by the late Sir Dunstan St. Omer, is specified as cerulean blue.
Over the years, different shades of blue have appeared on Saint Lucian flags used by individuals and organisations, prompting questions about consistency in the production and presentation of the national symbol.
The Saint Lucia Tourism Authority (SLTA), which sponsors Alfred and has named her an official ambassador for Saint Lucia, said the use of the flag on race days falls outside its control.
The authority said its role is to sponsor the athlete rather than determine how the flag is presented or used. However, it acknowledged the importance of correctly representing the national symbol and said it would continue to advocate for its proper use and presentation.
In manufacturing of all flags – sometimes the shades appear a little lighter especially in mass production. However, the designs which are most important are clearly evident and distinguished. Example – T & T is red, white and black and sometimes the shades of red varies from flag to flag – however that does not take away from the flag design. In addition, washing can sometimes cause colors to fade over time – what’s the big deal???????
Sometimes the shade in her several variations of her beautiful sports attire is a light blue – again what’s the big deal – we all know who she represents. Stop making a mountain out of a molehill for real. There are so many much more important issues on island which warrants immediate attention – stop focusing on shades of blue. Godspeed
Anonymous, I’m not surprised by your comment but yet still I’m disappointed. It’s people like you who’ll just quietly swallow anything that’s given to you. What exactly are you talking about washing of flag? The flag should be brand new as in never used. So what exactly is your point? By-the-way, we care about our only flag let other people talk about their flags.