 Welcome to the 2019 National Awards of Excellence Ceremony. I am Esther Matthew, your mistress of ceremonies for today. This ceremony has been a staple on the Nobel Laureate Festival's activities for years, and this year's theme for the Nobel Laureate Festival is celebrating excellence 40 years on. This is in keeping with our upcoming milestone of 40 years of independence, as well as commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Sir Arthur Lewis Nobel Prize in Economics. At this time, I now invite the Minister of Education, Innovation, Gender Relations and Sustainable Development, Honourable Dr. Gail Rigabet, who will now give you the welcome remarks. Ladies and gentlemen, I bid you all a pleasant good morning. It is indeed an honour to welcome you to the 15th National Awards of Excellence under the patronage of Governor-General Emeritus Dame Pullet-Louisey with the theme, Celebrating Excellence 40 Years On. The attainment of excellence is by no means an easy feat. It requires adaptation, determination, zealousness and commitment. Undoubtedly, these are attributes that are clearly evident in all of today's awardees who have flourished in their academic pursuits. At a time when our education sector appears to be encumbered by significant challenges, it is vital that we pause to acknowledge the accomplishments of those who have successfully risen above those challenges and have made the conscious decision to tap into their talents, abilities and the resources available to them to fulfil their ambitions. We celebrate you and implore you to maintain this thirst, this hunger for excellence. The awards you receive today celebrate your milestone achievements, which I am sure required intense and focused effort. It is important to note that while we celebrate the accomplishments of the exceptional use gathered here today, the Ministry of Education remains steadfastly committed to developing an education sector that is more inclusive and equipped with the resources to allow for all learners to maximise their capabilities. With this vision, we aim in the ensuing years to celebrate the achievements of an even larger number of awardees within more diversified areas of accomplishments. The mandate of the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Gender Relations and Sustainable Development is to be proactive and responsive to the needs of learners within the ever-changing global landscape and to foster the holistic development of individuals who are literate, informed, productive and civic-minded. We recognise the need to develop classrooms which actively foster 21st century learning. The introduction of smart classrooms accompanied by the training of teachers to be technologically savvy with the various learning modalities continues to be our priority in support of excellence in education. The aim is to ensure that positive morals and attitudes, likewise skills of critical thinking and digital literacy as well as a culture of inclusion, equity, innovation and entrepreneurship are engendered within our schools. I wish to stress that the Ministry's vision is to create a culture of equity and equality where every learner is empowered and provided with the requisite tools and opportunities to excel optimally within their areas of interest and in keeping with their capabilities. It is therefore imperative that our institutions at all levels of St. Lucia's education sector continue the process of curriculum reform to ensure that the natural capabilities of our learners are magnified, recognised and developed. It is against that backdrop we gather here today to salute the diverse achievements of our youth. I encourage you to continue along your individual journeys, pursue your ambitions with much tenacity always bearing in mind that similar to a circle the pursuit of excellence is infinite or without end. It is in fact a journey of a lifetime, always anticipate challenges they are inevitable. However, plan for them, embrace them, manoeuvre around them and press on. Before I close, permit me please to recognise the department and the units within the Ministry of Education, gender relations and innovation, the parents, guardians of today's awardees as well as our good corporate citizens and external partners who through your generosity and our many strategic alliances continue to provide the necessary support as we seek to further enhance St. Lucia's education sector. Today's awards ceremony is indeed a reflection of the synergies among all of these agencies and we thank you. It is also the mandate of this ministry to create an education sector where our parents, guardians, community members and corporate citizens are more actively involved in shaping our education sector and the holistic development of our youths. The banner of excellence must continually be lifted higher in schools, homes, communities and the wider society. This culture of excellence can be achieved through a change in mindsets nationally. On its own, the Ministry of Education can only do so much in catering to the needs of our