Youth for Conservation...Nonetheless, his PowerPoint Presentation on “Heritage Conservation &...
Transcript of Youth for Conservation...Nonetheless, his PowerPoint Presentation on “Heritage Conservation &...
“Seeing my peers react to environmental issues in
such a passionate manner encouraged me to step up
and take a greater role. The retreat has made me
realize that the youth need to be heard as we are
responsible for the future of this country,” so said
one of the 37 youngsters who attended the inaugural
Youth for Conservation Retreat. The Retreat
organized by the Saint Lucia National Trust was
held under the theme “Heritage: What does it mean
to you?” at The Old Harbour in Vieux Fort on
Saturday, September 7, 2013. The initiative targeted
Trust members from the youth chapters across the
island.
“The seminar sought to inspire the youngsters to
take their roles as stewards of our heritage more
seriously, and to also enlighten them on heritage
(built or natural) issues. It also provided an avenue
for them to become more familiar with each other,
and exchange ideas on future conservation projects
that could be planned and executed individually or
collectively,” said Karetta Crooks Charles, SLNT’s
Communications & Advocacy Officer.
Dr. James Fletcher, Minister for Public Service,
Sustainable Development, Energy, Science and
Technology apologized for being unable to attend as
he had another important meeting out of state.
Nonetheless, his PowerPoint Presentation on
“Heritage Conservation & National Development:
Finding the Balance” was presented on his behalf
and well received by the youngsters. The various
groups then shared their ongoing projects and ideas
for the period April 2014 to March 2015. Amanie
Mathurin and Raide Hippolyte, President and Vice
President respectively of the Southern Youth
Chapter noted that some of the major initiatives
planned for the period include school visits, the My
Independence Video Competition, the Junk to Funk
Competition and a Creole cooking competition.
Also, Dilan Alcee, President of the Soufriere Youth
Chapter informed the gathering that his group is
planning to organize a beach cleanup, activities to
raise awareness of Climate change and its impacts in
the community and membership recruitment drives.
Thereafter, the participants discussed areas of
collaboration amongst the various groups and the
Secretariat.
Although the Northern Youth Chapter was only
represented by two youngsters, their contribution to
the discussions was indeed valuable. Kemar Louisy
of the Northern Chapter proposed that the age
requirements of the youth groups should be
modified to encourage students from a younger age
to understand their roles as custodians of the
environment. He also suggested that the three youth
groups of the Trust should come together and
organize a “Demonstration” aimed at drawing the
public’s attention of the need to appreciate our
heritage.
The Retreat culminated with a delectable Bar-Be-
Cue on the lawns of the Maria Islands Interpretation
Centre. Based on the evaluation forms, the
youngsters would like event to be held annually and
they were grateful for the opportunity to learn more
about the Trust and the various projects being
coordinated by fellow youngsters who shared their
passion.
Youth for Conservation
Karetta Crooks Charles
SLNT Communications & Advocacy Officer
Volume 2 Issue 3
On September 26, 2013, the Trust celebrated its 38th
Anniversary by organizing three activities. An
interactive discussion on heritage conservation and
the Trust’s current and future projects took centre
stage on the “90 Minutes” talk show on Radio St.
Lucia. The guests were Director, Bishnu Tulsie;
Historian, former Chairman and Life Member of the
Trust, Dr. Gregor Williams; Amanie Mathurin,
President of the Southern Youth Chapter and Mr.
Kemar Louisy of the Northern Youth Chapter.
A 5 minute video on the life and works of one of the
Trust’s founding fathers, Robert Devaux, was
produced by the Trust with support from the Devaux
family and was aired on DBS TV, Choice TV, HTS
and NTN.
Additionally, the Reception area at the Secretariat
was transformed into an exhibition bearing the many
publications of Mr. Devaux. The 5 minute video
produced by the Trust, a 15 minute video done by
the family as well as various conservation related
documentaries were also available for viewing.
Here are a few photos of the exhibition, enjoy!
Happy 38th Anniversary to the Trust!
