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About Me
Blog Archive
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2009
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October
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- SLASPA’s Civil Engineers - Keeping the Seaports an...
- Open Campus Sponsors Writing Workshop for Teachers
- Making choices
- Is it a Cultural thing?
- Farmer Field School - a success story
- Value Added Tax (VAT) and the consumer – Part2
- 3rd anniversary (I)
- The Importance of Households in the Economy
- Make use of the business cards in your possession!
- FirstCaribbean Daily Markets Report
- Economic Forecast
- Condor Recommences to St. Lucia
- CMMB Market Wrap
- CMMB Hosts Seminar Entitled: ‘Creating Your Indivi...
- ACCA presents Treasury Department with Gold
- Tuesday’s House Sitting
- Today’s World: An Ugly Place for CARICOM States
- The Negativity of Political Emotions
- The Men Who Would Be King!
- The Benefits of Linking Agriculture and Tourism
- Stemming galloping teenage pregnancy in St. Lucia
- Spelling Bee Winners
- SLP: Is UWP Serious About St. Lucia’s Crime Situat...
- Prime Minister’s Office
- Change: Easy to say but...…
- Aid for St. Jude’s
- On the rebound!
- SURVIVAL AND ROVERS FINAL
- SLAA preparing for 2010
- Perreria:Gayle’s time has passed
- Anarchy from the Top
- Police Officer threatens fireman with firearm
- PE’LAY MEETS THE QUEEN
- Missing Person
- King Promises Prosecution
- Fashion Runs to the Rescue
- Digicel customers get rewarded for talking
- Scotiabank celebrates 40 years in St. Maarten
- New Rodney Bay Marina Manager
- What passes for government in St.Lucia today
- There Was An Eruption In The House of Assembly
- SLP calls again for speedy resolution of the Richa...
- No trust or confidence in Monplaisir
- New Study says Whale Watching is a boon to Caribbe...
- October … All Over November … Remember
- Who will be crowned champions?
- St. Lucia Eagles and Royal Navy Team up
- SCHOOL SPORTS
- OECS Sports Coordinator’s Surprise
- SLP walks out
- PWA, government reach compromise
- FCCA
- FirstCaribbean Daily Markets Report
- Taxi Drivers Eat Free!
- Sandals closes Culinary Training Clinic with cook-off
- Kwéyòl Poetry and Music at Alliance Francaise
- Chairman’s Ultimate Karaoke Finals on Wednesday
- CCFP St.Lucia Chapter Launched
- Bigger, Better Value only from Digicel!
- Nat’l Arts Festival Next Month
- The Day of Reckoning is Upon Us
- Swervers and Curvers
- Something fishy at Fisheries
- FCIB Kudos
- Training time for SLASA Coaches
- Southern Flying Fish a major force in local swimming
- ON THE RIGHT TRACK
- Gold and Silver for Danielle Beaubrun
- Gear for Gros Islet Youth Programme
- New Exam
- Two Economic Unions for Saint Lucia
- ROYALITY!
- Police News
- Police Deny Knowledge of Sick-out
- OECS Workshop
- St. Lucia Distillers wins International Rum Trophy
- SLHTA Pageant ON
- RSL Reggae Vybes Live in the South
- LIME Gives More Help to RC School
- Digicel’s winners for September text to win!
- CMMB raises over EC$116 million for Government
- Chairman’s Ultimate Karaoke Semi Finals
- Caribbean Comedy & Music Take Centre Stage In Nort...
- World Food Day
- The Class of 2009-UWI Open Campus Inaugural Gradua...
- My first interview with Dr. Kenny Anthony
- My experience of the C.A.R.E Programme
- Message on UN Day - 24 October 2009
- Health and Wellness Tourism a Proposed Niche Produ...
- Another accolade for Dunstan
- Value Added Tax (VAT) and the consumer – Part1
- The Oasis at The BodyHoliday, LeSPORT wins top awards
- Day-trader violence
- The Future of Banking is Here
- The Entrepreneurial Spirit Is Alive But Needs To B...
- FirstCaribbean Daily Markets Report
- Economic Forecast
- CMMB Market Wrap
- Chinese Fall Down on the Job in Trinidad
- 5 Quick Ways to Improve Your Cash Flow
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October
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11 comments:
I'm happy to hear this is on the front page - I hope it will at least now get some attention.
The more I think about it, the more I feel that this incident shows a level of blatant disregard on the part of SLASA and illustrates the general lack of any focused programme for the arts and crafts in St. Lucia.
Personally, I am one of the persons who have not been able to fill an order from a new client - I may still get through once I can access my belongings, but it means that income I would otherwise have had by now, has been delayed and maybe, lost.
What right did SLASPA have to lock away goods belonging to individuals?
The goods in the shop do not belong to the Co-operative, they are on consignment and as far as I know, the individuals do not individually enter into the legal proceedings underway.
As a yardstick for readers to measure by, on the respect accorded to artisans in the region:
I'm told by my counterparts in Grenada for instance that their genuine artisans (artists & crafters) are situated in PRIME locations at HEAVILY concessioned rental rates.
I was told by another peer in Trinidad that at a regional tourism conference held there last year, the artisans were PAID TO BE THERE and allowed to sell - a recognition of their contribution to the quality of the event, the image of Trinidad and not least, to the HIGH COST of leaving their production to participate in events.
Where is this respect in St. Lucia?
It should be interesting to see what SPASPA does to the other tenants who have not paid rent and who are also engaged in court proceedings.
