Let Them Speak Kwéyòl: The Search for Truth Must Make Room for Our People
A reflection on language, dignity and the Anse Cochon boat tragedy inquiry
By Dedan Jn Baptiste | October 15, 2026
In July, our words were heavy with grief. Here at Choiseul on the Move, we responded to the boat tragedy through articles and songs, trying in our own small way to give expression to a sorrow that had reached far beyond the shoreline. Now, as witnesses give their accounts before a Commission of Inquiry, another responsibility rests before the country: to listen carefully, ask searching questions and make sure that those with something to tell us can express it fully.
That last part has been troubling me.
I watched the first two days of the inquiry. On several occasions, a couple of witnesses appeared to have difficulty with questions put to them. Questions were rephrased, and I acknowledge that effort. Yet, even after the wording changed, I still had the impression that some witnesses were uncomfortable expressing themselves.
In the exchanges I watched, I did not hear a panel member offer to put the question in Kwéyòl.
We are in Saint Lucia. Surely that possibility should come naturally to us.
A serious inquiry needs people to be understood
The public hearings opened on October 13 at the Parliament Building in Castries. The inquiry concerns the July 18 collision involving Ocean Angel and Cazorla Jr. at Anse Cochon. Four people lost their lives. Families and survivors deserve a careful examination of what happened.
Justice Mario Michel chairs the Commission, alongside Cuthbert Didier, Kentry Frederick and Luke Defreitas. Its work includes examining the collision and recommending improvements to maritime legislation, procedures and safety.
That is an important responsibility. Every useful detail matters. But a question can be properly framed and still fail to reach the person being asked. A witness may understand part of it, hesitate over a word, or struggle to find an English expression for something they could explain more easily in Kwéyòl.
Changing the English wording may help. Sometimes, changing the language may help more.
Ask the witness. Do not guess.
Let me be fair. Watching someone hesitate does not tell me why they are hesitating. It could be nerves, the formality of the setting, difficulty recalling events, emotional distress, an unfamiliar expression or uncertainty about what is being asked. I cannot diagnose a language difficulty from my screen.
Neither should anyone assume that a witness prefers Kwéyòl because of where they live, their occupation or how they speak English.
That is precisely why the Commission should ask. A simple invitation at the beginning would remove the guesswork: “Would you be more comfortable giving your evidence in English or Kwéyòl?” Witnesses should also know that they can ask to change languages during their evidence.
A person should not have to struggle publicly before that choice becomes available.
Kwéyòl belongs in the serious business of this country
We are in October, when we proudly celebrate our cultural inheritance. We bring out the madras, prepare our traditional dishes and enjoy the sound of Kwéyòl across the country. But the respect we give our language must reach into the rooms where important decisions are made.
Kwéyòl belongs wherever a Saint Lucian needs it to explain an experience, ask for help or give an account of something that matters.
As a retired teacher, I know the importance of checking whether a question has actually been understood. Repeating it louder, or dressing it in slightly different words, does not always resolve the difficulty. Sometimes you must meet the person through the language in which they can best organise and communicate their thoughts.
The same care has value in a public inquiry. A witness may have a clear memory and still struggle to put it into formal English. We must be careful that fluency does not become a misleading measure of how much someone knows or how seriously we take them.
A respectful appeal to the panel
Among the commissioners is Assistant Commissioner of Police Luke Defreitas, whom we in Choiseul regard as one of our own. It is encouraging to see someone connected to our community serving in such an important national exercise.
I appeal to him and to the entire panel to consider this concern. The responsibility belongs to the Commission collectively. Could a clear language choice be offered to every witness? Could a competent interpreter be available whenever needed?
Where interpretation is used, the question must retain its meaning, the answer must be accurately conveyed, and any uncertainty must be clarified for the record. A casual translation that changes a question or supplies an answer would serve nobody. Proper arrangements would support both the witness and the integrity of the evidence.
A practical step the Commission can take
Offer English or Kwéyòl at the outset. Allow witnesses to switch when needed. Ask one clear question at a time. Arrange accurate interpretation and a reliable record of the evidence.
The families deserve every effort
This inquiry must be allowed to examine the evidence and reach its findings. My concern here is about how we help that process obtain the fullest, clearest accounts possible.
The families deserve answers. Survivors deserve to be heard with patience. Witnesses deserve an opportunity to explain themselves without avoidable barriers.
As attention turns to the third day, my appeal is simple: if a witness would be more comfortable in Kwéyòl, make room for it. Ask the question in a language the witness understands, and allow the answer in a language the witness can use confidently.
Let them speak Kwéyòl. Then listen carefully to what they have to say.
About this commentary: Observations about witnesses’ apparent discomfort and the absence of a Kwéyòl offer in the exchanges watched are the author’s impressions from viewing the first two days. They do not establish any witness’s preferred language or that the Commission prohibited Kwéyòl.
Sources: Government of Saint Lucia: public sitting notice, commission membership and terms of reference, October 9, 2026; HTS News4orce: opening-day inquiry coverage, October 14, 2026; Saint Lucia Tourism Authority: Creole Heritage Month.
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