CHOISEUL WOMEN ARE CHAMPIONS: A Performance Our Constituency Should Be Proud Of

There are times when we have to call out what is wrong in Choiseul. There are times when we have to ask the hard questions, demand better and hold people accountable.

But there are also times when we must stop, look around and say: well done.

Today is one of those days.

Our Choiseul women have given this constituency something to celebrate after winning the Saint Lucia National Cricket Association Women’s T20 Tournament at the La Fargue Playing Field.

And they did it in style.

Choiseul defeated neighbours Laborie by seven wickets, chasing down 100 runs in just 10.4 overs after restricting Laborie to 99 all out in 19.1 overs.

At the centre of it all was Alyiah Alfred, who produced the kind of all-round performance any team would be proud of.

She took 4 wickets for 18 runs from her four overs, with 17 dot balls, then came back with the bat and smashed an unbeaten 56 from just 33 balls, including four sixes and two fours.

That is not just a good performance.

That is a match-winning performance.

But while Alyiah deserves every bit of the praise coming her way, this victory belongs to the entire Choiseul team.

Captain Roylin Cooper picked up two wickets for 19 runs, while veteran Swayline Williams took two wickets for just eight runs.

With the bat, Alicia Herman contributed 12 and Britnee Norbal added 11 as Choiseul made light work of the target.

The victory becomes even more meaningful when we consider the bigger picture.

Women’s domestic cricket in Saint Lucia had been absent for five years.

Five years.

Then the competition returned.

And Choiseul returned as champions.

That alone is worth celebrating.

More Than Just A Cricket Match

Sometimes we look at sport simply as who won and who lost.

But there is much more happening here.

Every woman standing in that Choiseul team photograph represents something important.

Discipline.

Commitment.

Teamwork.

Sacrifice.

And opportunity.

For young girls growing up in Choiseul, Saltibus, La Fargue, Reunion, Roblot, Piaye and the surrounding communities, these women have now provided another example of what is possible.

You can play cricket.

You can represent Choiseul.

You can compete.

And you can win.

We often speak about creating opportunities for our young people, but this is exactly what opportunity looks like when it is supported properly.

Talent needs somewhere to grow.

It needs coaching.

It needs facilities.

It needs competitions.

It needs encouragement.

And sometimes it simply needs people in the community to show up and say: we see you and we are proud of you.

Let Us Give Our Women Their Flowers

Choiseul has always produced sporting talent.

But too often, women’s sporting achievements do not receive the same attention given to the men.

That needs to change.

If a Choiseul football team wins, we celebrate them.

If one of our young men performs well in cricket, athletics or another sport, we recognise him.

Our women deserve that same recognition.

This team did not simply participate in a tournament.

They won it.

And they did so at home, at La Fargue, in front of their own people.

That matters.

The women representing Choiseul should know that their constituency appreciates the work they put in.

They should know that the young girls watching them are taking notice.

And they should know that this victory should not be the end of the story.

So What Comes Next?

This is where the conversation should now move.

How do we build on this?

Can we encourage more young girls to get involved in cricket?

Can local schools develop stronger girls’ cricket programmes?

Can businesses and community organisations support the team with equipment, uniforms, transportation and training?

Can La Fargue continue developing as an important home for women’s cricket in the south?

Can some of these players eventually move on to higher levels of cricket and represent Saint Lucia and the wider region?

Winning the tournament should not simply give us a nice photograph for Facebook.

It should give us something to build on.

Choiseul On The Move Says Congratulations

So today, Choiseul on the Move is not here to complain.

We are not here to criticise.

We are here to say congratulations.

Congratulations to the players.

Congratulations to the captain.

Congratulations to the coaches and support team.

Congratulations to everyone who kept women’s cricket alive and helped bring the competition back.

And special recognition must certainly go to Alyiah Alfred for a tremendous all-round performance when it mattered most.

Choiseul women are champions.

Let that sink in for a little while.

Because with all the challenges our constituency faces, we should never become so consumed by the negatives that we forget to celebrate our own people when they give us a reason to smile.

Well done, ladies.

You represented Choiseul.

You made us proud.

And now the challenge is to make sure this victory becomes the beginning of something even bigger.

Choiseul on the Move salutes our women’s cricket champions.

Match information based on reporting by sports journalist Terry Finisterre in the Saint Lucia Times.

