Saint Lucia is going to celebrate its 43rd
Independence Day day after tomorrow, February 22, 2022, under the theme "Douvan Ansanm: Celebrating Our People." That day, 43 years ago, was a
significant milestone for us. It marked the severing of the colonial umbilical
cord and the commencement of a journey of self-discovery, a journey of growth
and transformation.
Despite the growing pains that attend every such
journey, we have come a long way since then. We have achieved much. We still
have a stable democracy; we have built significant institutional strength in
our judiciary, our parliament, and in our public and private sectors, and the
quality of life for our citizenry has changed considerably since then.
In the developmental history of countries though,
43 years is a relatively short time, and we would be the first to admit
that we still have a long way to go. A national anthem, a national flag, and a
Coat of Arms are mere symbols of our independence, in and of themselves; they
do not make us independent.
True independence comes when we all accept that
every right and freedom carries with it an inherent responsibility. The freedom
to govern ourselves carries with it a grave responsibility not only for
politicians but for every single citizen. It is a responsibility that is not
only exercised once every five years but every day of our lives.
It is our responsibility to be a good citizen, to
contribute to the country's development in whatever way we can, with whatever
resources we possess; to obey the just laws of the land; and to raise our
families in such a way that there is great respect for the other, irrespective
of gender, class, colour, creed, or political affiliation.
The pandemic has hit to a loss of human life
globally and gives an unusual hurdle to people's wellness, practices, and
business. Mr. Rayneau Gajadhar, CEO of Rayneau Group of Companies (RGC) Ltd,
says Now is the time for unity and togetherness to fight the virus."
While wishing every citizen a Happy Independence
Day 2022, Mr. Gajadhar believes "Saint Lucia is a beautiful country
and that our value system is our strength, and our resolve comes from the fact
that, no matter what, we manage to rise after every tragedy."
In this regard, our Team Leader expresses grief at
the lives lost in the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Although our celebrations will have a different
look and feel about them from previous years, what will not, and has not,
changed is the spirit for which we celebrate. As in other times in our
nation’s history, we have been faced with challenging times, and we have come
together united as one nation to overcome this.
We are at a juncture at age 43 where we could
either continue to beat up on and blame each other or put our collective
shoulders to the wheel and press ahead. We certainly cannot change the past,
but together we can shape a new future. All of us, every single citizen, must
be prepared to do his or her part, to share in the sacrifices and shoulder the
burdens, if we are to make the next 43 our best years yet.
Also while we are celebrating, let us please
remember that our first responders, health care workers, and lawmen/women will
be working - separated from their families - helping to
keep us safe. We owe it to them, as well as each other, to practice social
distancing, wash our hands frequently and wear facial coverings when deemed
necessary or required.
As the nation prepares to celebrate our 43rd birthday, The Rayneau Team is confident
that we possess the resilience, and the reason to make it if we
all try a little harder.
Happy Independence Saint Lucia: Douvan Ansanm: Celebrating Our People!