In this issue:
1. Youth for Conservation
2. Trust Anniversary Celebration
3. Saint Lucia Goes Big on Ozone again
4. Taking a Closer Look
5. CYEN Summer Programme
6. Membership Meeting
7. Monitoring our Whiptails
8. YEF 2013
9. Upcoming Events
Karetta Crooks Charles
SLNT Communications & Advocacy Officer
Every year on 16th September nations around the
world observe the International Day for the
Preservation of the Ozone Layer. This day is also
referred to as Ozone Day and is a time for nations to
highlight their efforts at promoting the protection of
the ozone layer. The international theme for this
year was “A healthy atmosphere, the Future We
Want”.
The planning of Saint Lucia’s Ozone Day activities
was spearheaded by the National Ozone Unit within
the Sustainable Development and Environment
Division of the Ministry of Sustainable
Development, Energy, Science and Technology.
Given Saint Lucia’s current work plan under the
ozone layer protection programme, the national
theme “Achieving the healthy atmosphere we want
with energy efficient alternative technologies” was
adopted.
It seeks to highlight the achievements of the
Montreal Protocol in the preservation of our
atmosphere and the importance of selecting suitable
alternative technologies that bring climate and
energy efficiency benefits, allowing us to continue
achieving our sustainable development goals.
On Ozone Day, Monday, 16th September 2013, the
staff members of Super J wore ozone day T-Shirts
and the National Ozone Officer, Ms. Donnalyn
Charles, accompanied by the lead Energy Officer,
Mrs. Judith Ephraim-Schmidt were guests on the
live radio programme, Newspin, with host Mr.
Timothy Poleon, to discuss ozone layer protection
issues and linkages with energy efficiency and
climate change. Two main activities were held on
Friday, 20th September 2013. They were both co-
sponsored by the Saint Lucia National Trust. The
first was the Ozone and Climate Friendly Energy
Efficient Alternative Technologies Symposium held
in the Caribbean Cinema Party Room and the
second was an exhibition which displayed ozone
and climate friendly energy efficient alternative
technologies, in the Mega J parking lot at Choc
Estate. The exhibition was also co-sponsored by
Consolidated Foods Limited and the appliances and
tools displayed were supplied by the Ministry of
Sustainable Development, Energy, Science and
Technology, ServiTech and Solar Connections
Incorporated.
Donnalyn Charles & Joanna Octave-Rosemond
Sustainable Development & Environment Division
National Trusts helped Saint Lucia Go Big on Ozone Again!
“We owe our children and grandchildren a country fit to live on and capable of sustaining their future. We can’t continue to muddle along pretending that past and current practice is okay. With the knowledge, technology and resources that are now available to us, we have an unprecedented chance to make wise decisions and investments that will have broad positive impacts on our children’s future. If we have the vision and courage to succeed, we may be remembered as the generation which pioneered a new way forward. “
Excerpt from Chairman’s Message, Mr. Cletus Springer at the 25th
AGM of the SLNT
Staff members of the Saint Lucia National Trust
(SLNT), specifically Customer Service and Safety
Representatives (CSSR), recently concluded in-
house training sessions on the history and culture of
Saint Lucia and the historical significance of
important landmarks on the island. Facilitated by
renowned Saint Lucian historian and former
Chairman of the SLNT, Dr. Gregor Williams, the
sessions sought to build the capacity of the CSSRs,
thereby enabling them to provide a better service to
visitors to Trust sites.
In his brief opening statements, Director of the
SLNT, Mr. Bishnu Tulsie, welcomed participants.
He noted the usefulness of the exercise not only to
staff who recently joined the organization, but stated
that it should serve as a refresher for others. He
concluded by expressing his gratitude to Dr.
Williams who graciously agreed to facilitate the
exercise.
The sessions began with Dr. Williams stressing the
importance of knowing one’s history, stating that an
understanding of one’s past is essential to
understanding one’s future. Day one delved into the
history of Saint Lucia. Participants were taken on a
historical timeline of Saint Lucia, from its
Amerindian occupation into the American
Revolution and through World Wars I and II. He
highlighted the important role that Saint Lucia
played in military history, particularly during the
French Revolution. He debunked the notion that the
British and the French fought fourteen times over
Saint Lucia and provided precise dates when the
handing over were by signed Treaties between the
two.