learners and of society at large. However, with the active participation of our parents, communities and corporate stakeholders, the world as they say becomes our oyster. It is on that basis that I thank you for your efforts, your dedication and look forward to a sustained partnership with you as we pursue the development of an education sector that is globally competitive and responsive to the needs of our society. I once again congratulate our award recipients and implore you to continue along this path of excellence with a vision of making a sustained contribution to national development. Congratulations, well done and welcome to all of you. Let us all bask in the joy and the exuberance of our awardees. I thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, the awards which will be given today are to encourage excellence in all departments and their related activity of the Ministry of Education. The time period represented here is the recently concluded academic year, September 2017 through July 2018. We shall start with our 2018 Common Entrance Awards. This year there is an addition to this component. There will be two awards given for top performing schools which are top performing small school with under 250 students and top performing large school with over 250 students. Therefore we now invite Ms. Camillette Matthew, Registrar of Examinations and Mr. Eddie Paul, Principal of Cicero Secondary School who will present the awards on behalf of BNB Money Savers Incorporated. The top performing public school for Common Entrance, Small School, Fonce Jacques Combined, Large School, Dame Perlet-Louise Primary School and Top Performing Private School for Common Entrance, the Montessori Center. The top achiever in the Common Entrance Examinations, April Degana from the Camill Henry Memorial School. Thank you Ms. Matthew, Mr. Paul and BNB Money Savers. At this time I now invite Mr. Dale Sanjist, the Education Officer for Special Education Unit to hand out the awards for Special Education. Mr. Johnson is the Physical Education Teacher and Football Coach at the Viewfort Special Education Center. He led his team to win the District Football Championship against all the mainstream schools. In addition, Mr. Johnson has created a photography club where students with special needs are not only developing an eye for photography, but he has also incorporated this skill into the school's academic program. At this time we welcome Mr. Johnson James. Shomari Rages is a graduate from the Leon Hess Comprehensive Secondary School where he obtained seven CSEC GCE passes, three grade ones and four grade twos. He has consistently been an excellent student. This is a reminder to us that disability is not inability. Let's welcome Mr. Shomari Rages. Ms. Austin is a teacher at the Camille Henry Memorial School. She has gone above and beyond the call of duty to coordinate the professional development of the special education needs teachers in her district. She was instrumental in having nine teachers complete an introduction to counseling course with Yui Open Campus in the last academic year. We now invite Ms. Miranda Austin to accept her award. Thank you, Mr. Sanjis. We now move to our Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate Awards, formerly known as the CSEC or CSEC examinations. For the 2018 period, 12,854 students sat exams in 33 subject areas, of which 76.47%, which is 9,830 students were successful. We will now invite the Chief Planning Officer, Mr. Kendall Kodra, to the stage to assist with the presentation of these awards. For outstanding performance in the humanities, additional mathematics, we have Kayla Z George. And outstanding performance in mathematics, Maya N. Simister. Outstanding performance, English A. Charis A. Joseph. Outstanding performance, English B. Khadija A. Halliday. Outstanding performance, Visual Arts. Rene C. L. Fontenal. Outstanding performance, Theatre Arts. Yasha K. Satney. Outstanding performance, Music. Zoe Rages. Outstanding performance, French. Kelly P. Michaud. Outstanding performance, Spanish. Kelly P. Michaud. I'll have to have Kelly do a rewind. Outstanding performance, Spanish. Kelly P. Michaud. Now for the awards in the natural sciences. Outstanding performance, Human and Social Biology. Valindel Esnad. Outstanding performance, Biology. Kayla Z. George. Outstanding performance, Physics. Matilda J. Angeloni. Outstanding performance, Chemistry. Povana L. Dalso. Outstanding performance, Integrated Science. Noah B. H. Joye. Outstanding performance, Agricultural Science. Double award, Darla Willey. Outstanding performance, Agricultural Science. Single award, Valindel Esnad. Thank you, Mr. Kulcher. At this point, we will take a break from the awards to acknowledge the 40th anniversary of Sir Arthur Lewis' receipt of the Nobel Laureate Prize for Economics. One of his seminal papers is entitled In Being Different, which he makes a commentary on our Caribbean society. A performance, a reading of un-being different by teachers from the Castries Comprehensive Secondary School, Ruzan