Carlos James St. Vincent’s minister of tourism, speaking at the anniversary of the death of Paramount Chief Joseph Chatoyer, highlighted the historical and cultural importance of the recent legislation that saw Baliceaux reclaimed.
“All of this provides the pieces that constitute the formation of the social being, which give rise to our very consciousness. And I notice because this act by our government is an expression of our social being that will see the evolution of the consciousness of every Vincentian, every Garifuna, at home and abroad.”
Emphasising the need for social transformation, reparatory justice, and the documentation of the nation’s history by local historians, James underscored the government’s commitment to social justice, equality, and the empowerment of future generations.
“This government has given the mandate to our own sons of the soil, well-decorated Vincentian historians, to document our story. To tell our story as we see it through our eyes and our efforts to pool the best minds to tell this narrative is something that must be commended when we write the history of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. It’s not only about the physical sense of revenue and resources and the material things that are associated with it, but it has a far greater meaning.”
James said the importance of collective action and leadership in achieving these goals is necessary and made a call for continued efforts towards self-determination and the upliftment of the Vincentian society.
“I want us to use this occasion for mature and sober reflection, recommitting ourselves in service to our people and resolving to do better than before. It is a period that requires domestic action of togetherness, solidarity, love, and despite the broken and rapidly eroding global political economy, here in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, our eyes are filled with a spark of hope and optimism of the transformational potential of our emerging Vincentian society centred on social justice, solidarity, equality, and love. The time has come for us to use every available resource at our disposal to retool, upscale, and build our reservoir of Caribbean change agents,” James said.