Thursday, June 30, 2011

Debreuil Youth form Club

At a meeting held at the Debreuil/Roblot Combined school on June 29, 2011, the youth of Debreuil elected an executive to run the affairs of the club.
Debreuil youths have in the past, shown great potential in the line of sports as well as academics. However lately they have become quite uninvolved, and not showing any interest in almost anything.
In spite of the non sensitivity towards youth activities, well known icon from the area, Horatio Nicholas, has been able to bring the boys together in a football team named 'Champion Crew' which have represented the community in competitions organised by the Choiseul Sports Council.
The girls, having no organized activity themselves have to simply 'follow the boys' by lending their support at the games.
These concerned youth have taken the bull by the horn and have vowed to get Debreuil out of this don't care attitude mode.
The executive comprises of: Front row from left to right. Jenna Joseph - Secretary, David Thomas = President.
Back row from left to right. Florence Jean - tresurar, Marlan Clarke - PRO, Luna Mitchel - events coordinator, and Lilroy Joseph - Sports coordinator.
Also at that meeting, Dedan Jn. Baptiste, briefed the group on a week long program which is to come on stream soon. This will involve the youth from Lamaze to Rivere Doree.
It was rather refreshing to hear a young lady, by the name of Len, mentioned that a ladies cricket should be included in the program designed for the youth. Activites for that week long program will include cricket, football, athletics,indoor games, quizzes,bicycling,talent show and an open air church service, not forgetting a fun walk.
Presently each of these community is putting their house in order for that great event which is tentaively dated for july 24 - August 1, 2011.
YOUTH STEPPING UP TO THE PLATE!

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Qualities of a good and able politician.

For sometime now the talk in the savanne is whether Lorne has what it takes to be a politician? It is my strong view that politicians are born, not made.
The same talk was run during the Tennyson short campaign stint. It seems to be a malady among the so called elite of the Labour Party that their selected academics are politicians. Foolishness at its peak.
Residents in a constituency might not be able to define what a politician is, but they surely can name you one if asked.
Below is an article pulled out of the web to illustrate what good and able politicians should aspire to have.
Amazingly, a majority of the candidates possess good academic qualifications, with a number of them winning prestigious scholarships awarded by the government.
However, a question comes begging in my mind - Is it necessary for a person to possess excellent academic qualifications in order to become a good and able politician?

Still, we should not take any credit away from the candidates in view of the question raised, because in my honest opinion, these candidates will make accomplished or better still, high-flying professionals in their various fields with their excellent qualifications. In order to answer the question raised earlier, there are considerations one would have to make. Firstly, we will have to consider whether or not the educational environment contributes to one's political aptitude.



Secondly, we have to ajudge the relevance of a university degree and the magnitude of its application in political situations and environment. Lastly and most importantly, we also need to take into account the essential qualities of a good and able politician and consider their importance over academic qualifications.
The first consideration is a forgone conclusion. The educational process from primary to tertiary level contributes very little or perhaps may not even contribute to one's aptitude as a politician. The possible reason is that the academic environment one goes through in the process of his/her education is not conducive and viable enough to boost his/her political aptitude. A typical student would have to grapple with the intricacies of his Math, Science and Humanities subjects at primary and secondary level, and pursue specialization courses at university level within the field which he/she intends to pursue, all these accomplished in an academic environment. Unless, a special school is set up to specially train future politicians, we can still safely conclude that one who fares well in his education do not necessarily possess the ability(s) to become a politician.