Day two commenced with a tour of the Pigeon
Island National Landmark. As the group trudged
along the trail, Dr. Williams detailed the sequence of
events which led to the construction of the Pigeon
Island Causeway. Having arrived at Fort Rodney,
one could clearly see why the British wanted to keep
a strong hold on Saint Lucia, as it was definitely a
vantage point for spying on the French in
neighboring Martinique. It was from this location
that Admiral Sir George Rodney in 1782, observed
the French Fleet set sail from Martinique en route to
join the Spanish Fleet for a planned invasion of
Jamaica. However, their plans were thwarted when
the British intercepted the French near a group of
islands between Martinique and Dominica called
Iles des Saintes. The French fleet was defeated in
what is known as the Battle of the Saintes. Upon
conclusion of the tour, discussions were held on the
cultural legacies that the French, British and
Africans left on Saint Lucia. The session closed
with Dr. Williams explaining the statutory
instruments which govern the operations of the
SLNT.
Following these intense sessions, CSSR’s explored
the fortifications at Morne Fortune, Vigie and
Morne Du Cap. They also went on a tour of the
Maria Islands Nature Reserve and visited the
Mankote Mangrove.
Staff responded very positively to the training,
hailing it as timely and very necessary. Lucretia
Remy, CSSR at PINL thought the sessions were
very enlightening. According to Ms. Remy, “It made
me want to delve deeper into the history of our
island.” Others thought the information
disseminated was indeed captivating and that the
facilitator was very accommodating. Through this
training it is hoped that staff would have a better
appreciation of the island and acquire greater pride
in themselves, their history and culture.
Taking a Closer Look
Eleanor Maurille
SLNT Programme Assistant/Documentation Centre
The members of CYEN – St. Lucia are young
advocates of environmental protection and youth
development. On recognising the extent and impact
of environmental degradation and the appearance of
a seemingly bleak, unsustainable future, CYEN – St.
Lucia decided to host a summer camp which focuses
on actions that curb the current bad environmental
practices.
A total of 60 children, ages 9 to 15 years were
chosen to be ambassadors for a Green Future in St
Lucia. For 2 weeks from July 29th to August 11th,
these young children from both Vieux Fort and
Castries were recipients of information on the
fragility and importance of the environment. The
camp in Vieux Fort was held from July 29th to
August 2nd at the Vieux Fort Technical Secondary
School and the camp in Castries was held from
August 5th to August 9th at the SDA Academy.
The fulfilment of the organisation’s goal for the
camp “to educate and build awareness of the major
environmental challenges that humanity is currently
facing and will face in the future” was made
possible by our principal donor Global
Environmental Facility Small Grants Program (GEF
SGP), as they together with other sponsors and
donors assisted in fully funding the summer camp.
The youngsters received information on the
importance of the environment, solid waste
management, climate change and energy efficiency
and biodiversity. In addition to lectures given to the
children, they also went on tours to the Vieux Fort
Solid Waste Management Facility and the Des
Cartier forest for campers in the south and the
Deglos Sanitary Landfill and Piton Flor for campers
in the north. The youth were engaged in craft
making activities to increase their knowledge and
skills of how to change everyday household items,
in particular plastics and paper, into useable items.
This reinforced the idea of sustainable consumption,
conservation and protection of our natural resources.
GO GREEN was the refrain that was echoed
throughout the camp through Reduce, Reuse,
Recycle and Renew.
The creativity and imagination of the children came
alive in the transformation of the household items
they use every day. In addition to this practice the
campers also formulated songs and poems which
they will use to educate their friends and
communities on the environment. The activities of
the camp continued on Sunday August 11th when
the 60 campers joined 40 other young children in a
tree planting exercise at Parrot’s Hideaway at Bois
d’Orange and concluded on August 14th in a grand
closing ceremony.
