And Still I Rise

Meet Kamara Jerome, the 20 year old up and coming entrepreneur from Questelles, St Vincent who sailed away with the Best Environmental Award in the Caribbean Innovation Challenge Finals held on April 26th at the Barbados Hilton. In an era where youth and in particular young men are seen as being dissolute it is truly heart warming to recognise the drive and talent of this young man. The competition with a stated objective of promoting youth entrepreneurship is a component of the UNDP project Youth Innovation (Youth-IN): A Caribbean Network for Youth Development, which responds to the needs of youth identified in the report of the CARICOM Youth Commission (2010): 'Eye on the Future: Investing in YOUTH NOW for Tomorrow's Community'.
Open to young people between 16 and 29 projects were evaluated and narrowed down to twenty finalists from which the various winners were chosen. Jerome,who in 2012 was the recipient of a National Youth Award for Science and Technology winning entry "Emerald Energy" was a solar powered boat. According to Jerome, the idea for his boat came on a trip from the Grenadines to mainland St Vincent. During the trip, the boat ran out of gas approximately six miles from Bequia in what is termed locally as the "Bequia Channel". A wait of over two hours ensued before help came that allowed the ship to reach Port Kingstown. During the wait, Jerome observed that the wind gusts were very strong and the sun was at its peak and the idea of producing a prototype powered solely by wind and solar energy was conceived. Months later, the idea became a physical product that captured the attention of the Vincentian public. In the weeks leading up to the finals the Agency for Public Information visited his workshop and observed fist hand the detail that went into the creation of the boat. For Vincentians, who were unaware of the Challenge it was a timely boost as almost immediately the conversations began on social media.

Ever so often people get nostalgic for the good old days and bemoan the loss of tradition. One tradition that has endured is the practice of not eating meat on Good Friday. Therefore, on the days preceding Good Friday shoppers could be seen busily stocking up on mackerel, codfish, herring and fresh fish. I have never fully understood the significance but found it an annoyance when my normal childhood eating habits were brutally suspended on Good Friday.

However, I have noticed that the reverence reserved for Good Friday is slowly eroding. As a child and young adult the day had a more solemn feel to it. You knew going to the beach was out partly because you feared drowning and your parents said in no uncertain terms that the day was for reflection.  I must be old fashioned but when I see groups of people celebrating Good Friday in a secular manner it just doesn't seem right.

In fact I find Easter has taken on a "carnivalish" vibe. So much focus is on  the Grenadines and the all inclusive parties, queen shows, wet fetes etc that you'd be forgiven if you thought it was Carnival warm up.Yet at the end of the day we claim to be so christian but seem not to have a problem with the changing face of the Easter. Maybe I am just getting old

The UN's theme for International Women's Day 2013 is "A promise is a promise: Time for action to end violence against women. It goes without saying that it's a sentiment I  fully endorse. Much has been said and written and  it's indeed time for action to support the talk.

That being said I take the opportunity to salute all the women who refuse to be placed in a societal box that tells them what they can or cannot do, the women who quietly do the work that often goes unnoticed, the  single women who are both mother and father to their offspring, the superwomen who juggle careers and families, the ones who shatter the glass ceilings. Yes, with all the discussions about  "a woman's place" we know that our place is any and every place where we do what we can to make a better society.

I thank God for all the wonderful women  in my life. The ones who continue to nurture, support,  and love me even in my darkest moments. You  have all made life so much more tolerable. Happy Women's Day to all my sisters. Love  yourselves, respect yourselves and continue to rise

Last week my Girls High School family was thrown into mourning when the death of Mrs Norma Keizer, the longest serving headmistress (1975-90) of the institution was announced. All told she spent 36 years as a teacher at the school but prior to her teaching career she was also a student at the school. Norma Keizer strode the hallowed halls before my time but her shadow loomed large. From the time I entered the gates there was the Norma Keizer Resource Centre- a building that housed the science laboratories and the library to my right.  Prior to the erection of this building, the girls had to make the journey to the nearby Grammar school to use the Science labs. That situation irked Mrs Keizer who felt that we needed our own laboratories if our interest in science was to grow. She spearheaded a fundraising drive and got the government to match the monies raised and sometime in the late 80's the labs were constructed.

 Although she taught many subjects at the GHS her lessons went beyond the classrooms. An excerpt from her profile in the Centennial Magazine says  "The lessons she sought to teach did not confine themselves to the academics.  For example, in the 1980’s when Anita Richardson, a student at the school was brutally murdered on her way from school, she led the entire student body on a march through Kingstown to protest violence against women. On another occasion, she led the students on a march to protest a protracted and severe teacher shortage.  She felt that the marches were important not only to bring attention to their plight, but to instil in her girls an understanding of the role of social activism in bringing about change in society"


After leaving the GHS, Mrs Keizer's teaching found another medium as the Editor of the newly found Searchlight Newspaper. Instead of moulding teen-aged minds she was now shaping the minds of the nation.  Once a teacher always a teacher comes to mind. Mrs Keizer was loved by her students and I daresay their parents..Her students all speak of a woman who knew them by name and whose stare was enough to keep them on the straight and narrow. The stories are many and varied but the central theme points to the genuine interest she had in the welfare of her students and the mutual love they shared.

During the Centennial celebrations of 2011 I saw the reverence with which Mrs Keizer was treated. Everyone seemed thrilled  beyond words to see her as evidenced by the hugs, kisses and general well wishes for her health. I can still see her sitting in her wheel chair surrounded by adoring alumni  graciously signing copy after copy of the Centennial magazine.  Walk good, Mrs Keizer you served GHS and St Vincent well. I just wish I had the opportunity to have had you as my headmistress