In order to assess the relevance of a university degree in political situations, we will have to consider the implications of a university degree, or put simply, what a university degree represents. Most will agree that a university degree represents one of the highest attainable educational qualifications(of course behind PhD), hence, one gains professional status in his/her respective field if he/she possesses a degree. The experience a university graduate undergoes in political situations and environment is very much different from that he undergoes when he is practising in his profession, be it as a doctor for a medical graduate, engineer for an engineering graduate, lawyer for a law graduate, etc. The political arena, fraught with its fair share of problems, complications and uncertainties, require a different set of qualifications, which I will discuss in the subsequent paragraph, from that of a degree. An exception to the arguement is related to the one raised in the first paragraph, when there are degree programs in Political Engineering which trains graduates for future roles in politics! The few essential qualities a model politician should possess are as follows - dynamism, wisdom, will to serve the people and a good fighting spirit. Dynamism is important, especially in the socio-economic climate of Singapore (St.Lucia). Individuals ,who are dynamic, possess the creativity to come up with innovative solutions in order to negotiate the endless situations that await them. Singapore (St.Lucia) is susceptible to the flux in the global climate and it is important for its leaders to be dynamic enough to find creative and innovative solutions to deal with the changes in order to ensure its well-being. Wisdom is also important in the decision-making process at the highest level where potential traps and pitfalls are avoided and the correct path is chosen, safeguarding the interests of Singapore.(St.Lucia)



The will to serve the people is extremely essential. It is the most fundamental reason why some choose to go into politics, especially in the west. Good politicians display this will through their acts of self- sacrifice, giving up their comfortable life and jobs for the greater good of the people. It is heartening to note that a number of PAP candidates (UWP Party) possess this will which is apparent in their biography where they described how they volunteered their services to serve the community at grassroots level, sacrificing the time spent with their families. Politicians ,who possess such a will, will always consider the welfare and well-being of the people as the top priority as they plan the policies.


A good fighting spirit is also a major attribute of a model politician. When politicians suffer setbacks, there will definitely be catcalls from the public. The will to soldier on despite the setback and win back the public emanates from a good fighting spirit. In times of adversity, leaders with good fighting spirit will set an example, boosting the morale of the people. Hence, the importance of such qualities certainly outweigh that of academic qualifications. In conclusion, as far as the question is concerned, academic qualifications will only serve as an addition to the resume of a politician, only to be overshadowed by the more essential qualities of a model politician - dynamism, wisdom, good fighting spirit and desire to serve the people. Thus, whether or not a political candidate possess good academic qualifications is not important, because what really matters is whether or not he possesses the aforesaid qualities. The example of Australian senator, Paul Calvert, typefies this description of a model politician. Despite the fact that Paul did not possess a university degree, he was appointed President of the Senate! Date: 3 June 2003



----------------------------------------------------------------------Amazingly, a majority of the candidates possess good academic qualifications, with a number of them winning prestigious scholarships awarded by the government.
However, a question comes begging in my mind - Is it necessary for a person to possess excellent academic qualifications in order to become a good and able politician?

Still, we should not take any credit away from the candidates in view of the question raised, because in my honest opinion, these candidates will make accomplished or better still, high-flying professionals in their various fields with their excellent qualifications. In order to answer the question raised earlier, there are considerations one would have to make. Firstly, we will have to consider whether or not the educational environment contributes to one's political aptitude.

Secondly, we have to ajudge the relevance of a university degree and the magnitude of its application in political situations and environment. Lastly and most importantly, we also need to take into account the essential qualities of a good and able politician and consider their importance over academic qualifications.


The first consideration is a forgone conclusion. The educational process from primary to tertiary level contributes very little or perhaps may not even contribute to one's aptitude as a politician. The possible reason is that the academic environment one goes through in the process of his/her education is not conducive and viable enough to boost his/her political aptitude. A typical student would have to grapple with the intricacies of his Math, Science and Humanities subjects at primary and secondary level, and pursue specialization courses at university level within the field which he/she intends to pursue, all these accomplished in an academic environment. Unless, a special school is set up to specially train future politicians, we can still safely conclude that one who fares well in his education do not necessarily possess the ability(s) to become a politician.

