 Welcome everyone to another edition of issues and answers today. We have with us. Mr. Ross Kadas He's the president of the Union of St. Lucia overseas associations Welcome Mr. Kadas. Welcome to issues and answers. Good day. Good day, and thank you for having having me here today first of all tell us a bit more on your background and What brings you to St. Lucia at this time? Well, if I go way back. I I St. Lucia born St. Lucia I like to I like to say that I'm from ancillary because that's where my parents from my my heart is in ancillary born in castries I've lived in the diaspora for the last 20 years on my last stint and of course being involved in a lot of community work in the diaspora and I run my own business and Now that I'm serving the second term as the president of the US LOA Well, where you based presently? I'm in Toronto, Toronto, Canada. That's where I've spent most of my time Okay, so it's a good place to start because you know that in 1982 in the city of Toronto a number of persons got together and look forward to the formation of such an association the first Banyan convention held in 1984 it was a brief history as to how the Union of Central Overseas Associations evolved. Yes So when they when the US LOA started it it really was an organization that brought the the Associations from around the world together for a couple reasons the first reason to bring St. Lucia's together You would imagine that in those days in the earlier days when people left St. Lucia Then they had never had an opportunity to connect with Friends and families in other jurisdictions around the world. So it gave them an opportunity to reconnect through a biannual convention but also The second reason was to develop a relationship with the government in St. Lucia as it related to things like returning nationals What what does that process look like? Investment of some sort in the island and that sort of thing and just to keep up-to-date as to kind of the socio-economic state of St. Lucia Well, they were an interim body up until about 1990 when you were getting close to your fourth convention And then you were able to arrive to present a constitution to be ratified by by the fifth so what has been evidently a natural stage of progression and it's Sometimes it's not that you've made that transformation from an interim body into a full-fledged association So tell us how does that journey been? Well, it's been an interesting one. I think it's it's just like a child Crawling before they walk and moving from infant to manhood. So the organization has had a number of Challenges kind of going through You know some of the things Some of the challenges as any umbrella organization would would have is Trying to get their member associations to buy in to kind of the vision and where it's going We see that a lot in the diaspora as I was I was also president of a Caribbean organization in Toronto that it was the Canadian Caribbean Association of associations and we went through that same kind of evolution to figure out How do we grow as an organization? And to gain member buying so that has been some of the challenges some of the things that we have been able to accomplish and is Really understanding what our relationship with the government How we all just not just the government with Saint Lucia as a whole and and the people of Saint Lucia and how our organizations Benefit Saint Lucia, but how Saint Lucia can benefit us as a diaspora type organization Well, I support that you've commented on the fact that you Interact a lot with government officials in terms of they knowing what your mandate actually is and how you can assist in the whole Development of Saint Lucia and know that there is an ambassador Responsible for diaspora affairs. How has that initiative been in terms of the cooperation and you actually executing your role? Well, I think I think we're growing and I think it's it's a great initiative to have the diaspora ambassador on the on the government from the government standpoint we Somewhere around 2010 we worked with We worked with the government At that time the diaspora ambassador was Jun Sumar dr. Jun Sumar and we worked on a diaspora policy that has since been implemented by this current government and One of the things that the one of the key Cornerstones of that implementation was to establish a diaspora office and we're pleased that that has been Established and now we've been working with that diaspora office and the ambassador To ensure that we connect with better with the diaspora, but also Have a better relationship with the government of Saint Lucia To understand so that they can understand some of the challenges we have in the diaspora as you may know the diaspora Contribute significantly to the economy in Saint in Saint Lucia through remittances your traditional barrels And there's there's some aspects of those remittances that we don't we don't have any track of so We believe that the diaspora is a key a key aspect of The economy in Saint Lucia and working with the government and the diaspora ambassador We we are continuing to have conversations about how we can we can better serve In Saint Lucia Yes, I have two questions I want to probably fit into one or maybe my desk actually individually since you'd mentioned about the remittances and how you interact with Saint Lucia's at home It is quite obvious that a lot has been done But in the first instance your organization has been around now for approximately 36 years Do you think it is well known even by Saint Lucia's who are at home? No, I think And I would