 

AMERICA IS SENDING DEPORTEES TO SAINT LUCIA. WHAT EXACTLY HAVE WE AGREED TO?

There are some issues we cannot just watch pass by because they are happening in Castries and not directly in Choiseul.

This is one of them.

Saint Lucia is preparing to receive its first group of third-country nationals transferred here from the United States under an agreement between our Government and the US Government.

Six persons, five men and one woman, are expected in the first group. We have also been told that Saint Lucia can receive up to 10 persons every three months over the next two years.

Do the maths.

If the programme runs at its maximum, that could amount to as many as 80 persons over the two-year period.

Now before we go any further, there is something we need to get straight.

These people should not automatically be called criminals.

CARICOM has stated that the agreements are intended for the transit of persons without criminal antecedents to their countries of origin, rather than for permanent settlement in Caribbean countries.

That is important.

An immigration violation does not automatically make somebody a murderer, robber, drug dealer or violent criminal.

We have to be fair about that.

But being fair to the people coming here does not mean Saint Lucians must close their eyes, shut their mouths and ask no questions about an arrangement that could have consequences long after the first six persons arrive.

In fact, the more Choiseul on the Move look at this arrangement, the more questions we have.

FIRST QUESTION: WHO EXACTLY ARE WE RECEIVING?

Government says Saint Lucia has the right to accept or reject persons proposed by the United States.

Good.

But how are we checking them?

Are Saint Lucian authorities carrying out their own independent background investigations?

Are international criminal databases being checked?

Are aliases checked?

Are immigration histories checked?

Or are we depending primarily on information handed to us by the United States?

There is a big difference.

If somebody is being removed from America and sent thousands of miles to our little island, I think Saint Lucians have every right to know what level of independent screening takes place before that person gets on the plane.

We don't necessarily need somebody's private medical records or personal information splashed across Facebook.

But we need to know that the system protecting us is solid.

THEN WE HEARD SOMETHING THAT REALLY CAUGHT OUR ATTENTION

Foreign Affairs Minister Alva Baptiste has indicated that these people are not prisoners and will not simply be locked away when they arrive.

Fair enough.

But Government has also spoken about voluntary repatriation and the possibility of supporting those legally able to remain toward integration into Saint Lucian society.

Hold on.

We thought this was a transit arrangement.

CARICOM itself said these agreements were intended to facilitate transit to people's home countries rather than settlement in Caribbean states.

So when did "transit" start including "integration"?

That is where we believe Government owes the country a much clearer explanation.

Because there is a huge difference between somebody spending a few weeks in Saint Lucia while arrangements are made to return him to his country and somebody eventually living and working here.

Those are two completely different things.

AND THIS IS WHERE CHOISEUL/SALTIBUS COMES INTO THE PICTURE

Let us make this clear.

We have found absolutely NO evidence that any of these first six persons are coming to live in Choiseul/Saltibus.

None.

So nobody should leave this article saying Choiseul on the Move reported that American deportees are being placed in Choiseul.

We did not.

But Choiseul/Saltibus is part of Saint Lucia.

And if integration becomes part of this programme, these persons will not necessarily remain in Castries forever.

They could eventually live anywhere.

Choiseul.

Saltibus.

Soufriere.

Laborie.

Vieux Fort.

Gros Islet.

Anywhere.

That is why communities outside Castries should be paying attention to this discussion from NOW.

SUPPOSE SOMEBODY DECIDES TO REMAIN IN SAINT LUCIA?

What happens next?

Can that person work?

Does he receive a work permit?

Can he rent a house wherever he chooses?

Who helps him find accommodation?

Who pays his expenses while he is unemployed?

Does he qualify for healthcare?

What happens if he becomes sick?

What happens if he cannot be returned to his country?

What happens after six months?

One year?

Two years?

Can his family eventually join him?

These are not wild conspiracy theories.

These are ordinary questions that should have ordinary answers when a Government signs an international arrangement involving people being transferred into our country.

AND WHO IS PAYING?

This is another one that interests me.

We have people right here in Choiseul/Saltibus struggling with transportation.

Parents are struggling to send children to school.

People complain about roads.

Young people are looking for work.

Families struggle with the cost of living.

Our police have enough problems already.

Our healthcare system has its own challenges.

So we don't want to hear six months from now that Saint Lucian taxpayers have quietly started picking up expenses associated with an American immigration programme.

