The St Lucian community in the UK marked the start of their country’s National Day celebrations with a special flag-raising ceremony held in Newham, London, today.
A sizeable crowd from all over the UK gathered at the Newham Town Hall in London’s East end before midday to celebrate and mark the ‘nationhood of the nation.’
The main part of the ceremony which would have seen the flag being hoisted above the well-known building had to be abandoned this year due to the inclement weather.
Prominent community activist and local magistrate Justin Moore who organizes the annual event said that he is happy to host what has now become a must-attend ceremony of the year.
“It has been very cold and I leave it all to the people and our supporters. I am grateful for their attendance and their continued support.” Said Moore, who migrated to England in the 1960s from Soufriere. “It’s an important day for our community here in this country and I am grateful for the support we have received today as plenty of people have come to support this event.
This event is proving to be successful and the audience has always been looking forward to this special day,” adds Moore who singled out his wife Theresa for praises and who according to him has been his rock.” I would not be able to put this event together without the full support of my wife Theresa Moore. She has been there throughout and I am extremely grateful for all her help and support.”
Other Participants at the memorable flag-raising ceremony included St Lucia’s Deputy High Commissioner to London, Her Excellency Ms.Roseanne Bates who spoke about the significance of this special day and the need for the community to come together to celebrate the island’s national day.
Also present was Ms.Julie Dublin, transformation manager of the National Health Service who gave a lecture on public health and it’s importance to British society. She encouraged the black community to make full use of the NHS.”We need to seek the help that is available and to make full use of the service.” She said during a question and answer session.
Moore, a pillar and influential member of the East London borough said he was extremely grateful for today’s turnout.
The qualified social worker who recently received an award from the late Queen for his outstanding service and achievements said that he would also like to thank the Deputy High Commissioner Her Excellency Ms.Roseanne Bates for her input. “She spoke so passionately about the event and reached out to the community here in the UK,” said Moore.
Moore maintains that he will not give up on his beautiful island of St Lucia and reveals that he would like to see this important ceremony carry on for many more years to come. “We have to carry on as always.” said a sprightly and youthful-looking Moore.” We don’t intend to give up.”
The East Londoner revealed that he is already planning for next year’s event and that he is happy with all the support that has been afforded to him by the community. “We all know what our national day is all about. Our people all know about it and its significance and I am glad for their support.
Our people have shown commitment which was highlighted through their participation here today. Apart from celebrating our National Day, we were able to socialize with each other and keep up with what is happening in our communities both here in the UK and at home in St Lucia. I will always be grateful for that.”
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NEUVA SAYS UK, CAN YOU HEAR ME:
National Day I say no and I call it a sad Day, for you folks in the UK, stop believing in a St. Lucia fantasy, it is true you left your St. Lucia and have gone into marriage with your beloved UK, your dream of a prosperous St. Lucia is all in your head because of love for your Island, yes the beaches are still there, and the sun is hot, the rain dampens the noonday heat bringing cool breeze to the land, the mountains are still majestic to behold, the old folks in your generation has now all pass away unto their rest, which makes you daydream, your little fifteen-minute visit puts a pep in your step, and your eyes are blinded to the misery of the Island.
Hurrah for you, get a real look around you to see the unforgiven plight independence has caused to the Island, we have become a nation of beggars, sold our birthright to foreigners because we don’t have the right stuff, our so-called leaders are nothing but scavengers and opportunist, nothing to do with the Land The People or the Light, of course, you are on the brink of disaster moving fast on a oneway dead end road.
Those who have ears listen carefully, your leader's greed has darkened and placed a choke hold on our Island, the poor have been neglected, the sick are dying for lack of proper care, and your crops are rueing for lack of love for the land, your old is without hope for lack of hospitalization, your children are being sold to the highest bidder for lack of knowledge spoiled by commercializing propaganda, foreign diplomacy of treacherous intent, and you think to say happy National Day.
Once lost can never regain, this generation was led astray, to crimes and violence liars, like a pack of hungry wolves preying on their neighbors, I invite you to bring your wealth to St. Lucia it all will have lasted but one day, modern pirates Roam both parties of the government, and jackals roam the streets. Come stay here if you dare, maybe next year you will say Happy Sad day St. Lucia.
Again I say to the Fox: Fox my man! You nailed it, to further elaborate on your unique observation let me say St. Lucia had no business being independent when all it does is panhandle, begging for bones, the so-called elected leaders for the past decade have been blind beggars acting like kids playing at a tea party with dummy stuff dolls.
They fight among themselves for the bigger piece of the pie and scrabble with name-calling lies, and deceit, no wonder this country St. Lucia is in a shit hole with murders by the score, still they fight and scrabble among themselves instead of standing tall and being true heroes to the cause, asleep at the wheel they are, let me tell you what they are not, truthful no, lazy yes, greedy yes, innovative thinkers no, bossy yes, fresh, yes, stupid yes, brilliant no, those are the people who have represent a failing Island, captain the ship is sinking.
The biggest heartache of all is that the Island produce and has among those failures people of true grit and brilliant top-notch sons and daughters, however, they are not given a chance to shine, and we all know why?.
Well done and kudos to Mr. Justin and Theresa Moore for putting together this yearly event. The St Lucian community in the UK needs this to show their love for their country. What better way to do this? It is a genuinely patriotic event that has been going on for a while now. Where are the top Lucian figures in the UK? How comes they were not present? Where was the High Commissioner? Reading from the report it looks like the deputy did a great job by attending and being there for the people.
It is so lovely seeing people come together to celebrate such an important event. Mr. Moore has been a true servant of the community in the UK. I think he should be given an award for all the good work that he has been doing. We need to honour our heroes while they are alive. Once more Kudos to Mr. and Mrs. Moore for your good work. Let us keep the community moving. St Lucia, we love you!
Well done to the folks in London for keeping this wonderful celebration going. This flag-raising has been going on for many years now from what I have been told. I have met both Mr. and Mrs. Moore and they are indeed pillars of the St. Lucian community in London. they do their best to assist their people in the UK.
The weather has not been good lately as it has been very cold in the UK with snow falling. It's been bitterly cold. Public transport is on strike as well as the nurses. It isn't a good time to be in the UK at the moment and despite that people turned up to partake in the activities to mark National day. That is a very warm gesture and like Mr. Moore said he is grateful for that. Mr. Moore has done a lot of work not only for the St Lucian community but for other communities as well. I think it is about time he is given an honour or a peerage. They gave peerages to useless people like Ian Botham and Tony Sewell who sold the black community out with the right-wing drivel he put together for former PM Boris Johnson.
Justin Moore has done far better things than these two Good-For-Nothing individuals and yet he is being ignored. Why don't St Lucian and the black community, on the whole, get together to campaign on behalf of Mr. Moore so that a peerage or honour can be bestowed upon him? Common now people let us support the gentleman. Let us support our own. Kudos to Mr. and Mrs. Moore of East London. Continue serving the people! You are doing a superb job.