The campers engaged in lively discussions
expressing their wishes for a Greener St. Lucia
through discussions of the bad practices and impacts
which they have witnessed in their communities.
These wishes were used to formulate an Outcome
Declaration to be presented to the Prime Minister
and the Governor General. The success of the camp
is a product of the gratitude from different sponsors
and donors such Ministry of Social Transformation,
Local Government & Community Empowerment,
Eastern Caribbean Financial Holdings Limited
(ECFH), OECS Secretariat, St. Lucia Air and Sea
Ports Authority (SLASPA), St. Lucia National
Youth Council, Monroe College, Star publishing
Company, Ministry of Youth Development and
Sports, Ministry of Education, Forestry Department,
Super J – IGA, Domino’s Pizza, LIME St Lucia and
volunteers of JICA (Japan International Cooperation
Agency).
For further information on CYEN – St. Lucia please
visit us on Facebook, email us at [email protected]
or contact Teshia Jn Baptiste (National Coordinator)
at 287-0600 or Erland George (President) at 484
7700.
Caribbean Youth Environment Network – St. Lucia (CYEN – St. Lucia) host a
Summer Green Future Camp for children of marginalised communities
Nadia Joseph
CYEN- St. Lucia
Although the numbers were somewhat low, those
who attended the Quarterly Membership Meeting on
August 3rd in the Soldier’s Barracks at Pigeon
Island National Landmark were left invigorated after
a presentation by Senator Dr. James Fletcher,
Minister for Public Service, Sustainable
Development, Energy, Science and Technology. Dr.
Fletcher’s presentation on “Heritage Conservation
and National Development” highlighted the need for
Saint Lucian’s to take greater pride in their
patrimony despite the fact that we are enveloped
with technological advances.
He encouraged the Trust to find ways to merge
technology and culture in an effort to attract the
youth to support its cause. He proposed that a
museum or series of museums should be established
and we could move from the brick and mortar
concept to the development of virtual museums. He
also indicated that Saint Lucia’s heritage should be
interwoven in the education system and that heritage
should be taught in schools, especially in the
formative years of a child’s education.
Additionally, on the agenda was the Redevelopment
of Pigeon Island National Landmark. SLNT’s
Chairman, Dr. Vasantha Chase informed members
that the Finance Committee will review proposals
prior to the Secretariat’s submission of the project to
Council for consideration. She also said the
Resource Mobilization Committee will be expected
to source funding opportunities for various
components of the redevelopment project.
Updates were given on the Limits of Acceptable
Change study that was commissioned for the Pitons
Management Area and the Walcott Heritage Project.
A thorough review of Membership Categories and
Fees was also undertaken. Member, Patricia
Augustin then reported on a Sub-regional Meeting
on Cultural Heritage Protection Laws for the
Caribbean Small Island States she attended on
behalf of the Trust in Saint Kitts. Dr. Chase closed
the meeting by thanking those present for attending
and she also encouraged members to come up with
innovative ways of getting themselves and others
more involved in the work of the Trust and other
committees.
Karetta Crooks Charles
SLNT Communications & Advocacy Officer
It’s OUR Heritage!!
AMNESTY!!
Members, take advantage of
the Amnesty from November
1st – December 31st, 2013.
This is your chance to avoid
excessive back fees, so renew
your membership today! Call
452-5005 or email
for more details.
OUR MISSION
The Patrimony of Saint Lucia is
preserved for present and future
generations.
During our frequent visits to Rat Island and Praslin
Island, the Saint Lucia National Trust field monitors
and the Programme Assistant/Conservation have
observed various activities which are a cause for
concern. These islands are home to the endemic
Saint Lucia whiptail lizard, and the activities
observed especially at Rat Island are indeed
disturbing. The whiptails were translocated to these
islands as a measure to promote their survival, and
also for conservation purposes. On our many visits
to Praslin Island we have observed lots of refuse,
makeshift barbeque grills and stone hearths, even in
the presence of erected signage indicating the dos
and don’ts on the island.
On our offshore island visits we have met both
residents and visitors, and have educated them on
the importance of following quarantine procedures
to prevent the introduction of invasive species.