The United States is one of the richest countries on earth.

If America needs Saint Lucia to assist with a problem created by American immigration policy, then America should pay the FULL cost of that arrangement.

Accommodation.

Transportation.

Administration.

Healthcare associated with the programme.

Security and screening.

Repatriation.

Everything.

Not 50%.

Not 75%.

Everything.

Our limited resources should remain available to serve the people already living here.

CARICOM itself has said these arrangements should not divert resources and services away from Caribbean citizens.

We should hold everybody to that promise.

BUT THERE IS SOMETHING ELSE BOTHERING US

Today it is six.

The limit is ten per quarter.

What happens tomorrow?

This is how Government needs to explain the agreement to us.

Suppose one of the six cannot return home.

What happens?

Suppose two decide they want to remain.

What happens?

Suppose another group arrives three months later while persons from the first group are still here.

What happens?

Suppose after the two-year pilot America wants the programme expanded.

What happens?

Because this is how temporary programmes sometimes become permanent policy.

That doesn't mean it WILL happen.

It means Government should tell us what safeguards exist to prevent it from happening without proper public and parliamentary scrutiny.

LET US ALSO BE CAREFUL HOW WE TREAT THESE PEOPLE

I know emotions will run high on this issue.

But these six people are human beings.

We do not know their names.

We do not know their stories.

And based on the criteria publicly stated by CARICOM, they are supposed to have no criminal antecedents.

Our blog is not prepared to call somebody a criminal simply because America deported him.

Many Saint Lucians have had immigration problems overseas.

Some have overstayed.

Some have been deported.

That did not automatically make every one of them dangerous people.

We should therefore give these individuals the same human dignity we would want afforded to one of our own relatives being returned from overseas.

But compassion must never replace common sense.

And humanity must never replace proper national security.

We can have both.

CHOISEUL/SALTIBUS SHOULD BE ASKING QUESTIONS TOO

Our Parliamentary Representative and other elected officials should be able to tell constituents what this arrangement means.

Not party talk.

Not red versus yellow.

Information.

Has the full agreement been made public?

Exactly what background checks are conducted?

What nationalities are being accepted?

Where will these persons be accommodated?

How long can they remain?

Can they work?

Can they eventually settle permanently?

Can they live anywhere in Saint Lucia?

Who pays for their accommodation and other needs?

What happens if they cannot be returned home?

And most importantly, what protection is there to ensure that an arrangement beginning with six people does not gradually become something Saint Lucians never agreed to?

Those are reasonable questions.

THIS IS OUR COUNTRY

Saint Lucia should cooperate with our international partners.

America is important to us.

Thousands of Saint Lucians live, work, study and have family connections there.

But partnership does not mean we stop asking questions.

Especially when decisions taken at Cabinet level can eventually reach little communities like ours.

That is why Choiseul/Saltibus should not dismiss this as "something happening up north."

We need to follow it.

We need to know who is coming.

We need to know what the agreement allows.

We need to know what America is paying.

We need to know what "integration" really means.

And we need to know where temporary transit ends and permanent settlement begins.

For now, there is no evidence that these first six persons are criminals and no evidence they are being sent to Choiseul/Saltibus.

Let us not manufacture fear where the facts don't support it.

But neither should we allow those two facts to stop us from asking the harder questions.

Because sometimes the biggest problem is not what happens on Day One.

It is what a small decision becomes five years down the road.

Choiseul on the Move will be watching this one closely.

What are your thoughts? Should Government publish the full agreement so Saint Lucians can see exactly what we have signed up for?

 

CHOISEUL-SALTIBUS HAS A NEW COUNCIL: NOW THE WORK BEGINS

Choiseul-Saltibus has a newly sworn-in Constituency Council, the first council team to serve under Parliamentary Representative Keithson Charles, better known to many as Kiffo.

The Council is headed by Nyus Alfred as Chairperson, with Emina Antoine as Deputy Chairperson.

The other members are:

Eve Aimable, Vincent Peter, Sandy Joseph, Cyril Edward, Esther Theophane, Athanasius Mitchel, Nadege Noel, Johann Williams, Canice Richardson, Jenny Gillard and Gaspard Blaize. 

Sources within the Village  Council say one name cannot be released because the appointee was absent for the swearing ceremony.

