If someone were to ask me what was the most impactful event in Saint Lucia over the past decade, I would unhesitatingly point to the Make It Happen Foundation—the charitable organisation conceived by Mrs. Raquel du Boulay Chastanet, wife of Prime Minister Allen Chastanet—creating a better working environment for the police.
In addition to raising much needed funds for up-grading police stations in this country, Make It Happen also serves to give hope to thousands who
see first-hand what can be achieved by the commitment and dedication of Raquel and
her helpers. The group has raised the hope of individuals (and families) who have benefitted from their fund-raising activities.
Increasing hopefulness, in the face of continuing efforts by some to introduce doubt and misinformation among the citizenry, is a breath of fresh air amidst stale, poor ventilation and fakery. Make It Happen also inspires others who wish to help and get involved. Such attitude is far superior to those who lack goodwill and energy, and who choose to criticize rather than appreciate that the comfort and security of our policemen and women makes for better service to the community.
Maintaining our faith in what is good and noble, even as we increasingly distrust the evil amongst us, is a worthy New Year resolution. Before Raquel there were sons and daughters of this fair land who believed in service before self. This is increasingly true today as more and more people of goodwill are to be found wherever help is needed, especially in emergency situations.
We have heard Raquel on more than one occasion declare herself a du Boulay. I am not certain whether that declaration is meant to distance herself from the Chastanet clan, or whether it is to proclaim an independence of mind from that of her politician-husband, Prime Minister Allen Chastanet. Whatever her reason, I feel compelled to say that Diana Ludlum-Widdowson, Raquel’s maternal grandmother, was one of the kindest persons I have had the pleasure of working with in my life.
As a young research assistant at WINBAN, I was introduced to Diana, who was the lynchpin on which the work of Dr. Edsel Edumnds (research officer) and Mr. Ian Twyford (managing director) revolved. For some reason, Diana showed me great respect and admiration, even though I was merely a junior officer implementing directives from the managing director and research officer.
It was a period of controversial political upheaval on the island, fuelled by the international Black Power movement which my colleagues and I of the St. Lucia Forum had gladly embraced.
Diana engaged me in conversation as often as she could, and sometimes offered afternoon tea and used the opportunity to get to know me better. Frequently I had to fall back on the simple lessons of good manners, of grace and courtesy, which were inculcated in me by my parents and elders. These qualities permitted me to hold an unaffected conversation, regardless of the topic. These conversations also helped boost my confidence, encouraging me to express personal views that may have been unpopular at the time.
Diana was the mother of Jane du Boulay, a former tennis star on the island, who married Dunstan du Boulay and became the mother of Raquel. Those who have been around long enough will remember the hard-working du Boulay patriarch who operated the only ice factory on the island in the 1950s and 60s, at upper Bridge Street, opposite police headquarters, and next to the old post office building.
The success of Make It Happen may be explained by the vision and determination of the du Boulay genes combined with the grace and compassion of Raquel’s matriarchal side of the family. This is not meant to minimize the work ethic of the other members of the team who breathe life into the organisation. No one person alone could have achieved what Make It Happen has done in the last decade.
No other charity has dominated the news in the past three years more than Make It Happen. An important side issue of the foundation’s work has been to make us aware of the many citizens who still live on the margins of society, needing a helping hand. The homeless need to be lifted from the streets and other public places and provided with suitable shelter, food, medicines and rehabilitation. A more aggressive war on drugs is needed to help destroy the sources of the evil that kills young lives. In short, we need to do more than provide jobs for the youth; we need to protect them from the scourge that surrounds them.
To accomplish this we need an increase in private sector involvement, combined with that of civil society. It may mean the formation of a new organisation that focuses on saving the youth of the nation from harmful drugs and negative influences. An increase in life and medical insurance for the island’s security forces should help incentivize them to battle drug lords more determinedly, while reducing the chances of accepting bribes. Customs personnel too, ought to be equally incentivized to become the front line, which protects the youth of the nation from dangerous drugs.
It may take another woman of influence to initiate and sustain this war on hard drugs, whilst securing additional medical and health insurance for police and customs officers.
There may already be sufficiently stringent anti-drug laws in place. What is needed is stronger, more efficient implementation. This ought to be job number one in this new decade. Raquel du Boulay Chastanet and her Make It Happen team have shown us what is possible. It’s time to take the second step to better protect the youth of the nation from those who would destroy them. Indeed, to focus on the social, economic, security and spiritual aspect of the youth ought to be the nation’s resolution for 2020.
