Several issues of concern to creative artists in St. Lucia have developed recently. Included among those are the proposed re-location of the National Cultural Centre and the Cultural Development Foundation offices, the closing of the Walcott House and St. Lucia’s possible non-participation in Carifesta in Barbados in August.
All those involved in the various areas of the creative arts are invited to a meeting at the National Cultural Centre on Saturday June 10th at 2 pm to discuss these issues and to plan the way forward.
Meanwhile, artistes and Cultural activists, Gandolf St Clair and George “Fish” Alphonse have raised their voices in opposition to the planned move to have the National Cultural Centre at Barnard Hill replaced with a home for the judiciary. The Government has announced that as part of its plans to improve the administration of justice, Saint Lucia’s Courts will get a new home. The Prime Minister says the Courts have been without a home for some time, which has resulted in delays in the hearing of cases and the rising remand population in the prisons. He announced that the Family court, First District Court, the High Court, Magistrates court and the Offices of the Director of Public Prosecutions will move to Barnard Hill, while the National Cultural Centre will be relocated to an alternative location. The artistes say it is unacceptable that the home of the Arts will be taken away. They have called on the Arts Fraternity to raise their voices against this planed move.