The Council Clerk is Enora Justin

We congratulate all those who have accepted the responsibility to serve.

But after the swearing-in, the photographs, the handshakes and the congratulations, comes the more important part.

What is this Council actually expected to do for the people of Choiseul-Saltibus?

That is where the law becomes important.

THIS IS KIFFO’S FIRST COUNCIL TEAM, BUT THE COUNCIL HAS A LEGAL ROLE OF ITS OWN

Politically, people will naturally describe this as Kiffo’s first council team because it is the first Constituency Council serving during his tenure as Parliamentary Representative.

Legally, however, the Council is not simply an extension of the Parliamentary Representative’s office.

Under Saint Lucia’s Constituency Councils Act, Act No. 1 of 2012, a Constituency Council consists of between nine and fifteen members, appointed by the Minister responsible for Local Government through an Order published in the Gazette.

The law also says that members are to be selected from different categories, including civil society, political parties represented in Parliament, persons with proven capacity in areas such as agriculture, community development, business, tourism, health, social development and the environment, as well as a representative of the Ministry responsible for Local Government.

For Choiseul-Saltibus, the law also provides for the Minister to appoint the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson from among the members of the Council.

That distinction matters.

The Council may work closely with Kiffo, as any constituency council will naturally work with its Parliamentary Representative, but it also has responsibilities that are set out in law.

SO WHAT IS THE COUNCIL SUPPOSED TO DO?

This is where residents should pay close attention.

The Constituency Councils Act gives the Council a number of responsibilities.

It is expected to help identify and prioritise the needs of the constituency, assist in the delivery of services, make recommendations to Government on programmes and projects, serve as a link between residents and Government agencies, refer people to the appropriate agencies when services are needed, and maintain information about the constituency.

Put that in simple language.

The Council should know what is happening in Choiseul-Saltibus.

It should know where the problems are.

It should know which communities are being left behind.

It should know where the roads are bad, where drains are blocked, where community facilities need attention, where farmers need access, where young people need support and where vulnerable residents may need assistance.

The Council should not have to wait until somebody gets frustrated and writes a Facebook post before it becomes aware of a problem.

EVERY COMMUNITY MUST FEEL REPRESENTED

One of the biggest tests for this new Council will be whether people across the constituency feel that it belongs to all of Choiseul-Saltibus.

That means residents in Choiseul Village, La Fargue, Reunion, Roblot, Saltibus, Debreuil, Mongouge, Piaye, Industry and the other surrounding communities should feel that the Council is accessible to them.

A Constituency Council cannot be effective if people only know its members when there is a ceremony.

Residents should see Council members in the communities.

They should know how to reach them.

They should know where to raise concerns.

And they should know what happens after those concerns are raised.

PUBLIC MEETINGS ARE NOT OPTIONAL

One of the most important provisions in the law is the requirement for public meetings.

The Constituency Councils Act requires councils to hold two public meetings every year to inform residents about the Council’s progress and agenda.

That alone should tell us something.

The law does not expect residents to remain in the dark.

The public has a right to know what the Council is doing.

Choiseul on the Move would encourage this new Council to go even further than the minimum required.

Tell residents what you are working on.

Tell them what has been approved.

Tell them what has been delayed.

Tell them where funding is a problem.

Tell them which agency is responsible for an issue.

And tell them when something simply cannot be done.

People can understand difficulty.

What creates frustration is silence.

SET PRIORITIES EARLY

Two years can pass very quickly.

Council members generally serve for a two-year term, so this team should not lose valuable months simply trying to figure out what it wants to do.

There should be an early assessment of the constituency.

What are the five biggest problems in Choiseul-Saltibus right now?

Which roads are most urgently in need of attention?

Which drains and waterways pose a flooding risk?

What are the most pressing needs of farmers?

Which playing fields and community facilities need repairs?

Where are the sanitation problems?

Where are residents having difficulty accessing Government services?

What opportunities exist for young people?

Which communities are repeatedly being overlooked?

These are the kinds of questions that should guide the Council’s work.

USE THE SKILLS OF PEOPLE OUTSIDE THE COUNCIL

The Council does not have to do everything alone.

The law allows councils to establish committees to assist with their work.

That creates an opportunity to involve people from across Choiseul-Saltibus who have skills and experience.

