[dropcap]T[/dropcap]ropical Storm Kirk may have left terrifying marks elsewhere in Saint Lucia but it only temporarily dimmed the lights on the fourth annual George Odlum Memorial Lecture, postponed to Tuesday October 16. The George Odlum Memorial Celebration Committee flickered plans back on for the lecture, a mode to relay useful information about the controversial politician’s life that he meant for others to learn from. The lecture is usually held near September 28, the day Odlum died in 2003. Previous celebrations of Odlum’s life tended to focus on his contributions to politics and the arts. This year it was George Odlum the journalist who was spotlighted by his close friend and fellow journalist Earl Bousquet.
Currently editor of the Voice, Bousquet was once editor of Odlum’s newspaper, the now defunct Crusader. On Tuesday this was how he started his lecture: “Let me just tell you that you’re in for a long ride.” And so it was. His address ran for over ninety exciting minutes, beginning with the history of the Crusader, founded by John Pilgrim.
The audience especially enjoyed Bousquet’s recollection of an Odlum-penned tribute to Pilgrim. A sample line: “He served Saint Lucia and paid the price.” He recalled, too, the Rastafari reaction after Odlum strongly voiced his opposition to the smoking of marijuana. Naturally, Bousquet could not speak of Odlum’s Crusader without mentioning the popular columns Quick Quack and Cocky and Stocky. Evidently many in the audience remembered them with glee!
Bousquet’s presentation suggested intensive research and reminded of his 40 years or so in journalism. At the end of his presentation he received a standing ovation from the audience and a token of appreciation from two junior members of the Odlum family.