These include checking boats and bags or boxes for
stowaway rodents or lizards, and searching boots
and clothing for plant seeds or insect eggs, or even
small insects like ants which can be surprisingly
destructive to our native wildlife. Non-native
rodents are a major threat to our offshore island’s
native wildlife, but so are non-native lizards, insects
and plants. Our observations of the whiptails at Praslin indicate
these lizards appear to be a lot more friendly than
their relatives on the Maria Islands. Additionally,
the lizards tend to venture off the trails and down
onto the beach area. This might be as a result of
frequent human presence on the islands on weekend
and holidays.
One of the activities is monitoring of bait stations on
the offshore islands. These bait stations are used to
detect, as early as possible, any re-invasion by rats;
the bait we use in them is a much appreciated
donation to Saint Lucia by Syngenta. On a site visit
to Rat Island (with transport courtesy of Sandals
Halcyon, longtime supporters of this conservation
work), we saw no signs of the Saint Lucia whiptail
or the ground lizard. We placed fruits they enjoy
eating like bananas and melons and waited to see if
they were taking refuge from the sun or the fact that
their presence was no longer on the island. Our only
‘guests’ were the hermit crabs that seem to enjoy the
free food. As part of the biodiversity monitoring
and biosecurity protocols for the offshore islands we
collected the left over fruit before we left.
The observations at Rat Island had us extremely
concerned that we discussed the matter in house, and
then reported our findings to the Forestry
Department. This led to the conducting of a lizard
survey on the island as a response measure from the
protocols. The survey conducted by the officers
from the Forestry Department found three lizards at
the time of the survey. The survey is to be repeated
to confirm the population size. The whiptails appear
to be at low numbers at this site and we now need to
work on increasing this fragile population. The
biodiversity monitoring on the offshore islands
continue to observe, promote and conserve the
populations of species on the islands, and keep alien
invasive species off these fragile ecosystems. Our
work on the offshore islands is supported with
much-needed donations from the Critical Ecosystem
Partnership Fund, the Balcombe Trust and the
Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund. But we also
need the public’s help: please don’t light fires, check
your boat for rats and your clothing for seeds, insect
eggs or ants, and take home any garbage (it’s a fire
hazard and attracts rats).
Murlina Murray
SLNT Programme Assistant/Conservation
Monitoring our Whiptails
Year 5 was certainly a charm for the Saint Lucia
National Trust’s (SLNT) annual Youth Environment
Forum (YEF). One hundred and forty six (146)
youngsters from across Saint Lucia participated in
the programme that was held simultaneously in
Castries and Vieux Fort from July 22 – 26, 2013.
YEF is aimed at empowering the youth ages 7 to 18
years to be advocates for environment and heritage
conservation.
The United Nations theme for World Environment
Day 2013 “Think.Eat.Save” set the stage for an
exciting programme. We were able to delve into the
theme with great detail with support from partners
who adeptly made interactive presentations on
topics such as “Food Choices, Your Health and the
Environment”; “Food Waste and the Environment”
and “Forest and Food Waste: Is there a
connection?”. The participants built a Solar Panel
and experimented to see if certain seasonal fruits
were ideal to be preserved using this technique. One of the most exciting components of YEF over
the years has been the field trips. Participants
visited the Saint Lucia Solid Waste Management
Authority and the Vieux Fort Waste Management
Facility to observe firsthand where their food waste
ends up. There, the children were challenged to
think of creative ways to reduce their “Food Print”,
thereby minimizing the amount of garbage,
especially organic waste that enters the landfill and
often results in the creation of methane, one of the
most harmful greenhouse gases that contribute to
global warming. Participants ages 11 -18 enjoyed
an exhilarating hike of Têt Paul, and a refreshing
bath at the Touraille Waterfall in Soufriere, while
the 7 - 10 year olds went to Fond Lattisab Heritage
Park where they got a better appreciation for their
culture. Field trips were also organized to the Fond
Assau Agro-Processing Plant and Baron Foods
Limited. These two outings demonstrated that local
produce can be utilized sustainably to support local
manufacturing.