The Council could consider focused committees or working groups in areas such as:

• agriculture;
• youth and sports;
• roads and drainage;
• community beautification;
• tourism and heritage;
• disaster preparedness;
• elderly and vulnerable residents;
• small business and entrepreneurship;
• education and youth development.

Choiseul has many capable people.

Use them.

Consult farmers.

Consult teachers.

Consult business owners.

Consult sports clubs.

Consult youth groups.

Consult community organisations.

Good local government does not mean thirteen people sitting around a table trying to know everything.

It means bringing the community into the process.

TRANSPARENCY WILL MATTER

The law also contains provisions dealing with conflicts of interest.

If a Council member has a personal interest in a matter before the Council, that interest must be declared and the member should not take part in the decision.

That is important.

Local councils may deal with contracts, employment opportunities, community projects and recommendations that could involve relatives, friends, businesses or political supporters.

The public must have confidence that decisions are being made fairly.

The law also requires proper financial records and reporting.

So when public money is involved, residents are entitled to expect accountability.

THIS COUNCIL WILL ALSO BECOME PART OF KIFFO’S RECORD

Although the Council has legal responsibilities of its own, we should not pretend that politics disappears.

This is Keithson Charles’ first council team.

Its performance will inevitably become part of how people judge his representation.

If the Council is active, visible, responsive and fair, Kiffo will benefit from that.

If communities feel ignored, if the Council becomes invisible or overly partisan, or if residents cannot see what it is accomplishing, he will also carry some of that political responsibility.

That is simply how constituency politics works.

But the Council members themselves must also understand something.

They are not there merely to defend a political party or promote an MP.

They are there to serve the people.

All the people.

WHAT CHOISEUL ON THE MOVE EXPECTS

Choiseul on the Move wishes Chairperson Nyus Alfred, Deputy Chairperson Emina Antoine and every member of the new Council well.

We want them to succeed.

Because if they succeed, Choiseul-Saltibus benefits.

Our expectations are not unreasonable.

We expect accessibility.

We expect regular communication.

We expect visits to communities.

We expect residents to be consulted.

We expect problems to be documented and followed up.

We expect fairness.

We expect transparency.

We expect the Council to make use of the skills and knowledge already available within our communities.

And we expect residents to be told what is happening, even when the answer is not always what they want to hear.

The swearing-in ceremony is now over.

The congratulations will soon fade.

What will remain is the work.

This is Kiffo’s first council team. Now let us see what it can deliver for Choiseul-Saltibus.

 

FIVE DAYS LATER, AND SOME CHOISEUL/SALTIBUS STUDENTS ARE STILL WITHOUT TRANSPORT

Five school days have passed since classrooms reopened.

While many students are settling into their new routines, a number of children from Choiseul and Saltibus are still trying to figure out how they will get to school each day.

Let us be clear. These children are not refusing to attend school. Their parents are not neglecting their responsibilities.

They simply do not have access to reliable school transportation.

Back in July, following the release of the CPEA results, Choiseul on the Move raised this very concern. We pointed out that students assigned to Beanefield Secondary School could be placed at a serious disadvantage because they did not benefit from a government-supported transportation programme comparable to what is available for some other schools.

We appealed for action before the new school year began.

We did not wait until the last minute.

We even held one-on-one discussions with officials at the Choiseul/Saltibus Constituency Office. The problem was explained. The urgency was made clear. Officials had enough time to raise the matter with the Ministry of Education and seek a practical solution.

Yet five school days into the term, nothing meaningful has been done.

These Children Were Not Suddenly Assigned to Beanefield

The Ministry of Education knew where these students were placed.

The constituency office knew where they lived.

Officials knew that parents were concerned about transportation. They also knew that uniforms, books, meals and other school expenses had already placed heavy pressure on many households.

So why was transportation left unresolved?

This was not an unexpected emergency. It was a known problem that was allowed to follow these children right into the new school year.

And now parents must find money every morning, depend on favours or hope that somebody passing can give their child a ride.

That is not a transportation policy.

That is government leaving families to fend for themselves.

A School Placement Is Useless If a Child Cannot Reach the Classroom

We enjoy announcing CPEA results and congratulating students when they succeed. We publish their photographs and speak proudly about the future of our young people.

But our responsibility cannot end with applause.

A place at Beanefield Secondary School means very little if the child cannot get there safely, reliably and on time.

