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Sunday, November 09, 2025

Call for a Memorial Monument at Morne Sion to Honour the Victims of the 2011 Choiseul Tragedy


PRESS RELEASE

Date: November 9, 2025

Subject: Call for a Memorial Monument at Morne Sion to Honour the Victims of the 2011 Choiseul Tragedy

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Choiseul, Saint Lucia —
As the community of Choiseul and the wider nation prepare to mark the 14th anniversary of the tragic Morne Sion accident of November 10, 2011, Choiseul on the Move calls upon both political candidates for the Choiseul/Saltibus constituencyMr. Bradley Felix (United Workers Party) and Mr. Keithson “Kiffo” Charles (Saint Lucia Labour Party)—to make a solemn and public commitment to the people of Choiseul:

Deliver a permanent monument at the Morne Sion crash site before the next anniversary.


Background

On the evening of Thursday, November 10, 2011, a minibus carrying mourners returning from a funeral in Micoud plunged off a cliff into the sea at Morne Sion, Choiseul.
Seventeen lives were lost—including men, women, children, and an expectant mother. It remains one of the most devastating accidents in Saint Lucia’s modern history.

In the weeks that followed, there were many promises and pledges of remembrance. The then Prime Minister, Dr. Kenny Anthony, publicly expressed his government’s intention to erect a memorial monument at the site. Yet, fourteen years later, no such monument exists.
The only reminder at the scene today is a set of culvert barriers—cold, impersonal, and inadequate to represent the pain, faith, and loss that the Choiseul community endured that night.

A Community Still Hurting

Every year, families from Dugard, Fond Lor, and the surrounding areas quietly mark the anniversary.
For them, the absence of a formal memorial is not just an oversight—it is a painful symbol of forgotten promises.

This press release, therefore, is not political.
It is moral.
It is humanitarian.
It is an appeal from a community that refuses to let memory die in silence.

Our Call to Action

We call upon both Mr. Felix and Mr. Charles, as sons of Choiseul and aspirants to represent its people, to:

  1. Publicly pledge to erect a Memorial Monument at Morne Sion by November 10, 2026.
  2. Collaborate with local families, church leaders, and community representatives on the design and placement of the monument.
  3. Ensure transparency regarding funding, location, and maintenance.
  4. Include the names of all victims on the monument, as a mark of eternal remembrance.

This is not a matter of politics—it is a matter of dignity.
Leadership begins with empathy, and the people of Choiseul/Saltibus deserve leaders who can honour their own.

Why It Matters

The Morne Sion tragedy stands as a scar on the national conscience.
It reminds us of the fragility of life, the power of community, and the responsibility of leaders to act where words once failed.

A monument at the crash site would:

  • Preserve our history for future generations.
  • Offer closure to the bereaved.
  • Serve as a national reminder of road safety and compassion.
  • Restore pride in a community that bore unimaginable pain.

A Final Word

Choiseul on the Move is urging both candidates—before the campaign dust settles—to take a united stand on this humanitarian issue.
Commit publicly, follow through faithfully, and let your legacy in Choiseul/Saltibus begin not with division, but with honour.

Let November 10th, 2026, be a day of healing, not just remembering.

Issued by:
Choiseul on the Move
Community Blog and Civic Platform
📧 choiseul.inform@gmail.com
🌐 https://choiseul-inform.blogspot.com

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