Successful Youth Steel Pan Programme Held in Laborie
Participants with their certificates
Over a period of five weeks starting on 8 August, Caribbean Grains Laborie Steel Pan hosted an intensive education programme for the benefit of its junior players. The brainchild of Shaniya Scott, Senior Band Member and Seconds Player, this programme was designed to provide music education to these young players, and to give them the opportunity to participate in a meaningful and enjoyable activity during their school vacation.
“In fact, this programme was quite special because it benefited both the juniors who came to learn and the seniors who taught them”, says Band Leader Quill Barthelmy. “The seniors were always ready to teach, every senior took three or four juniors under her or his wings, it was just amazing watching them work. So, in the end, both groups came out of the workshop with something, the seniors showing great maturity, professionalism, and patience. This is self-development at its highest. I am also very grateful to the parents who got involved and supported the programme, this is the spirit of Laborie Steel Pan!”
In this programme, the young players learned three songs: Savannah Grass, Guantanamera and Bob Marley’s Who The Cap Fit. “We were able to achieve all this in a month, the juniors definitely excelled during this time”, says the Band Vice-Captain Annalisa JnPanel. “Not to mention the amount of support we got from the seniors who were available during this time. They worked tirelessly to ensure that every junior was taught new skills and techniques to the best of their ability. Having seniors present made the work a lot lighter because we were able to teach and move along quite smoothly having everyone there to look out for their sections”.
Pictured left: Coordinator of Summer Programme Shaniya Scott and Band Captain Christopher Chicot.
The programme ended with a closing ceremony during which junior and senior members Jaydah Etienne, Davain St.Brice, Aiden Monrose, Naithan Chicot and Leilani George shared their impressions about the programme. ‘”We struggled at times to get the juniors to play the songs right”, recalls Shaniya Scott, “but the end results were phenomenal. Everyone worked extremely hard and persevered throughout the weeks. We have seen a great deal of improvement from the juniors thanks to the help provided by the seniors who mentored them.” Other senior players who helped manage the programme and were present at the ceremony include Avonelle Charles, Leona Edward, Kurshan Renee, Sachin Charles, Chris Francis, Jervon Jn Pierre and Kissana Renard.
Will this programme be continued? “Oh yes!”, says Scott, “this is just the first of many programmes to come.” Indeed, since the Laborie Steel Pan was established in 2006, there has always been an emphasis on the youth. Having summer camps and other holiday programmes that target the very young is a good way to build their musical skills while keeping them engaged in a positive group activity. In his remarks at the closing ceremony, Band Captain Christopher Chicot reminded the audience that the band’s motto is “Youth Empowerment Through Music”. This summer programme is another demonstration of Caribbean Grains Laborie Steel Pan’s commitment to the development of young people in the community.
The senior players who delivered the programme, with Band Leader Quill Barthelmy
Laborie Restaurant Receives Global Award
“You’re in the top 10% of restaurants worldwide!” This is the message that Mama Tilly, the popular owner and manager of Mama Tilly's Barbeque and Grill in Laborie, received from the travel website TripAdvisor a few days ago. “Each year”, TripAdvisor wrote, “we comb through reviews, ratings, and saves from Travellers everywhere, and use that info to award the very best. You are part of an exclusive group, and we want to help you celebrate this major accomplishment”.
Indeed, this is a major achievement, notes Augustine Dominique, President of the Laborie Development Foundation. “Over the past twenty years”, says Dominique, “the Laborie community has quietly but steadfastly worked to develop a vibrant village tourism sector. It is thanks to the creative and hardworking owners of our local restaurants, guest houses and tour operations that we have been able to turn Laborie into a favourite destination for nationals and foreign visitors alike”.
The Laborie We Want: coping with a global crisis and shaping our future
In 2019, the Laborie Development Foundation conducted a review of the strategic plan that was produced in 2011, and formulated a new vision statement entitled The Laborie We Want. The release of this statement online and on social media earlier this year coincided with the onslaught of the global health crisis.
Laborians and friends of Laborie – wherever they are in the world – are invited to assist this community in coping with the impact of the crisis and to help shape Laborie’s future.
We invite feedback on The Laborie We Want by:
- Making comments on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ilovelaborie/.
- Sending comments, ideas and recommendations by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
We also call on Laborians and friends of Laborie to assist in the short-term recovery process by making donations towards the Laborie COVID-response Fund.
This Fund:
- has been created by the Laborie Development Foundation;
- is being managed, free of charge, by the Laborie Cooperative Credit Union;
- will remain active until 30 September 2020 in the first instance.
Donations to the Fund are being allocated as follows:
- 50% of all receipts is being transferred to the Laborie Medical Assistance Fund, which was created in 2005 to support people who need financial help to access diagnosis and treatment.