Alexander, and the Corinth Secondary, Trisha Kwashi, Roxanne Cox, and Shakir Lubin. He really does see a set of old papers, old papers, old papers since 19 or not. Throw that. More papers again. Sir Arthur. Interesting. Let me see this, let me see this. Well, Nobel Laureate Festival coming up, so maybe it can be useful. Let's see what it has. Make our job easier. Okay, I think I'll begin reading. Yes, Mr. Sir Arthur. A constant theme in today's West Indies is that we should stop imitating other people and do our own thing. We would be different than West Indian. West Indian, yes. But just what does this mean that is intended to distinguish us from other human beings? What? He's looking for a faster sea route to India by going west because he thought the world was round. He landed here in the Caribbean and since he thought he was in India, he called the place Indies of the West, West Indies. Missy, how can you not know that? You see, that's why we have to make history a compulsory subject in schools. Excuse me. What? It's easier to read, you know. There's a person from the country with the most Nobel Laureates per capita in the world. One of them was a master at English literature. So the ability to analyze texts in your DNA... Well, clearly she didn't get the DNA. Or maybe as English did not compulsory, the DNA did not get activated. Excuse me. Excuse me. Let us not forget why we are here. Yes, yes, yes. Now, where were we? Oh yes. What difference is the human achievement? So when we say that Westinians are to be different, we mean that they must make something different. Our achievements must be unique. And before you ask, he explains what he means there. He meant to work a universal body of knowledge. The world of many nations have contributed each building on the work of his predecessor from many nations at many times. And what has resulted in this is a body of knowledge. I can read you now. Well, read. This knowledge divides into three areas. First, knowledge of how phenomena work, which includes the natural and social sciences. Secondly, moral knowledge. Or how human beings ought to behave towards each other. Let's acknowledge. Or how to be creative in the arts. Well, elaborate. She means to explain what the alpha meant. Zoy, leave me alone. Please, focus. Set in me. No need to let her get to you. He continues to explain. Any scientific group is bound to contribute more to the study of its own environment or its own history than will be contributed by other groups elsewhere. If you want to be a revolutionary in science, achieving some new great breakthrough, you have to understand the existing system which you wish to overthrow better than it is understood by its supporters. Not less so. Second, morals of what behavior towards each other should be. This divides into two parts. Personality and social structure. There is a distinct West Indian personality. Marked by its aggressive nature. Not all West Indians are aggressive, but it is the quality we most admire in our leaders. Well, now I know why they make you supervisor. Stop letting her get to you. What? Your hair is, hair is. Finally, I come to aesthetics. Music, literature and art are as important and part of the heritage of mankind are science and morals. They differ from science in that they do not represent what is, but are products of the creative imagination. They differ. They have therefore infinite scope for variation. And yet, they tend to be distinctly national in character. It is the very nature of the game that as aesthetics, activity, burdens in the West Indies, our art and music and literature will be clearly distinguishable from that of other peoples. So, he's implying that the only way we can be different and make our mark is through the creative arts? Yes, Miss Professor. That is what he is saying. You couldn't deduce that. I thought you know everything. Listen, listen, listen, man. The man talking to us, you know, we are artists. Yes, yes, yes. We shall have our own schools of painting and music and poetry and drama and all the rest. This is the essential and most valuable sense in which West Indians must be different from other peoples. This is the contribution which we all know is above all others to make the human heritage, the common human heritage. A society with that creative arts is a cultural desert. It will come into our statesmen that they put a lot more money into the creative arts departments of our secondary schools. Didn't see that coming. But it makes sense. Yes, the creative arts subjects focus a lot on developing critical thinking. But of course. Yeah, which is why most schools are moving away from the stem to the steam in education. Steam? Yes. That means moving away from science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. And adding the arts. Therefore, steam. It seems the gene finally gets activated, boy. Good points. It makes sense though, because what makes products unique are the aesthetic and cultural qualities. Come on guys, let's finish reading this. Okay, okay, let's go. As I look ahead at