Lewis/Walcott Exhibition Opens

Contact: Lucius Doxerie

Wednesday, January 26, 2000 - The Castries City Hall proved too small for the number of persons who turned out at the opening of the Lewis/Walcott Exhibition. Among the dignitaries who turned up for the occasion was Hon Derek Walcott himself.

The exhibition was organized by the National Archives Authority, in conjunction with Her Excellency Governor General, Dame Pearlette Louisy and the Nobel Laureate Committee 2000.

Local historian Winville King, paid tribute to Sir Arthur by focusing initially on his Primary and Secondary school education. According to Mr. King the young Arthur, the fourth of five brothers, ages 6-17 was 8 years old when his father died in 1923. Two years later, at age 10, he won a scholarship – a record - to St. Mary’s College from the Anglican school.

After 4 years at age 14, he was out of St. Mary’s, having jumped from form 2 to form 4 completing both the Cambridge Junior and Senior Schools Certificates with honors another record.

Sir Arthur’s intellectual brilliance was to lead to him to achieve the Nobel Prize for Economics in November of 1979.

For his part, tribute was paid to Hon. Derek Walcott (who received his Nobel Prize for Literature in December 1992), by his close friend Sir Vincent Floissac.

According to Sir Vincent, "As is the case of the late Sir Arthur, the award of the Nobel Prize to the Hon. Derek Walcott is an international recognition of an intellectual genius. It is a reward for a lifetime of industry, perseverance and sacrifice. The reward has become a source of inspiration to West Indian poets and to young West Indian scholars of all disciplines. At home the Walcott Nobel Prize has been perceived to be a national trophy awarded to St. Lucia."

In closing Sir Vincent said Nobel Laureate Week epitomizes the accomplishments of Sir Arthur and Hon. Derek Walcott because they have achieved eminence that signifies nobility and because St. Lucia is proud of their achievements.

The exhibition was declared open by Her Excellency, Governor General, Dame Pearlette Louisy and will end on Friday February 4, 2000.

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