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Government acts on commitment to imortalize Dame Sesenne Descartes

Contact:  Darnley Lebourne

Tuesday 22 March 2011 – The Government of Saint Lucia is acting on its commitment to immortalize the late Dame Marie Selipha “Sesenne” Descartes, Saint Lucia’s Queen of Culture. During his tribute at the funeral service of the late cultural icon held on Saturday, August 28th, 2010, Prime Minister Stephenson King made a number of pronouncements which were geared at advancing his Government’s commitment to appropriately recognize the life and work of the cultural giant.

Among the announcements made by Prime Minister King was the decision to officially name the road leading to Sesenne’s home and the site for the proposed museum as well as the wider area commonly known as “Vietnam” in honour of the late Queen of Culture. On Sunday, March 27th, 2011, the Government of Saint Lucia in collaboration with the Folk Research Centre, the Cultural Development Foundation and the community of Mon Repos, Micoud will stage a ceremony which will proclaim the areas in question to be officially named after Sesenne Descartes.

The ceremony will be held to coincide with the birth date of Sesenne Descartes who was born on March 28th, 1914. The ceremony which will be held on the grounds of the Patience Combined School commencing at 4:00 pm and will include remarks from the Folk Research Centre, the Parliamentary Representative and a representative of Sesenne’s family. Prime Minister Stephenson King is also scheduled to deliver the feature address. Cultural presentations will be made by individuals and groups from the wider Mon Repos area and a special proclamation from the Government of Saint Lucia will also be read followed by the unveiling of the road sign and bill board.

Work is currently underway to finalize arrangements related to the other pronouncements made by Prime Minister King to immortalize the life and work of Saint Lucia’s Queen of Culture. Substantial work has gone into digitizing the work of Sesenne and Government expects to make an announcement soon on this aspect. Further a Management Board for the Endowment for Cultural Industries to be named in memory of Sesenne will soon be launched. Government has

also appointed a ten (10) member Task Force to review the concept of converting the house where Sesenne lived as a museum.

All electronic media houses and Saint Lucians in general are encouraged to play recordings of Sesenne’s music in the coming days leading up to the official proclamation ceremony scheduled for Sunday, March 27th, 2011. Viv Sesenne.

Darnley Lebourne

Press Secretary

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