the evolution of the West Indies, I see many respects in which we should strive to be like other people. Like having a well-rounded personality or scientists and scholars of world repute. And the many respects in which we will be different. Like having some distinctive manners and customs. Oh, look ahead at that. Our own curricula in schools, our own applied science, natural and social. And our own musical and other artistic achievements. The main point that I would leave with you is that our chance to make something good of our own depends on our studying carefully what other peoples have done and learning from their mistakes and their successes. And this was written when? In 1957. And it's still relevant today. Yeah. And we're still there trying to figure out what to do. And here, Arthur left us a framework so long ago. Yep. Thank you, Arthur. Thank you, Arthur. You know, one thing I love about this ceremony is the fact that we get to recognize the private sector that supports schools. And that's very important. We need the private sector as well as all the other ministries. So I now invite Mr. Dawson Raghunanan, Acting Deputy Chief Education Officer, Instructions to assist in presenting the next set of awards as well as the representative from the Darren Sammy Foundation. We will continue with outstanding performance in the CSEC, CXE, Physical Education and Sports, Ms. Matilda J. Angeloni. Thank you, Darren Sammy Foundation, for your assistance and support. For outstanding performance in Caribbean history, Nisa J. Francis, Outstanding Performance Social Studies, Javerne P. Joseph, Outstanding Performance in Geography, Arizane K. St. Paul. Outstanding Performance in Principles of Accounts, Kelly R. Henry. We will continue with Principles of Business, and we will ask Ms. Berinda K. Bahia for Outstanding Performance in Principles of Business. I'm saying this student did CXE a few times over. For Outstanding Performance in Economics, Kayla Z. George. Although they're not here, I would like to thank Computer Wolves in Lucia Limited for their support and assistance towards these awards. For Outstanding Performance in Information Technology, Kaylee P. Michaud. You guys, we have some wonderful outstanding students who are all around, and Kaylee seems to be one of them. Very good, Kaylee, and the others. We thank A and C Limited for their assistance and support, and thank you, Mr. Raghunanan. At this time, we move on to the presentation of CXE awards, CSEC awards, for technical, vocational, and education training. So we invite Mr. Clovis Samuel, the Education Officer for TVET, to assist with the presentation of the awards. For Outstanding Performance in Office Administration, Crystal Centage. For Outstanding Performance in Industrial Technology Building, Devi Ferdinand. For Outstanding Performance in Industrial Technology, Electrical, Obadele Elevik. Outstanding Performance in Industrial Technology, Mechanical, Craig J. Antoine. Outstanding Performance in Technical Drawing, Kenrick C. Albert. We thank the Embassy of the Republic of China, Taiwan, for their support and assistance. For Outstanding Performance in Electronic Document Preparation Management, Tori Adonis. For Outstanding Performance in Clothing and Textiles, Zandali V. Immanuel. For Outstanding Performance in Family and Resource Management, Danika V. Augustine. For Outstanding Performance in Food, Nutrition, and Health, Jeanette J. Joseph. We're moving on to the presentation of Post-Secondary and Tertiary Education Awards. So I invite Mrs. Rufina Frederick, the Acting Chief Education Officer, to assist with the presentation of these awards. Yes, Mrs. Rufina Charles. The top performer in the Division of Arts, Sciences, and General Studies, Mr. Daniel Cotter. Mr. Cotter is not here with us today because right now as we speak and as you are sitting listening, he is presently studying mathematics and economics in France. So his dad will receive the award in his honour. The top performer for the Division of Agriculture, Tyrik James. Top performer, Division of Teacher Education and Educational Administration, Stacey Favre. Top performer of the Division of Technical Education and Management Studies, Cheyenne Quinlan. Cheyenne was also the recipient of the CXC CSEC Awards for Principles of Business and Economics in 2016. Congrats for keeping up the trend. Thank you, Mrs. Charles. I now invite Representative from Spartan Health Services University to present the next awards. Top performer. You got that right? Top performer. Division of Health Services, Sir Arthur Lewis Community College. This year, there are two students who tied in their GPA and they are Talia Centrose and Hannah Rages. You see normally there is a top performer, but we have the top performers. Talia Centrose. So possibly Hannah Rages is absent. Is there someone who will receive in her absence? Okay. Thank you, Mr. Spartan Services, for your support. Most outstanding graduate national enrichment learning programme, NELU, Mr. Stephen James. The next award we would like the Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ms. Michelle Charles, to deliver the award. This vibrant individual joined the Ministry of Education on the 17th of March, 1994, as a receptionist. When she entered the ministry, it was located in the building situated in the corner of Meekood and Library Street directly opposite the Derrickwell Cutts Square. I don't even know where that is. Okay. So many of you may be too young to remember that as 25 years ago is indeed a long time, quarter of a century. Throughout her years of dedicated service at the ministry, she continues to forge numerous links with both the old and the young alike. In fact, she is viewed as the great matriarch. Everyone comes to for advice. She is the well sought-after councillor who counsels those in need. One of her many great attributes as a public servant is her ability to listen and empathise with fellow colleagues and customers. She is a true professional. Despite health challenges, her resilience is akin to our very own massive tree. She perseveres against all odds and executes her duties regardless of excruciating pain and discomfort. She goes over and beyond her job description to assist with the administration of the ministry's many services to the public. She is a devoted and loyal employee, colleague and friend. She is truly a stalwart who has worked with numerous ministers, permanent secretaries, chief education officers to name a few. Moreover, the Ministry of Education has undergone several nomenclatures that she has experienced them all. Without a doubt, you will agree that Miss Gertrude George Charles deserves recognition for her long dedicated service at the most auspicious event. So we now welcome Miss Gertrude George Charles to the stage. Wow. Just a small stature with big responsibility. Like they say in Jamaica, she's a little but she's a stalwart. You go, girl. This other recipient entered the service in 2000. Over the years, she has become a popular and central figure of policy and administration with all those who have worked and currently work in this Department of Education. Her popularity has soared over the years due to her calm demeanor and willingness to lend a listening ear to all those who especially needed a respite from the pressure cooker environment of administration and other units within the Department. She goes beyond her call of duty and extends her helping hand by performing secretarial duties. Her contribution can be described as priceless, as she ensures that those who occupy the offices of policy and administration are at ease in a clean environment. It does not matter what time, how long it takes, or who occupies these offices, she has remained committed and invaluable to the smooth functioning of the section. Her easy banter has made her an extremely pleasant individual to work with and the troubles of the office can be perceptively reduced for those who have actually taken the time to know her. Her kindness has left an indelible mark on those who have passed through these offices and the warmth which she is greeted by those individuals is testimony to the worth she has held and continues to hold in their estimation. Let us welcome Miss Angela Felicien to receive her awards. In theatre, there is something that we say there is no small part. Everybody has a major role. And this individual entered the public service on a temporary employment mission in February 1980. In October 1984, he was appointed as an office assistant one attached to the Registry and Correspondence Unit. He was then promoted to office assistant slash driver in October 1999. He has given over 35 years and is undoubtedly respected and loved at the Ministry of Education. During those years, he has shown exemplary behaviour which is not only characterized by his regularity and punctuality but by his nature. He demonstrates honesty, commitment, cooperation, dependability and is very conscientious in carrying out his assigned duties. He has played an integral role in social activities and was a member of the football team and supported other sporting activities such as cricket, netball, etc. These are the qualities that we as public servants should all adopt for the betterment and advancement of our department. He is well deserving of a long-standing award and so we welcome Mr. Philip Sinclair. Thank you, Ms. Charles. At this time, we will invite the representative from B&B Money Savers to receive a token and we also have an award for outstanding corporate social responsibility by an organisation, the Embassy of China, Taiwan. I know their representative may not be here but I think I still have to give them their accolades. Apart from being a partner with the National Awards of Excellence programme for the few years, the Embassy has also partnered with the Ministry with its ICT related initiatives as well as providing annually, sometimes up to 15 scholarships to St. Lucian's to further their academic development at the tertiary level. Let's thank Embassy of China and Taiwan. At this time, I would like to invite the Chairperson of the