It is rather shameful, that in this day and age in St Lucia our artisans are treated with scant disregard and lack of respect.
There are those of us artisans who are striving for a higher standard of our work. As I have said before, serious art is an INDUSTRY and not a hobby, or by-the-wayside.
It is also shameful, that our cultural and educational departments offer minimal support to this facet of INDUSTRY.
When I speak of artisans, I speak of people in the visual arts, music, crafters, drama, dance, film and fashion - genuine artists!!
Good grief, St Lucia - people in other nations make a LIVING from the above mentioned INDUSTRIES!! They even have university degrees in these subjects. Sure the inexperienced make it their hobby, but the serious and genuine people make a LIVING FROM THE ARTS!!
As for SLASPA putting a padlock on the doors of the Arts and Crafts Co-operative; > Are they aware that this is a criminal act?
> When there is a court case to be heard later in a few weeks time?
>Can anyone get the logic of a landlord "putting you out", while they have your things "locked inside"? Huh?
I rest my case.
I totally agree with the comments so far.
I wonder what locally produced items of the quality produced by the artisans of SLACC will SLASPA have in their facility at Place Carenage now that they have been evicted.
I am willing to bet that preference will be given to some foreign entity touting "BIG BUCKS" and selling brand name items not produced here - we anxiously await the outcome.
It is sadly shameful to see that the plight that artist in St Lucia have been facing is being farther confounded by the action of SLASPA.It definately shows that the management of SLASPA has no respect for artisans and the arts.they show no consideration for those who sustained their household on thier earnings from the SLACC.(THE INJUSTICE THAT WE DO TO OHTERS SHALL SURELY CLIAM ITS PAY, FOR HE THAT BUILD HIS HOUSE WITH OTHER MAN'S foundation IS LIKE ONE THAT GATHERTH HIMSELF STONES FOR THE TOMB OF HIS BURIAL.)To my fellow artisans,better is the life of a poor man in a mean cottage than a delicate fare in another man's house,so take good cheer.
How many of the members of the SLACC are truly St. Lucian Arts & Craft Artisans? The real Craft artisans are all kept out of this prestigious organization.
Finola, good to see you girl..."A" Level 1980 seems like such a long time ago...woy!!! Well, all I would like to say is that I SMELL a RAT. SLASPA's behaviour is suggestive of that of a BIG BAD BULLY who has other plans for the rental of its promises. MARK my words. Donna.
Sorry readers, in my response addressing Finola, the word "promises" should have read "premises." Thanks. Donna.
"How many of the members of the SLACC are truly St. Lucian Arts & Craft Artisans? The real Craft artisans are all kept out of this prestigious organization"
THE STATEMENT ABOVE IS MISLEADING
Who are you suggesting are the real Craft artisans who are being "kept out" of this prestigious organization? Inquiring minds want to know.
Anyone was free to join the SLACC. Did you or anyone you know of make an attempt to join? This statement is misleading.
Please explain what exactly you mean, and what attempts do you know of that have been made by St. Lucia artisans to join this "prestigious organization" and have had their applications turned down.
Applications may be turned down if the work is substandard or there are doubts that it is made in St. Lucia.
St. Lucians come in all colours I might add, and some also have different accents but they ARE St. Lucian never-the-less.
Anonymous said:
"How many of the members of the SLACC are truly St. Lucian Arts & Craft Artisans? The real Craft artisans are all kept out of this prestigious organization."
Here is my answer:
99% of the SLACC are born St Lucian. The SLACC stresses on good quality, innovative products and high standards. I sincerely hope you do not have a problem with that.
Finally, thank you very much for the commendation of referring to the Co-operative as a "prestigious organisation", this augers well for us.
The Arts & Crafts Co-op was indeed open to any bona-fide crafter, artist or producer of St. Lucian gift products. Because partly of the aims of the organization - to provide training and quality services - the share purchase required (a requirement of co-operative regulations) was set higher than the minimum required by law, ($200) and there was a membership fee annually ($30).
No-one who had reasonable quality products that were not obviously foreign was turned away- if they could not pay the fees, they were allowed to pay over time from sales of their products. Participation in any events was totally subsidized too.
Far from keeping any real artisan out, the SLACC made every effort to encourage people to join. They did not normally buy wholesale so people wanting just to sell their products wholesale were not normally accepted; equality was encouraged, bar one or two exceptions, all goods on consignment and no favoritism in display positions either: these were both problems that has arisen in the past that led to the SLACC losing money for it's members and only a very few profiting - but these things are part of what the current SLACC Board had sorted out and put controls on to ensure the SLACC membership was better served and bills all round were paid.
Far from being a badly run business as had been the case prior, it was now pay ALL bills on time and members were regularly, properly consulted on the situation. The commitment of the membership was so great that they all agreed to forgo receiving payment for their goods for several months during this time of GLOBAL ECONOMIC hardship that we are enduring (on top of the normal long low tourism season) in order for the business to maintain it's commitment to paying it's external expenses on time and what happens for that commitment and good management? Refusal by SLASPA to even give an opportunity to hear us out of court and illegal padlocking of the doors!
For those who might be saying - it serves us right, you don't pay your bills, then you get kicked out - it's not unknown for a business to suffer great losses because of bad management - Billions of $ have been involved int he BANKING and INVESTMENT sector GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS.
They were bailed out because of the importance to the nations and to the world.
On a micro scale, the same happend at the SLACC and the same opportunity should have been given to the SLACC who had on their own, already gone through the rigors and personal member sacrifices to put their house in order.
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