Education does not begin when the teacher starts the lesson. It begins when a child can leave home with confidence, knowing that transportation is available.

No student should miss classes, arrive late or feel uncertain about continuing school simply because of where that student lives or the school to which the Ministry assigned them.

The Ministry Must Take Responsibility

The Ministry of Education cannot claim to provide equal access to education while leaving transportation entirely on the backs of struggling parents.

If the Ministry assigns students from Choiseul and Saltibus to a school outside their immediate area, then transportation must form part of that decision.

Not after parents complain.

Not several weeks into the term.

Before school opens.

The Ministry must now explain what immediate arrangements will be made for the affected students. Whether the solution is an expanded bus service, subsidized fares or direct transportation assistance, something practical must be put in place.

These children cannot travel to school on promises.

The Constituency Office Must Also Answer

The Choiseul/Saltibus Constituency Office cannot escape responsibility by saying transportation falls under the Ministry.

The office is supposed to represent the people of the constituency. When families raise a serious problem affecting their children’s education, that office must advocate, follow up and demand action from the relevant ministry.

Listening to residents is not enough.

Taking their names and promising to look into the matter is not enough.

A constituency office must produce results, especially when the welfare and education of children are at stake.

If officials were aware of this situation and school still opened without a solution, then the system failed these families.

We Are Calling for Immediate Action

Choiseul on the Move is calling on the Ministry of Education and the Choiseul/Saltibus Constituency Office to treat this matter as urgent.

Identify the affected students.

Speak with their parents.

Establish a temporary arrangement immediately.

Then put a proper transportation system in place so these families do not have to fight the same battle every school year.

The original appeal was respectful and gave officials time to act. That time has passed.

School is already in progress.

The children are waiting.

How many more school days must pass before somebody in authority decides they matter?

Read our original July appeal

 

📚 CXC IS CHANGING THE WAY STUDENTS ARE ASSESSED!

What Every Future CSEC Student in Choiseul & Saltibus Needs to Know

Students, parents and teachers across District 7 should take note. The Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) has announced one of the biggest changes to the CSEC assessment system in years.

Beginning in 2027, traditional School-Based Assessments (SBAs) in many non-practical subjects—including Mathematics, English A, Caribbean History, Social Studies and Principles of Business—will gradually be replaced by a supervised assessment known as Paper 032. The change is being made because advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI) have made it increasingly difficult to verify whether coursework submitted from home is genuinely the student's own work. 

🤔 Why Is CXC Making This Change?

For decades, SBAs allowed students to complete research projects and assignments over several weeks at home and at school.

However, today's students have access to powerful AI tools capable of writing essays, solving mathematical problems and producing polished assignments within seconds.

CXC has made it clear that the issue is not that AI is evil. In fact, students are still encouraged to use AI responsibly as a learning aid. The real concern is ensuring that every grade truly reflects what the student knows and can do—not what a computer generated. 

📝 So What Will Happen Instead?

Instead of taking coursework home, students in affected subjects will complete their assessment under examination conditions.

But there is good news.

• ✅ Students will receive their assessment topic about one month in advance.
• ✅ They will have additional time during the assessment.
• ✅ They will be allowed to bring reference notes into the examination room.

This approach still rewards preparation and critical thinking while ensuring that the final work produced belongs to the student. 

🎨 Will All SBAs Disappear?

No.

Subjects requiring genuine practical skills—such as Agricultural Science, Visual Arts, Music, Food, Nutrition and Health, Physical Education and Technical Drawing—will continue to have SBAs because these subjects assess hands-on abilities that cannot be measured adequately in a traditional examination room. 

📅 When Does It Start?

For CSEC:

• 📌 In 2027, schools may choose either the traditional SBA or the new Paper 032 for affected non-practical subjects.
• 📌 By 2028, all schools will transition fully to the new supervised assessment in those subjects. 

🎓 What Does This Mean for Students in Choiseul & Saltibus?

If you are entering Forms 3 or 4 over the next year, now is the time to build strong study habits.

Success will depend less on producing attractive projects at home and more on:

• ✔ Understanding the subject.
• ✔ Thinking critically.
• ✔ Writing clearly.
• ✔ Solving problems independently.
• ✔ Managing time effectively during supervised assessments.

Artificial Intelligence can still be an excellent tutor—but it cannot replace genuine learning.

💬 Choiseul on the Move Says...