admit that we've done we haven't done a great job from the US LOA standpoint to To ensure that people know about the work we do. I think some of our organizations our member organizations are better known because they're better at at Making sure that it is known what what they do but as a US LOA umbrella body This is one of the things that we're working in in my tenure to how do we How do we have a system in place where? Saint Lucia's Know of our existence what we've done in the past and what what our mandate is in the future Okay, that's been take our break on the program today, but we'll be back on issues and answers The seaside is a great place for recreation But you should be tsunami smart and know the natural warning signs of an imminent tsunami If you're on the beach or near the coast and you feel the ground rumbling and a long strong shaking drop cover If you see the tide receding further out the normal If you hear a street or loud noise coming from the scene Run to higher ground if you experience any of these signs run to higher ground at least 30 feet high or as far Inland as possible or to the third floor or higher of a building and wait for announcements from authorities for the all-clear Before the safe to return Remember run run run to higher ground be tsunami smart learn the natural warning signs of a tsunami There may not be enough time to send out an announcement in the event of a tsunami This message brought to you by the Newport South District Disaster Preventors Committee and UNO and funded by the USAID Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance Welcome back on issues and answers. We continue our discussion with Ross Kadas He's the president of the Union of San Nusha Overseas Associations Well, we were just looking at how widely known your organization would be and I deliberately asked you that because I know there's a lot of Initiatives that have been taken we know of groups from overseas Who send things back? We've been assisted in hospitals with the times of disasters We're like hurricane is more common to us and we get that sort of assistance But now it seems that your umbrella body can now begin to coordinate these various areas and you have More specific objectives in mind Maybe you can tell us a bit more right now on your mandate And how well you've been able to put it together brain in mind that you are an umbrella body Yes, so From a from a St. Lucia perspective One of the challenges that every member organization has had or every organization member or not member is How do you how do you how do they send things to St. Lucia? Get them clad off customs in a in a in a quick time and and and get to the source where they needed to go To whether it's a governmental or non-governmental organization. So we've entered an arrangement an MOU with SSDF and They part of that that MOU is to be able to be our on-ground Organization that will clear all of our goods and put it in the hands of the people that we needed to go to Across our membership any any member organization can use that facility the other part of that MOU is with SSDF is we've signed an agreement to Eventually during our tenure To create a thrift store in St. Lucia which would be managed by by joint venture between US LOA and SSDF What US LOA's responsibility would be is to procure goods likely use goods or new goods Throughout the diaspora send it to SSDF into a thrift store and the proceeds from that thrift store Would be used to do projects So I'll give you an example of a project the St. Lucia Toronto Association has done They have a golf tournament every year and the funds raised from that builds a home for a family in St. Lucia So that's one of the the the the the the types of projects that we would we would look we'd look at The second thing is disaster preparedness now Most St. Lucia's would know When there's a disaster the diaspora usually kind of gets together and ships goods Monetary money goods down to St. Lucia But I don't think we have a real as a diaspora real disaster preparedness strategy Because one thing we do know we will have another disaster in St. Lucia. It may not be Via hurricane it may not be this year next year We pray that it doesn't happen, but by virtue of where we are located we can expect that will happen So US LOA is now working on how do we get our member organizations to pre-plan and have a disaster preparedness strategy in place That in in the event of a hurricane Let's say we can just very quickly mobilize to to to assist St. Lucia The third piece is a youth strategy So as I go through the diaspora not only the St. Lucia St. Lucia organizations, but all Caribbean organizations a number of the leaders and the people who drive the organizations are Getting to an age where they would like to retire and like to slow down, but there isn't a youth strategy. So Internally we're trying to build a youth strategy that our member organizations can be a part of to Mobilize young people to get involved in the organization. So that's kind of a three-pronged approach and our mandate for US LOA It's very interesting in the scene that you really got a full agenda Just going back a bit to that 14th biennial convention that was selling St. Lucia in 2010 Referred to as well as St. Lucia homecoming. It was one of the biggest events that that was really put on What else did the legacy of that event mean like has it spurred you on that the member Associations that came as the umbrella body. What sort of feedback did you get after that homecoming? So I think the homecoming was very successful It was