Saint Lucia: Minister of Tourism Dr Ernest Hilaire has revealed his plans to provide support to the Cultural Development Foundation in the upcoming budget presentation. He said that the CDF works to champion both the business and the celebration of an authentic culture of Saint Lucia.
Through a Facebook post, Minister Hilaire expressed his commitment towards the Foundation and outlined that, “I take pride in the fact that the government I am part of prioritises our cultural development.”
He also appreciated the entire team of CDF and said that it is a key development agency that enriches the lives and livelihoods of the aspiring creatives through various capacity enhancement initiatives and programmes.
Dr Hilaire further continued to say that as he continues preparations for his upcoming Budget presentation later this month, he is meeting with the senior leadership at the CDF to fine tune the support package.
“My Budget will provide the needed support to the CDF to build on last year’s gains and give our creatives increased access to capacity-building programmes and resources to take their talents to new heights,” noted Dr Ernest Hilaire while reiterating his support
towards the agency.
In addition to this, the CDF is aimed at preserving and advancing the rich cultural heritage of carnival arts in Saint Lucia.
The agency is also the main sponsor behind all the huge events and activities which takes place in the country. It also keeps collaborating with the local performers to push them and support them in enhancing their talents.
It is to be noted that Minister Hilaire assured the members of the Cultural Development Foundation that the forthcoming Budget would provide the much-needed support to them, which will enable it to expand its reach and impact island-wide.
Meanwhile, the citizens and residents of Saint Lucia have also lauded the Minister for his continuous support to the agency. “An investment into culture is an investment in our people,” wrote a citizen named Murchel Hippolyte through Facebook comments while another said, “All sounds good.”