In order to assess the relevance of a university degree in political situations, we will have to consider the implications of a university degree, or put simply, what a university degree represents. Most will agree that a university degree represents one of the highest attainable educational qualifications(of course behind PhD), hence, one gains professional status in his/her respective field if he/she possesses a degree. The experience a university graduate undergoes in political situations and environment is very much different from that he undergoes when he is practising in his profession, be it as a doctor for a medical graduate, engineer for an engineering graduate, lawyer for a law graduate, etc. The political arena, fraught with its fair share of problems, complications and uncertainties, require a different set of qualifications, which I will discuss in the subsequent paragraph, from that of a degree. An exception to the arguement is related to the one raised in the first paragraph, when there are degree programs in Political Engineering which trains graduates for future roles in politics! The few essential qualities a model politician should possess are as follows - dynamism, wisdom, will to serve the people and a good fighting spirit. Dynamism is important, especially in the socio-economic climate of Singapore. Individuals ,who are dynamic, possess the creativity to come up with innovative solutions in order to negotiate the endless situations that await them. Singapore is susceptible to the flux in the global climate and it is important for its leaders to be dynamic enough to find creative and innovative solutions to deal with the changes in order to ensure its well-being. Wisdom is also important in the decision-making process at the highest level where potential traps and pitfalls are avoided and the correct path is chosen, safeguarding the interests of Singapore.

The will to serve the people is extremely essential. It is the most fundamental reason why some choose to go into politics, especially in the west. Good politicians display this will through their acts of self- sacrifice, giving up their comfortable life and jobs for the greater good of the people. It is heartening to note that a number of PAP candidates possess this will which is apparent in their biography where they described how they volunteered their services to serve the community at grassroots level, sacrificing the time spent with their families. Politicians ,who possess such a will, will always consider the welfare and well-being of the people as the top priority as they plan the policies.

A good fighting spirit is also a major attribute of a model politician. When politicians suffer setbacks, there will definitely be catcalls from the public. The will to soldier on despite the setback and win back the public emanates from a good fighting spirit. In times of adversity, leaders with good fighting spirit will set an example, boosting the morale of the people. Hence, the importance of such qualities certainly outweigh that of academic qualifications. In conclusion, as far as the question is concerned, academic qualifications will only serve as an addition to the resume of a politician, only to be overshadowed by the more essential qualities of a model politician - dynamism, wisdom, good fighting spirit and desire to serve the people. Thus, whether or not a political candidate possess good academic qualifications is not important, because what really matters is whether or not he possesses the aforesaid qualities. The example of Australian senator, Paul Calvert, typefies this description of a model politician. Despite the fact that Paul did not possess a university degree, he was appointed President of the Senate! Date: 3 June 2003
The site is http://www.thinkcentre.org



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Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Franciou Road completed

After a long wait in the wilderness the residents of Franciou in Delcer can now breathe a sigh of relief. The road conditions were deplorable.Mini buses plying this route could not manouevre the road.
These residents have had to trod this thing of a road to get to their homes. And what makes it worse is that after spending a hard day shopping or selling their produce, they would have to walk a long distance to get their home because the bus could not or would not drive through this road. These persons had to get off the bus almost three quarter of a mile away from their home.
This is no more and the residents are very gratefull for this.
Bousquet has been meeting with the people and you cannot imagine the relief that is shown on these people faces.
Well after years of suffering atlast residents of franciou can now walk in comfort without bursting their toes.

Monday, June 27, 2011

Happy Fishermen's feast 2011?

With this view looming in the minds of the fishermen, it would be hard to believe that they are truly enjoying this year's feast in their honour. This perrenial problem will not go away in a hurry. The authorities are yet to determine how to deal with it. Sand, sand and more sand.
Recently the pond was filled with sand to the brim. This condition remained for a while. The fishermen became very agitated against the authorities. Bousquet who has over and over lamented the fact that getting rid of the sand using an excavator will never solve this problem. However he could not standby and let the fishermen suffer. Using his initiative an excavator was hired once again to alleviate the hardship encountered by the fishermen. This time around the cost to clear the pond was $100,000.00. No joke!
Now check the status of the pond. Happy Fishermen's feast?
Now you see the prob. Should monies be thrown away each time just to clear the pond? The Council is due to get an excavator and truck to help in this situation but the excavator that can handle this pond,the monies in Council's posession can't buy it. But that still will not solve the problem.
To solve this problem permanently, this complex must be redesigned en toto. Why wasn't a study done before the construction of the pond? Well, well, Forgetus John was too busy looking to make political milage. This is what he has left the poor fishermen with. Why didn't they take Webby's advice.
In spite of this problem the fishermen have put together a very impressive program to mark their feast.....to bring back boat racing is a step in the right direction.
Happy fishermen's Feast. Chebay Whed!