successful in that it really gave us a chance to really have some concrete interaction From a governmental standpoint for US LOA and for the diaspora as a whole I think it gave and I know the ambassador has spoken about the diaspora policy that has been implemented by the government and I think at that stage at homecoming it really gave us an opportunity to kind of push that diaspora policy So dr. Sumer and US LOA and a number of other people it really gave the the push for the diaspora policy Which kind of spoke to the relationship between? St. Lucia and the diaspora so Having said that we are now in implementation mode figuring out how we implement Strategically each aspect of the diaspora policy with the government I know there's a number of areas that your membership would have some concerns if I think in recent times one of the Areas of interest was being able to participate in the electoral process in St. Lucia What level of discussion have you had as an organization into that possibility and the ease of With the convenience of being able to do so Well, you know, you're very right in the diaspora There's a number of people and and now you know we live in a in an age where Affair is not as expensive as it used to be we have we see a number of St. Lucia's coming down to St. Lucia and getting involved in in in the political landscape From a US LOA standpoint, this is a conversation that we've already started having with with the government to understand More of their view on how we can make this happen. Of course, you would know there are a number of challenges We understand that a number of countries have been able to do it successfully But for St. Lucia, it would be something that we'd continue to have conversations with the government to To figure out what makes sense Having said that I think As as the diaspora as US LOA We're very very interested in seeing it happen and we were we're continuing the conversation I'm quite keen to find out what happens in The diaspora in times of celebration the senator Let's bring up two examples independence and probably Junica or not even to mention times like Christmas and stuff like that I know it's the occasion that many of the Overseas associations really look to put on things and Lucian and you have your close friends Persons from other cultures who would come and celebrate with you What are some of the feedback that you've been able to get and what do they actually describe as unique about St. Lucia? Is it the cuisine? Is it the culture? Is it a five-hour speak real? Yeah And you know very very interesting so independence is usually in most in most in most jurisdictions in the Independence is usually the formal aspect of our celebration and big every organization does some sort of independence gala I Would the hazard a guess and say most organizations also do a junior quay all celebration and When we have we I can speak for Toronto because I've been present for the last 20 years when we when we host these functions. We do see a lot of small islands mainly Barbados in Vincent Dominica Dominica especially coming to those events and What always The what always they talk about is the food for sure our cuisine house different The slight differences between St. Lucia and a Saint Lucia bouillon versus a Dominica bouillon, you know, very very interesting It's our music and now with our our denry segment Making a lot of noise globally We find that that you know, they always comment on our music and and and our our arts Okay, just as you begin to wrap up what would you say to St. Lucia's who would like to know how they can really benefit from An organization like yours and how they can keep in contact with the diaspora Well, I think You know, US LOA is a member member association member our members our associations in the diaspora I think the best way To kind of continue to find out what we're doing is to work with our to work with our member organizations We're we're going to go on a campaign to kind of share mandate with With St. Lucia as well as as well as Continue to grow our membership in the diaspora so we're looking forward to kind of Connecting with St. Lucia's any needs any concerns We are St. Lucia's Okay, our members in the diaspora. We are St. Lucia's And we want to give back and contribute back to St. Lucia Okay, Mr. Kasby to take another break on the program. We'll be right back We continue here on issues and answers with Mr. Roscoe as President of St. Lucia We continue here on issues and answers with Mr. Roscoe as President of St. Lucia President of the Union of St. Lucia Overseas Associations where you give us a good little prelude to the actual feeling that St. Lucia might want to have in terms of how they interact with other members of the diaspora and how they can get involved Maybe tap on the resources of your your groups What would be some of the immediate plans that you think that US LOA would have at this point? Yeah, so our You know, we're working with with the diaspora office on implementing fully the diaspora policy That's one initiative We want to to turn our MOU with SSDF into a reality By the end of this year all leading up to our Convention which is next year in July in Calgary and at convention. This is where you see delegates from each organization That is a member coming In a forum where we can talk about some of the work that we're doing and to set Set the mandate for the next for the next two years for the organization So these are some of the things we're doing and aside from that We're on a membership drive We recognize that there are