Address Delivered By Honourable Mario Michel

MINISTER OF EDUCATION, HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT,

YOUTH AND SPORTS AT THE NATIONAL YOUTH RALLY

BEAUSEJOUR CRICKET GROUND

FEBRUARY 21, 2003

His Royal Highness, Prince Andrew, the Duke of York

Her Excellency the Governor General of St. Lucia, Dame Pearlette Louisy

Honourable Prime Minister, Dr. Kenny Anthony and Mrs. Anthony

Colleague Ministers of Government

President of the Senate, Senator Hilford Deterville and Mrs. Deterville

Speaker of the House of Assembly, Honourable Baden Allain

Leader of the Opposition, Honourable Arsene James

First Chief Minister of St. Lucia, Sir George F.L. Charles

Former Prime Minister of St. Lucia, Dr. Michael Pilgrim

Their Excellencies the members of the diplomatic corps

Cabinet Secretary, Dr. James Fletcher

Permanent Secretary for Education and Human Resource Development, Dr. Didacus Jules

Permanent Secretary for Youth and Sports, Mr. Henry Mangal

Other Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Government Departments

President of the St. Lucia National Youth Council, Mr. Silas Wilson

Officials of the Ministry of Education, Human Resource Development, Youth and Sports

School principals, teachers, students

Other invited guests

Representatives of the media

Ladies and gentlemen

Allow me at the outset to extend – on behalf of the Government of St. Lucia as a whole and the Ministry of Education, Human Resource Development, Youth and Sports in particular – best wishes to everyone here gathered for a happy 25^th independence anniversary tomorrow and for a happy independence holiday on Monday.

It is always a very special pleasure for me to listen to and to speak to youth and students of our country.  We will, in the course of today, be listening to the voice of youth, via the President of the St. Lucia National Youth Council, and to the views of students voiced by Edison de la Cruz of the Sir Ira Simmons Secondary School. I do hope that those in attendance – particularly the leaders among us – will hear and heed the issues, concerns and appeals of the youth and students.

For my part I would like to say a few words to our youth and students on the theme of taking responsibility for our country’s development.

The words of this theme were not accidentally strung together, but were deliberately chosen as an exhortation to the people of our country and our young people in particular to be ever conscious of taking responsibility for our country’s development.

I want to suggest to the youth and students gathered here today that the 25^th anniversary of our country’s independence finds our nation precariously poised on a precipitous path paved with progress but plagued with problems.

The problems which plague us derive from an agricultural industry dependent on one crop, bananas, which is at present tottering on the brink of almost total collapse engendered by forces largely outside of our control; from a tourism industry which is still struggling to define itself and to carve a niche for itself in the international market place; from a health sector which is better known for its deficiencies than its successes; from a system of law and order which some perceive to be both lawless and disorderly at times; and from a generally negative wind blowing across the country at this time, though largely induced by elements within the local media.

But our path as a nation has been paved with progress in the twenty five years of our nationhood.  So that when in February 1979 our country attained independence there were only five schools in St. Lucia offering a full secondary school programme leading to the equivalent of CXC exams, today there are twenty such schools.  And I pause to note that the first of these secondary schools established in the post-independence era was the Leon Hess Comprehensive Secondary School which was formally opened in 1985 by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second and that the last of them – the Ciceron Secondary School - will be formally opened this afternoon by her second son, His Royal Highness the Duke of York.

Progress is also manifested too by the fact that twenty five years ago hundreds of children were not attending school and some were getting only half day school, today we have universal primary education and no shift system in our schools.

Twenty five years ago Victoria Park (then no more than a large playing field) and the gardens’ courts (still there for all to see) were the premier sporting facilities in St. Lucia.  Now we have one of the finest cricket stadiums in the world today, we have a state-of-the-art football and track and field stadium, we have an eighteen-hole golf course, an acquatic center with a twenty-five metre pool, a tennis center with six lawn tennis courts, the Vigie Multi Purpose Complex with three multi purpose courts and a much enhanced

Victoria Park, now renamed Mindoo Phillip Park.

And I have not even bothered to mention what up to now is our greatest achievement as a nation – having received in the twenty five years since independence, not one, but two, nobel prizes through our local laureates the late Sir Arthur Lewis and the Honourable Derek Walcott.

So you see there has been progress along our path of nationhood.  But the progress has been brought about by persons other than the youth and students here gathered.  Our leaders since independence, from Sir John Compton to Dr. Kenny Anthony, and those who have and are serving with them – whether in ministerial or public service – have been responsible for our country’s development to date,  the time is now for you – the youth and students of our country – to be taking responsibility for our country’s development.  Yours is the task of ensuring that our next twenty five years of nationhood lead us through and to further pathways of progress and away from the precipitous path on which we are precariously poised at present.

I have said before and will repeat now that our country’s past has been shaped for the youth of the country, its present is being shaped with the youth of the country, but its future will be shaped by the youth of the country.

So, as I said to you on the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of our country’s independence,  you – the youth and students of our country – must take pride in yourselves as young and responsible citizens of our beloved country, St. Lucia.  Respect our national symbols and embrace our national culture.  Seek never to get involved in the consumption of illicit drugs, or even the legal ones of alcohol and tobacco – you are bound to regret it later.  Avoid steadfastly the urge to indulge in sexual promiscuity with its dangerous and deadly byproducts.  Instead, engage in responsible relationships, for no matter what you might see on television or all around you for that matter, there is still no greater joy than that derived from a faithful and sincere relationship between one man and one woman who are ready to deal with the responsibilities involved.  Stay away at all costs from violence and crime, because if you allow yourself to fall prey to them you will forever be haunted by these two demons.  Strive always to be counted proudly as a positive contributor to the pride and well being of your school, your community and your country.  Participate in the various programmes of your school which correspond to your aptitude and ability – whether they be sporting programmes, debates, quizzes, young leaders, junior achievers, or membership in the choir or in one of the uniformed groups.  All of these things help to build character and contribute to making you a better student, a better citizen and a better person.  Live your lives in an organized way, not just by participating in organized groups, but by organizing your own daily routine to ensure that you make maximum use of your time.  Let your objective be that twenty four hours will never pass you by without being able to account to posterity for some accomplishment realized in the course of that day.  Indulge lavishly in the positive pastimes of reading and writing.  Strive always to listen  attentively, think clearly and speak properly – preferably in that order.  Be positive in your outlook to life and never let anyone – whether talk show hosts or television commentators – cause you to doubt your own worth or that of your country.  Set high standards for yourself and be disappointed only if you did not try to attain them.  In all that you do be true to yourselves and to others, because honesty is still the best policy.

This is my humble advise to you – the youth and students of St. Lucia – as we celebrate the twenty fifth anniversary of our country’s independence, and if you can find it within you to heed the advice which I have offered then maybe you can make true the words of our national anthem and the sons and daughters of St. Lucia will love the land that gave us birth, our land of beaches, hills and valleys will be fairest isle of all the earth, and wheresoever we may roam we will love oh love our island home.

I thank you.

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