Sunday, June 26, 2011

La Maze on the map again

I remember reading a comment where an anonymous writer complained about the material on the road surface. He/she also complained that we are approaching the rainy season and the surface material will be washed away.
Presently works are underway in the Lamaze community to pave (concrete) the the two steepest sections of the newly surfaced road....one at the very bottom and the other near the SDA church. These two sections of the road truly needed to be paved because it was presenting difficulty for motorists to manoeuvre, especially on the up.
Once again we see the works being done by residents of the community. There can be no doubt that they will show great appreciation for the project.
There are about twenty persons employed on the project. Works has been ongoing from Monday this week. It is due to be completed today.
One will no doubt notice the high level of workmanship of the project to ensure that vehicles do not skid on the surface.
All in all the contractor definitely lived up to expectations by producing a high standard of work. Furthermore some finance is circulating in the community, making the residents lives a little easier. That's what it is all about.
Clearly Bousquet's negotiations with SSDF has borne positive fruits for the people of Lamaze.
Brian is happy. Run-off water from the newly paved road was creating a small pond at the entrance to his shop. Solved. This is what a concerned politician does...take care of the people.
La Maze, enjoying the fruits of Bousquet's hard representative work.

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Youths That Can

This blog would like to recognise the executive of the Choiseul UWP Youth Arm. Although they have their own blog, which they are new to, we at 'Choiseul on the Move' take this oppurtunity to encourage them in the mammoth task which awaits them.
I personally think that with the calibre of youngsters on the exec, and the enthusiam and dedication which they are portraying, it is my strong belief that they can deliver.
This young man, Curtly, has what it takes to motivate the Choiseul Youth. He to my mind comes across as a nonsense fella.
Jason, who hails from Balca is a model to the youths. He has represented St. Lucia on the U-19 Cricket Team. He is an asset to the executive.
Sherina, the president, slim in stature,but is a bank of ideas. She has vowed to see this Youth Arm play a meaningful role in the lives of the young people in the Constituency.
The executive has been very active meeting with youth groups all over the constituency selling out their policies and that of the District Rep.
This blog has understood that a massive activity is being planned by the Arm for the month of July.
Also in its budding stages is a grand SportsOrama to be hosted by the 'UWP I5 Polling Division Branch' to bring the Youths of Lamaze, Roblot, Debreuil and Rivere Doree together in a week-long program.
Activities will include cricket, football, athletics, bicycling, and on the educational side, quizzes. A tentative date is yet to be established.
It is this blog's strong belief that the youths should also be empowered to take their rightful place in the work environment. In this area we hope the Youth Arm will source the relevant authorities to get help in preparing our Youths for the job market. It's no easy feat.
With the right mind set, a dedicated Rep, and a cadre of multi-talented individuals behind them, much could be achieved to impact the lives of the youths, especially in the poorer communities.
Yes, these Youths Can !

Friday, June 24, 2011

Mongouge Centre in advance stage


Residents of the Mongouge community have welcomed the recommencement of works on the Multi-purpose centre.
Information reaching this blog suggests that the centre is down to be completed in six months.
Upon completion this centre will house a kitchenette, an auditorium,a library,a conference room, a place for the elderly, etc.
From my vantage point,I say that Mongouge will have the most updated centre in this constituency. But wait, you en see our design for the Roblot centre yet. Just pulling your legs.
On a serious note, we too at Roblot would like a state of the art multi- purpose centre as well.
Mongouge on the move for great things.