Education is changing around the world, and the Caribbean is adapting to protect the value of a CSEC certificate.

The message to our young people is simple:

"Use technology to LEARN... not to CHEAT."

When you earn your CXC passes through your own effort, those qualifications will continue to open doors to college, university and employment throughout the Caribbean and beyond.

Your future is worth the effort.

 🎒💻 THE LAPTOP IS ALREADY THERE — SO WHY ARE PARENTS STILL BUYING A BAG FULL OF BOOKS?

Choiseul on the Move asks whether it is time for Saint Lucia to finally create the “digital schoolbag”

School reopens on Tuesday.

Across Choiseul and the rest of Saint Lucia, parents are making those final preparations: uniforms, shoes, transportation, stationery, lunch money — and, of course, textbooks.

For some households, particularly those preparing two, three or more children for school at the same time, the financial pressure can be considerable.

But there is another concern that parents have raised for years.

Some are reluctant to purchase every single book on a school list immediately because experience has taught them that, in some cases, certain books may be used frequently, others occasionally, and some very little.

That leaves parents asking themselves:

Do I spend scarce money buying the entire list now, or wait until the teacher confirms which books will actually be needed?

It is an understandable dilemma.

But in 2026, there is an even bigger question that Saint Lucia should be asking.

💻 IF THE CHILD ALREADY HAS A LAPTOP, WHY CAN'T WE BUILD A DIGITAL SCHOOLBAG?

Every student entering Form One this academic year is expected to receive a government-issued laptop.

That is a commendable investment in education.

But surely the next stage of that investment should be to transform the device from simply being a laptop into a complete educational tool.

Imagine a Form One student receiving that computer with a properly organised educational package already installed:

📘 Mathematics resources

📗 English Language materials

📕 Integrated Science

📙 Social Studies

🌎 Geography resources

💻 Information Technology

📝 Worksheets and revision exercises

🎥 Educational videos and demonstrations

📚 Approved e-books where licensing permits

📋 Curriculum guides and learning objectives

🧮 Interactive exercises and quizzes

And importantly, much of the material should be available offline, so that a child without reliable internet access at home is not placed at a disadvantage.

That would be a genuine digital schoolbag.

🇱🇨 SAINT LUCIA HAS ALREADY STARTED THE JOURNEY

This is not some futuristic idea that Saint Lucia has never considered.

Government previously introduced the LernBook e-book programme, providing digital learning content to secondary school students.

The programme covered a wide range of subjects, including Mathematics, English, Biology, Chemistry, Geography, Integrated Science, Social Studies, Information Technology, Principles of Accounts and Principles of Business.

Saint Lucia subsequently expanded the distribution of Chromebooks and other devices to students.

Government has also reported that local curriculum specialists have been developing digital educational content in several subject areas.

And even in August 2026, the Ministry of Education has been advancing work under the WISTLE Project involving curriculum development, educational technology and digital skills.

In other words:

The foundation already exists.

The question is why we have not yet brought all these pieces together into a comprehensive national digital textbook and curriculum programme.

📚 THIS DOES NOT MEAN THROWING AWAY BOOKS

Choiseul on the Move is certainly not suggesting that printed textbooks should disappear tomorrow.

Some students learn better from printed material.

Some teachers prefer particular textbooks.

There are also copyright and publishing licences to consider, and not every commercial textbook can simply be copied onto thousands of computers.

There will also be damaged devices, technical problems, electricity and internet-access issues.

So printed books will continue to have an important place.

But it does not have to be print OR digital.

It can be print AND digital, with the balance gradually shifting as the country's digital education infrastructure improves.

💰 THINK ABOUT THE SAVINGS TO FAMILIES

A family preparing one secondary-school student may be able to absorb the cost of textbooks.

Now imagine a household preparing three children.

Add uniforms.

Shoes.

School bags.

Transportation.

Lunch.

Stationery.

PE clothing.

And textbooks.

The Government is already attempting to ease that burden through the $500 Form One bursary, laptop distribution, book assistance and other educational support.

Why not make the laptop itself part of the solution to the textbook problem?

Every digital resource that can legally and practically replace a physical book is potentially one less expense for a household.

📖 WE COULD ALSO PRODUCE MORE OF OUR OWN MATERIAL

There is another opportunity here.

Why should Saint Lucia's digital education strategy simply involve purchasing electronic versions of foreign textbooks?