many groups and organizations in the diaspora that we haven't tapped into so we are looking to speak to Every organization that we can find in the diaspora share our mandate our vision what I call the three the three W's where we were where we are where we're going and Hopefully get them to be a part of the bigger vision because we believe that anything that we approach We're stronger as a as a as a one-body than individual people Organizations doing their own thing. Yes, I will imagine because in your structure would be very important because I was I was wondering how do you Keep a check of all the different affiliates who you know fall on the umbrella and how effective would be the communication Process be in terms of you knowing what they're doing and then knowing what you're doing. So so we We have we have Monthly we have trustees in every jurisdiction and our trustees are We have monthly meetings at an executive level and they come back and inform us of what the organizations are doing As far as researching organizations the diaspora office Hair has been very very useful In reaching out and really finding Organizations that we didn't know exists because you know, we're yes, we are a global organization, but we we don't know every organization In every jurisdiction. So we've been partnering with the diaspora office to find out who are these organizations So going back to a question you asked what can St. Lucian's look forward to and get involved I would say that if there's any organization that they're aware of that there they aren't their mother their Cousin belongs to in the diaspora they can they can share The fact that US LOA exists and that they should reach out to us But you find that we're finding diaspora itself. You find more and more solutions looking to gravitate towards these Organizations, I think we've had a challenge and and I think for a number of reasons And if I go back then use myself as an example when I first arrived in the diaspora my focus wasn't How do I join an organization now that may have been the focus 50 years ago when you when you come to country for the first time you Want to connect with people? You know who can show you the ropes show you how things are done, but with the age of the internet and Google You know, you can actually rent an apartment before you even land. So So the needs have shifted a bit and as a result People coming to the diaspora moving to the diaspora the associations were not they are not their first part of call They focus more on their careers and how did they get into society? but I think they I think Where the organizations add value? Around the globe is that they bring us back together as a solution And they they become an avenue to be able to give back to Senusia and when you start talking about things like Change for the diaspora these associations through US LOA can work together to impact change Right, so it's important that We in the diaspora kind of become affiliated with an organization If we're serious about driving change if we're serious about Giving back because it does help to be be a be a member of the organization. Okay, so what level do you see the? association actually reaching in terms of maybe parts of exchanges like bringing solution groups over to your different Countries to have their own experiences to bring groups to show what the solution culture is like apart from just yourself being there But you might want to expand that whole avenue and showing the solution talent and the solution culture itself at a wider scale Yeah, but Ryan a lot of a lot of the groups already presently do that Okay, so for instance the group I am in Toronto and under UKF Senate Bring groups all the time to share the solution experience what I think we can do a better job of and I think we do it unofficially We're able to sell Saint Lucia. I'm a Saint Lucia in the diaspora. I'm able to sell Saint Lucia probably better than Anybody else because I've lived it. I've been there. I've been to the waterfall I've been to self as brings and me saying it to a friend, you know Is is golden they buy it because it's a friend, right? So what I think where where where the diaspora can really impact an area. I think we can impact is tourism without even Having to even think about it, and I think we already do in some cases officially But from an arts and culture standpoint, I think a lot of the associations have brought a lot of groups and individuals all of the Calypsoians and the Dennery segment artists and the quadril groups a lot of the associations have their own homegrown quadril groups and I still keep the culture alive in the diaspora I mean scared as we just wrapping up. Yes within 60 seconds We know that you must have gone to Ansari and you just spoke about the the whole developmental trust. How do you see? Ansari really benefiting from the diaspora and some of the other avenues that are available to them Yeah, so we've already been doing some Some work in and I personally With with with our organization have been trying to do some work in Ansari We we we I mean Ansari, I think we we need some more time to talk about it Ansari seems to be the same similar to when I left as a as a younger band And I think there's a lot we can do for places like Ansari not just Ansari I think the government has had some plans Which is good, but I think as a diaspora we can really help to impact that you've been watching issues and answers with me today Ross Kadas president of the union of Senutia overseas associations. Thanks once again, Mr. Kadas. Thank you. My pleasure