- The balance is allocated to the provision of food and other essential items to vulnerable households, including those that have lost all income as a result of the pandemic, working closely with the local Conference of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, the Social Transformation Officer and the Welfare Officer responsible for Laborie and environs.
Donations can be made:
- By transfers or deposits to account # 00010568 at the Laborie Cooperative Credit Union.
- By certified foreign bank cheque payable to Laborie Development Foundation.
For donations by international wire transfers or PayPal, please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we will provide details.
All donations will be acknowledged and donors’ names will appear on www.ilovelaborie.com (unless they request to remain anonymous).
In advance, a BIG thank you for your contribution, however small or big.
April 2020
A community coping with the COVID crisis while shaping a better future
Working Together for a Co-ordinated Response
On 25 March 2020, the Laborie Development Foundation established a virtual platform to facilitate a community co-ordinated response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The platform brings together community institutions, government officers and local resource people to share information and develop a common strategy to respond to the crisis. This platform allows Laborians to remain actively involved in activities and to make the community aware of the initiatives being taken. The District Representative is a part of this coordination mechanism. He contributes information and recommendations but is not involved in the actual implementation of activities nor with relevant agencies’ work on the ground.
COVID 19 EMERGENCY
Laborians, protect yourselves and protect others!
Remember: Stay home – unless you are an essential service worker - and avoid all non-essential economic and social activities from Monday 23rd March to Sunday 5th April.
Going with friends to the beach, visiting neighbours for a chat or hanging out together to listen to music are not essential activities.
COVID 19 hotline: 311.
For more information on the coronavirus disease (COVID 19), call the Bureau of Health Education at 468-5349, 468-5349 or 468-5350 or visit the Saint Lucia Ministry of Health on Facebook or www.health.govt.lc
If you are experiencing respiratory symptoms, call the Vieux-Fort Respiratory Clinic at 454-6337
Other useful numbers: Vieux-Fort Fire Service – 455-6151 and Laborie Police Station – 456-3645
And remember to:
- Avoid contact with someone who is displaying symptoms of coronavirus, such as high temperature and/or a new and continuous cough
- Avoid all non-essential use of public transport when possible
- Work from home, where possible
- Avoid large and small gatherings in public spaces
- Avoid gatherings with friends and family. Keep in touch using remote technology, such as the phone, internet, and social media
- Use the telephone to contact your doctor or other essential services – do not visit them without a prior confirmed appointment
- If you are sick, call a health care provider before going to the hospital for advice on what you should do and if you should leave home
Also remember to:
- wash your hands often with soap and running water for at least 20 seconds - or use a hand sanitiser - when you get home or go into work, when you blow your nose, sneeze or cough, when you eat or handle food, before and after holding young children
- avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands
- avoid close contact with people, especially those who already have symptoms
- cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in a lined bin and wash your hands
- regularly clean and disinfect frequently-touched objects and surfaces in the home
- stock an adequate supply of drinking water, canned and other non-perishable foods, and gas - in a responsible manner, so that others can also do the same
- stock cleaning supplies, including bleach and paper towels
- prepare a first aid kit & stock at least a month’s supply of medication for family members with chronic diseases
- stay safe: when in doubt, ask for advice from one of the professionals listed above and not from a family member, friend or neighbour
- in unexpected situations, do not panic and use your common sense
Non-essential businesses have been asked to close. Queries or concerns about services that have been scaled down or suspended should be directed to the National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO) office at phone (758) 452-3802 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Laborie Development Foundation
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Laborie Steel Pan Pays Tribute to Wilrock
Laborie Steel Pan gathered at a popular local restaurant on Saturday 8 June to celebrate its achievements and the friendship that binds its members, to recognise the contribution of each individual player to the growth and success of the band, and to pay tribute to Wilrock Ltd., the company that sponsored them consistently and generously over the past ten years.
In presenting an award and a gift to the company representative, Mr Gilbert Wilson, Laborie Steel Pan player Jainashel Gabriel thanked Wilrock for the support it provided to the band, allowing it to grow “from a small group of young children discovering steel pan to a recognised community institution with a diverse range of activities”. In presenting a photograph of the band to Mr Wilson, Ms Gabriel noted that the band is strong because it was “built on a solid Wilrock Foundation”.
Indeed, “we are more than a steel band,” said arranger and musical director Andrius Edwide in a short address to the group, “we provide quality music education to our members; we constantly enrol new, young members; we host international music workshops; we actively participate in community events; we provide welfare support to members in need; and we help all our players to become responsible and self-confident members of their community and society.”
As a family-owned business rooted in the Laborie community, Wilrock Ltd has supported the steel band over the years precisely because it saw the positive impacts the band has on its members, allowing them to discover and nurture their artistic talent, giving young people the opportunity to engage in a meaningful activity, demonstrating the value of team work and perseverance, and building a vibrant community institution.