Our curriculum specialists and teachers can continue developing high-quality local educational resources aligned specifically with the Saint Lucian curriculum.

Imagine Social Studies material containing Saint Lucian examples.

Mathematics problems using EC dollars and situations children encounter locally.

Science lessons examining our environment.

Geography resources incorporating our communities, watersheds, agriculture and coastline.

History presented within a Saint Lucian and Caribbean context.

These materials could be updated far more easily than waiting years for another edition of a printed textbook.

🏫 GIVE EACH FORM ITS OWN DIGITAL PACKAGE

The Ministry could eventually develop standard packages for:

Form 1 Digital Schoolbag

Form 2 Digital Schoolbag

Form 3 Digital Schoolbag

Form 4 Digital Schoolbag

Form 5 Digital Schoolbag

When the student progresses, the next curriculum package becomes available.

Teachers could still recommend supplementary books where necessary.

Schools could still maintain physical textbooks.

Parents who prefer printed books could purchase them.

But purchasing a long list of expensive books would no longer have to be the automatic starting point for every family.

⚠️ AND THERE MUST BE ACCOUNTABILITY

There is also a legitimate question surrounding school book lists.

If a textbook appears on a compulsory or strongly recommended list, parents should reasonably expect that the book will form a meaningful part of instruction during the school year.

Where a book is merely supplementary, perhaps the list should say so.

Something as simple as categorising books as:

REQUIRED — used regularly

RECOMMENDED — supplementary

OPTIONAL — additional reference

could help parents enormously.

A parent struggling financially should not have to guess which $60 or $80 book can safely wait until next month.

💡 THE TECHNOLOGY SHOULD REDUCE THE COST OF EDUCATION

Saint Lucia deserves credit for putting computers into the hands of secondary-school students.

But distributing hardware should never be the final objective.

The real achievement comes when we ask:

What is inside the computer?

If thousands of dollars are being invested in devices, connectivity, curriculum development and educational technology, then parents should eventually see some of that investment reflected in lower recurring educational costs.

The Chromebook should not simply travel to school beside a bag filled with expensive textbooks.

Over time, the Chromebook should become part of the schoolbag itself.

Saint Lucia has already started down that road.

Perhaps the question parents, teachers and policymakers should now be asking is:

When are we going to finish the journey?

— CHOISEUL ON THE MOVE Community. Development. Accountability. Progress.

 💃🏾🕺🏾 SUNDAY THOUGHT: WHEN WE JUDGE DANCING, WHAT ARE WE REALLY JUDGING?

A couple taking part in Liberty FM’s dance competition caught our attention—not only because of their dancing, but because of an interesting comment made about their performance.

One viewer wrote:

“Dancing on a higher level. Nice but without finesse.”

He later explained:

“Ok in simple terms, western comes with charisma. However, they are behaving like they are just doing a job.”

That got us thinking.

Can dancers really be performing at a “higher level” while having no finesse? And are finesse and charisma the same thing?

Not quite.

Finesse is seen in the refinement of the dancing—the control, smoothness, coordination, transitions and manner in which movements are executed.

Charisma is something different. It is the personality, energy, chemistry and emotional connection that make an audience want to keep watching.

After looking at this performance, we certainly wouldn't say this couple has no finesse. There is coordination, confidence and skill on display. What someone might reasonably argue is that, because this is a competition, they could project more outward expression, chemistry and showmanship.

And perhaps that is what the commenter was really trying to say when he described them as looking like they were “just doing a job.”

But here's where judging dance becomes interesting: technical excellence and entertainment value are not always the same thing. One couple may impress you with difficult movements and precision; another may perform simpler moves but completely capture the audience with personality and chemistry.

In this Liberty FM competition, the ultimate judges are the Facebook fans—and ❤️ reactions will have their say.

                             A short clip from the video

Watch the full video Here

So rather than tearing down people who have had the courage to step onto the dance floor, let's appreciate the effort, enjoy the competition and have a healthy discussion about the performances.

👏🏾 We wish this couple the very best of luck in the competition.

Now we'd love to hear from you:

When YOU judge a dancing couple, what matters most—skill and technique, finesse, chemistry, charisma, or pure entertainment?

Keep the discussion respectful. After all, dancing is supposed to bring people together. 💃🏾🕺🏾❤️