Castries, Saint Lucia: Deputy Prime Minister and the Parliamentary Representative of Castries South Ernest Hilaire shared a glimpse of the National Baton Relay on February 6, 2023. While sharing the video, showing people dancing on the beats, Deputy Prime Minister stated, “Woule Tete performing during the Independence National Baton Relay in Castries South, Saint Lucia.”
On the morning of Sunday, the Independence National Baton Relay started in Castries South and will continue throughout the length and breadth of Saint Lucia. The baton relay represented building the nation together one step at a time.
The Parliamentary Representative of the constituency, Hilaire, outlined, “As we celebrate this 44th anniversary of independence, we must applaud those who have gone before us to develop our nation. However, we must work together to create an environment that will spur greater innovation and development.”
While concluding the post, the minister stated, “Douvan Ansanm: One People, Shaping Our Destiny.”
The event was organised after the safety and security rules related to COVID-19 were lifted, and the world has been moving towards normalcy. The citizens and residents were eager to celebrate and witness one of the biggest celebrations in the island country.
The schedule of activities and events was revealed by the authorities during a press conference on January 30, 2023. As per the authorities of Saint Lucia, the heavy focus is on the participation of the public of the country. The theme for 2023 was explained by the Cabinet Secretary and Chairperson of the Independence Committee, Ben Emmanuel, ‘𝑫𝒐𝒖𝒗𝒂𝒏 𝑨𝒏𝒔𝒂𝒏𝒎: 𝑶𝒏𝒆 𝑷𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆. 𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑶𝒖𝒓 𝑫𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒚.’
He mentioned that the theme for this year – Douvan Ansamn essentially means ‘as a people, a nation and a community, Saint Lucia has been looking to move forward, which is unique about the country. Emmanuel added, “One people shaping our destiny.” Furthermore, he highlighted that the theme holds immense importance and will bring a sense of togetherness, which is important in shaping the future of the country.
