Prime Minister Stephenson King and Chairman of Sandals Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart look on at the proceedings.
Prime Minister Stephenson King has sounded a call for the most fortunate in our society to show more compassion for those in need and are languishing in poverty and destitution. The PM made the appeal at the Launching of the Sandals Foundation which took the form of a fundraising dinner for the Children’s Literacy Action Program, a Foundation targeting children in impoverished communities.
In pledging the government’s support to the effort of the Sandals Foundation and the Children Literacy Program, the Prime Minister says “it is only by showing compassion and love that we will be able to solve some of the social problems of the island. Sometimes, the wider community is better placed than politicians to solve problems like crime and poverty. Children are at risk in impoverished communities all around us and we must come together to give them a helping hand,” explains King.
“Those of us who have got the power of money, the power of connections, the power of being a policeman, the power of being a pastor, the power of being St. Lucian, let us come together and help the children of St Lucia.”
CEO of Sandals Resorts Adam Stewart says that in addition to raising funds for the Children Action Literacy program in Marchand Boulevard, the independence gala evening represents the official country launch of the Sandals Foundation in St Lucia. Stewart disclosed that the Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the luxury included resort chain, noted around the world for providing vacation experiences for couples. The Foundation which is based in all islands where Sandals resorts are located will focus on three main areas namely Education, Environment and Community.
“We deal with over one million customers every year and deal with over one thousand travel partners that either vacation or make a living from the Caribbean and they are really keen to give back but don’t know how. So it is against this backdrop that the Sandals Foundation was established. We understand that we must give back, that we must invest in the lives of the people of this great region,” says Stewart.
Stewart told the Sandals Grande gathering that several projects have been carried out in St Lucia as part of the company’s History here including the Sandals Cricket Academy touching over three hundred boys for the last ten years, and a computer lab and library at the Balata school. But the charity of the evening was the Children’s Literacy Action Project in Marchand Boulevard.
“Our relationship with Sandals started some five years ago when the Children Literacy Action Program commenced by reading to children on the streets of Marchand Boulevard. It started very humbly but because of the obvious need of the community we expanded to now approximately sixty children,” says Virgil Leonty, President of CLAP.
For his part Opposition Leader Dr Kenny Anthony said the evening will change the lives of all who attended and are hearing for the first time the tremendous work being done by the Children Action Literacy Project in the community of Marchand Boulevard.
Adam Stewart, CEO of Sandals is the driving force behind the Sandals Foundation.
“I think that we need to thank Virgil Leonty for tonight’s opportunity which I think will change our lives. It will remind us who we really are, it will make us better human beings,” noted Dr Anthony.
Lady Janice Compton also addressed the evening and spoke highly about the Sandals generosity and the kind nature of its chairman Gordon Butch Stewart who was looking on. “I remember calling on Butch once and said to him we needed some help with equipment at Victoria Hospital. Within one week the equipment was there from Butch. That is the nature of the man,” said Lady Janice.
The Sandals Foundation and the Children’s Literacy Action Program is celebrating a five year collaboration which seeks to transform lives through literacy and other means. Their first public collaboration was from all indications a terrific platform from which to start.
Virgil Leonty, President of the Children Literacy Action Program, which deals with at risk children in the Marchand Boulevard.
