Black Immigrant Daily News

Basseterre, St. Kitts, September 15, 2022 (SKNIS): Professor and world-renowned photographer, a son of the soil, and featured speaker for the Prime Minister’s Independence Lecture Series, Valdon Tau Battice, encouraged Kittitians and Nevisians to tap into their visual and creative faculties as they envision where they would like to see St. Kitts and Nevis.

“As you re-envision what you can be and what this country can be, I ask you to tap into the art of visualizing and when I say visualizing I don’t just mean seeing with your two eyes, but more importantly seeing with your mind’s eyes,” said Mr. Battice, as he spoke to packed crowed on Wednesday, September 14, at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort Ballroom. “You need to be creative with this visualization. Creative visualization just like the laws of gravity and nature work for all, but you must continually visualize and create and re-create what you see in your physical world through your thoughts.”

Mr. Battice, who is also a Professor at Guttman College of the City University of New York, appealed to the younger generation to pen and post their vision.

“Please, particularly young people or the younger amongst us, write down your vision. I advise with a pen and paper but whether with pen and paper or electronically, post it somewhere where it can beckon you constantly. If you move to your car your vision will speak and it will not lie,” he said.

In questioning what they see for themselves, as well as for St. Kitts and Nevis, Mr. Battice called on every citizen to be imaginative.

“I call on you to be imaginative. Imagining isn’t just stuff of babies or of carefree children, it is in fact the hallmark of the creative mind – the mature mind. The secret of visualization is in imagining the outcome. Begin with the outcome and constantly refocus on that outcome,” he said. “I say this to you as individuals but I also say this to our leaders. Leaders, I remind you to be imaginative in pursuing our common good. So, I say to you whatever good and great you have envisioned for yourself, for your country, whatever those visions are, get to focusing and refocusing on them.”

The Prime Minister’s annual Lecture Series formed part of St. Kitts and Nevis’ Independence celebrations and features prominent speakers from various spheres of influence from St. Kitts and Nevis. The Lecture Series focused on the theme for this year’s Independence which is “Refocus, Re-create, Redesign: Independence 39”.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

Basseterre, St. Kitts, September 16, 2022 (SKNIS): In keeping with the National Honours Act, nineteen (19) citizens of St. Kitts and Nevis were recognized for their sterling contribution to nation-building. The names were revealed during the National Heroes’ Day Observance Address by Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, the Honourable Dr. Terrance Drew on National Heroes’ Day on Friday, September 16, 2022.

The National Honours Act established a trio of merit-based awards, which includes the Medal of Honour, the Companion of the Star of Merit, and the Order of National Hero. The Companion of the Star of Merit, which is awarded for long and meritorious service, or for loyal and devoted service to the nation was awarded to 16 nationals of St. Kitts and Nevis, two of whom received it posthumously.

They are: Eileen Grey for her contribution to Education, Culture and Sports; Dennis Richards for Education, Arts and Culture; Lorraine Browne, Wayland Vaughan, Violet Jones-Mawnlawde and Dr. Lincoln Carty for their contribution to Education; Sylvester Charles for Education, Music, Sports and Volunteerism; Maxwell Bass Senior for Music and Security Services, while  Nathan Esdaille and Elsie ‘Teacher Elsie’ Mills were recognized for their contribution to  Education and Religion.

Shirley Kelly was awarded for her contribution to Nursing Education; Lorna Ava Henry for Culture and the Arts; Pastor Lincoln Connor for Nation-Building and Youth Development, and Clement ‘Juni’ Liburd for Broadcasting. The late Lloyd Lazar and Kenrick Georges were awarded posthumously for their contributions to Education and Sports and Arts and Music respectively.

The Medal of Honour was awared to Mable Morton for Community Service and Entrepreneurship; Clyde Richardson for Music and the Arts, and James ‘Mickey’ Frederick was awarded for Performing Arts and Culture. This award is given to nationals for their outstanding and meritorious service to the nation.

Prime Minister Dr. Drew congratulated this year’s recipients adding that they are all well-deserving of the honour.

“It brings me great pleasure to bestow this honour to you. You have served your country well and I pray your lives continue to be an example and inspiration to all,” said Prime Minister Drew. “I look forward to the day when we as a nation recognize and salute our brave women who have brought about transformative change to our twin-island Federation, by esteeming them with the ultimate honour of National Hero.”

Prime Minister the Honourable Dr. Drew added “Inside each of you, there is a hero telling you to cast your fears aside, telling you not to wait and see, but to believe in yourself and to go for it. Chase your dreams. Allow the legacy of our national heroes to inspire a revolution and an awakening of self-pride and consciousness, individually and as a nation.”

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