The unveiling of the Iconic Laborians Centre and the Anse Kawet Crafters Gift Shop was an important event for cultural preservation in Laborie. Last Friday’s ceremony at the Papel Craft Centre celebrated turning a modest space into a modern hub for heritage, storytelling and community pride.
This project was made possible through teamwork between local organisations and international partners through the Community Business Revitalisation Project. It received funding from Taiwan’s Ministry of Agriculture and strong local support.
The Iconic Laborians Centre honours a group of people who have made a lasting difference. These include Dame Calliopa Pearlette Louisy, Rudy Thomas John, Joseph “Ives” Simeon, Dr Donatus “Keith” St Aimee, Sir Allan Fitzgerald Louisy, Dr Emsco Remy, Rick Wayne, Hilary Mervyn Darcheville, Yves Renard, Dr Velon Leo John, Pascal Watson Louis, Agatha Jn Panel and Desmond Collymore.
“This special space has evolved from a basic display room into a modern cultural venue that is well designed, interactive and full of stories,” said Louis Tsou, project manager of the Community Business Revitalisation Project.
The upgraded centre now combines physical and digital ways to tell stories. Tsou said that besides the new interior, it also has interactive features to help visitors get more involved.
One feature is a QR code that lets visitors listen to audio recordings of written pieces about iconic Laborians.
The project also considered sustainability by adding a donation box to help support its ongoing operations.
At the same time as the centre’s unveiling, the renovated craft shop was also completed. The shop is now more than just a place to buy things; it adds to the cultural experience.
Augustine Dominique, executive officer of the Labourie Development Foundation, said the idea for the centre started almost 1 years ago. He looked back on how it began and the teamwork that made it possible.
“Nearly a decade ago, the Dame Pearlette Louisy Legacy Committee… envisioned a space for the stories of our most distinguished sons and daughters to be preserved and celebrated,” Dominique explained.
He said the idea was to honour people whose work shaped the community and reached beyond it.
“The centre was conceived as a beacon of identity and heritage,” he said, adding that through “careful planning, community efforts and international cooperation” the vision has now been realised.
Dominique described the new space as “a gallery of memory and meaning”, making sure that “large stories will continue to be told and his people celebrated”.
Government officials said it is important to keep these stories alive, not just in the centre but everywhere. External Affairs Minister Alva Baptiste, who represents the constituency of Laborie, said it is especially important to keep telling these stories to younger generations.
“We must continue to tell our young people about these great icons that shaped our lives,” he said, adding that placing them in a room is good but continuing to speak about them will allow their legacy to live on.