Thursday, June 23, 2011

The Movable Feast

Lying down on the sofa, an watching a movie on TCM, it suddenly flashed my mind that today is a holiday. Why? I asked myself. Corpus Christi, I uttered to myself. I should write something about this I continued mumbling to myself. It is now 1:30 am.
The Feast Of Corpus Christi or Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ (as it is often called today), goes back to the 13th Century, but celebrates something far older:
the institution of the Sacrament of Holy Communion at the Last Supper. While Holy Thursday is also a celebration of this mystery, the solemn nature of Holy Week, and the focus of Christ's Passion on Good Friday, overshadows that aspect of Holy Thursday.
Corpus Christi (latin for Boby of Christ) is a western Catholic Solemnity. It is also celebrated in some Anglican,Lutheran Churches and some liberal Catholic Churches. It does not commemorate a particular event in Jesus' life, but celebrates the Body of Christ in the mass. It is held the Thursday after Trinity Sunday or, in some places on the following Sunday
The appearance of Corpus Christi as a feast in the Christian Calender was primarily due to the petitions of the 13th Century Augustinian nun Juliana of Leige. From her early childhood youth, Juliana had a veneration for the Bless
ed Sacrament, and always longed for a special event in its honour.
I remember early in my youthful days, in the Choiseul Village, the feast was celebrated with a eucharistic procession, which the Sacred Heart was carried throughout the village, accompanied by hymns and litanies. The faithful would venerate the Body of Christ as the procession passed by. In recent years, this procession has almost disappeared though some parishes still hold a brief procession around the outside of the parish church.
Corpus Christi is observed after the fifty days of Easter are over. The Feast is a movable one.The date continousously changes.......this year it is celebrated on June 23rd. Next year it falls on June 7th and in the year 2013 it will be celebrated on May 30th. If you will be around in 2021 check it out on June 3rd.
Why the date continually changes? Big question?
I'd like to recommend http://www.therecord.com to find out more on this St. Juliana whom in my view is more or less the founder of Corpus Christi. Also check out http://www.faithclipart.com/guide/christian-holidays/feast to find out 'what is Corpus Christi?' That last site is very informative.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Another Balca project

Some residents in balca can now walk in comfort to their homes. This is due to the construction of a one hundred metre long footpath which includes a flight of stairs.
A certain section of this footpathy have not been completed.Information reaching this blog indicates that a certain owner of that section of the land who is from Soufriere, has been playing hard ball to allow the contractors to complete what they started. The last pic shows this section.
The secretariat of the UWP in the constituency are presently in negotiationns with that gentleman.
According to the users of the path, "We are satisfied with the work done thus far,we hope good sense will prevail,and this gentleman will allow the works to be completed."
This brings to mind a question that was posed in a comment. Hope the answer is embedded there.
Progress galore in Choiseul.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

More bus shelters in the constituency.


Commuters of this constituency are now able to wait in comfort for the minibus which will take them to work or school etc. Bus shelters have built or renovated all over the constituency.
The first pic shows the renovated Jetrine Bus shelter, while the second shows the Balca Bus shelter...newly constructed. And the next pic displays the Ravine Lavae's bus stop... also renovated.
Bus shelters have been constructed in Delcer,Lapointe/Industry junction, Daban Gap,Dacretin,and La fargue/Sauzay junction. The Lamaze bus shelter has been renovated.
Due to an issue with the ownership of the land, a bus shelter for the Raveneau Junction has been placed on hold.
More bus shelters are to be constructed this year. This blog is not at liberty to disclose their locations.
Bousquet, making the constituency commuters comfortable.

Monday, June 20, 2011

Saltibus residents benefit from footpaths

The above pics show a section of the track residents of saltibus used before Bousquet saw the need to improve the conditions. Check oput the after pics below.
These people have seen an improvement in their standard of living. We are living in modern times and so must our people.
the pics below shows another project.
And still in Ba Vieux Kai the residents are pleased with what is done there. again the pics bear testimony of bousquet's continuous efforts to help improve the lives of persons in his constituency.
Like this blog has always mentioned, Bousquet has said that he will be judged by his legacy. Meaning,what he has done for his constituency.