On the penultimate day of the Forum, individuals
skilled in theatre arts were invited to work closely
with participants to create artistic pieces through
song, poetry, drama or dance on all they had learned
during the week. It was impressive to see the
creativity manifested by the participants of the
Forum at the Closing Ceremony which was held at
the Pigeon Island National Landmark on Friday,
July 26, 2013. The performances demonstrated that
the message of “Think before you Eat to Save the
environment” was well conveyed, however, only
time will tell if the participants will begin to change
their food waste habits for the betterment of the
environment, their health, their finances, and those
among us who are affected by starvation. The SLNT
is indeed grateful to its many sponsors and partners
who have continuously assisted us to make YEF a
success. The sponsors for YEF 2013 are St. Lucia
Electricity Services Limited, Bank of Saint Lucia,
Consolidated Foods Limited; through its Super J -
IGA Green Bag Fund, Bank of Nova Scotia,
Domino’s Pizza, CIBC/First Caribbean International
Bank and Sunshine Bookstore.
Karetta Crooks Charles
SLNT Communications & Advocacy Officer
Pigeon Island National Landmark, the Saint Lucia
National Trust’s (SLNT) flagship site was among
the many patrons who participated in the first ever
Love Elevated Wedding Symposium which was
held at the Sandals Grande Resort and Spa from
September 26th - 28th
, 2013. This St. Lucia Tourist
Board initiative was designed to promote destination
weddings and honeymoons, and to showcase the
products and services of local industry operators.
The event also allowed international press, travel
agents, wedding coordinators and wedding planners
to provide insights into the growth taking place
within that business sector.
The SLNT booth’s décor held true to the
environment. The area was decorated with bamboo,
flowers and even a driftwood centerpiece.
Visitors were greeted by Denia George, Business
Services & Events Officer and Jeanell Lambert,
Venue Coordinator. Persons were informed about
Pigeon Island’s History, Weddings, Events, Tours
and the various services offered.
By all accounts our participation in this Symposium
was productive as many travel agents and wedding
planners have already started contacting the
Weddings & Events Department enquiring about,
and booking weddings. We extend our gratitude to
SLTB, Shamark’s Design, Jardin des Fleurs, as well
as to Gail Edwin and Cynthia Alexander for the
unique cakes. Special thanks to the staff members
for making this a successful event.
Jeanell Lambert
SLNT Weddings & Events
Love is in the air…at Pigeon Island National Landmark
Upcoming Events
SLNT Annual General Meeting
Date: November 16, 2013
Venue: Marigot Secondary
School
Time: 1:00 p.m.
Our Vision
The Natural and
Historical
Patrimony of Saint
Lucia is conserved for
present and future
. generations
SLNT
Staff
Happenings
Let’s welcome….
NEW EMPLOYEE
This is a publication of the Saint Lucia National Trust P.O. Box 595, Castries Tel. 1 758 4525005/ 4531495
Fax: 1 758 4532791 Email: [email protected] Website: www.slunatrust.org
Mr. Craig Henry
Programme Officer - South
The Saint Lucia National Trust introduces Mr. Craig Henry, newly appointed Progamme Officer as of
September, 2013. Mr. Henry will be overseeing the Trust’s work in the south from the Maria Islands
Interpretation Centre (MIIC) at Pointe Sable, Vieux Fort. Mr. Henry, who is also from the South, has
expressed his enthusiasm in assisting the Trust to implement its various programmes for the entire Pointe
Sable Environmental Protection Area (PSEPA). He has a profound affinity for nature and community work
and embraces the opportunity to recommit to the cause of natural and historical conservation and protection.
The Trust officially welcomes Mr. Henry on board and looks forward to a long and fruitful relationship.
August September
Stanley Hilaire - 28th Dorcia Wilfred - 25th
Smile, it could be worse… Think about what you’ll look like in ten years. Happy Birthday! Age is something that doesn’t matter, unless you are a cheese.
May your day be filled with smiles, sunshine, love and laughter!!