Noble Laureate Festival, Dame Pallet-Louise, to join us on stage to give the next award. The top performing school, CXC CSEC examinations, the St. Joseph's Convent Secondary School. The school obtained 100% rate in 20 of the 22 subjects students sat at the examinations and achieved a pass rate of 99.44%. Thank you, Your Excellency. At this time, I will re-invite Miss Michelle Charles to deliver the next award. The top performing student for the CAPE exams, Miss Shania Joseph. Shania placed five originally in Unit 2 of the French exam. Shania, does she have a representative? Thank you, Miss Charles. At this time, I would like to ask you to focus your attention on the screen while you view the year in review. To invite Your Excellency Sir Neville Snack, the Governor-General of St. Lucia, to deliver the next and that award is for best overall performance at the CXC CSEC examinations. This student topped the island in CXC chemistry history and was in the top 10 in seven of the subjects she sat for the examinations. So we now welcome Miss Povana Aydalsou from the St. Joseph's Convent, another all-round student. Our young people are doing great things. Thank you, Your Excellency. As the matter is about to be concluded, I want to say to the students, in fact, give them the advice of a pirate. Pirates can advise, you know. I believe it was Francis Drake who said, there must be a beginning of every great matter, but the continuing onto the end until it is finally finished yields the true glory. And I want to remind them of what the great poet said. I'll say it in French first. For those who love French, il y a de les affaires humaines un mari montant. Con la saisisse au passage elle mène à la fortune qu'on la marque tous les voyages de la vie ces prises dans les bas-fonds et dans les détresse. Teller la pleine mer sur laquelle nous flottons à ce moment. Il nous fait suivre le courant tandis qu'il nous sert ou ruiné notre expédition. There's a tide in the face of men which taken at the flood, this is the flood, leads on to fortune who mitted all the voyage of their lives is bound in shallows and in misery. On such a full sea are we now afloat and we must take the current when it serves or lose our venture. Thank you, this is my advice to you. Merci votre excellence. Merci. We will now invite Mrs. Sophia Edward Gabriel, the Acting Education Officer at Camdu to present the vote of thanks. We know the Governor-General did do a very good one though. Your Excellency, Sir Emmanuel Neville Snark, Governor-General of St. Lucia and Lady Jolita Snark, Honourable Dr. Gail Rigobert, Minister of Education, Innovation, Gender Relations and Sustainable Development, Cabinet Secretary, Mr. Benjamin Emmanuel, Your Excellency, Dame Paulette-Louise, Chairperson of the Nobel Laureates Festival Committee, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Miss Michelle Charles, Members of the Diplomatic Corps, Corporate Partners, Ministry Officials, Awardees, other invited guests. Thank you for coming here today to celebrate excellence by our students, teachers and employees. I would like to say a special thank you to Dame Paulette-Louise and the Nobel Laureates Festival Committee for their continuous support and commend them on this year's program. To our Corporate Partners, who contributed significantly to the awards and who continue to provide support to us, the Embassy of the Republic of China, Taiwan, BNB Money Savers Incorporated, Spartan Health Sciences University School of Medicine, Computer World, Financial Investments and Consultancy Services Limited, Darren Sammi Foundation, ANC Limited, and Trophy Center, we thank you sincerely. To the Mistress of Ceremony, Miss Esther Matthews, you did an excellent job. Thank you. We also want to thank everyone else who contributed to the ceremony, including the students from St. Joseph's Convent for leading us in the National Anthem and Mr. Cyrus Cipal for leading us in praise. Our ushers, men and ladies in black, thank you for contributing to the prestige of this ceremony. We express sincere gratitude to the Communications Unit and the Government Information Service for their measurable support to recording of the event and to post-production. The recording will be aired on NTN in a few days. A special thank you to our teachers who performed, as well as those who provided support in stage management. And we also want to thank the schools, students and teachers who were involved in catering for this event. You will get the opportunity to sample what they've provided shortly. As you see, this event has been an opportunity to showcase the many talents of the various departments of the ministry. Your hard work and dedication throughout the years continue to contribute to our development and success. And without you, we would not be here today. So we want to say thank you to everyone who has come to share in this experience and celebration. And thank you for continuing our journey with us. Thanks. Indeed, you were a wonderful audience. Thank you once again for coming. Have a wonderful day.