06/02/2024

NCPADD St. Lucia Celebrates 21st Anniversary during Caribbean Drug Awareness Month

BY NCPADD

On this significant day of January 19, 2003 National Committee for the Prevention of Alcoholism and Drug Dependency began it’s journey in St. Lucia. It’s first President, Dr. Clement Edward led a team of Vice Presidents, community in-action groups and drug free clubs, seeking to create national awareness of the detrimental effects of drug use and abuse to our small island, encouraging all to engage in healthy behaviors and make healthy lifestyle choices, and advocating for those who fell victim to its consumption. With Dr. Clement Edward also as Vice
President of the Caribbean bloc and Pastor Victor Roach at the helm as President, a formidable and unrelenting team approach was taken to change the attitudes of those in the region to choose the healthy path.

Two years later, on January 19, 2005 NCPADD St Lucia was launched at our well-known Green Parrot Hotel, perched on the Hill of Fortune. At the launch, then President of the Caribbean bloc, Pastor Roach 1 “made a plea
for St. Lucia to speed up the process that will enable it to ratify the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Mr. Victor Roach said the country, as a result will, among other things be in a position to put legislation in place that will ban smoking in public buildings and work places.”

“Officer in charge of the Substance Abuse Secretariat attached to the Ministry of Health, Elizabeth Serieux Wilson sees the emergence of such entities as an added strength to the nation’s resolve in fighting the illicit
drug trade and promoting a healthy way of life. That means physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual - and we welcome the opportunities for all NGOs and other government groups, who take all of it into consideration and address it as a whole rather than as a segmented approach that we have traditionally held towards health and towards development,” Mrs. Wilson said. Mrs. Wilson stressed that in order to effectively deal with the issues of substance abuse and how it is portrayed in society, its many faces must first be recognized. She warned that while
the Ministry of Health recognized and supported the formation of such institutions, the importance of collaboration with each other could not be over emphasized. “It is absolutely delusional for any of us to believe that
anyone organization can independently address or solve any of these issues. So first of all, there needs to be open lines of communication among all the different groups - NGOs and Government groups that have
been assigned a mandate or have taken upon themselves the task to deal with drug abuse and all its related issues in our society,” she said.”

Over the years, under the management and leaderships of Dr. Clement Edward and Ms. Lorna Preville, supported by a competent and committed core of Executive Vice Presidents, support teams and members, NCPADD
St Lucia has engaged in many key initiatives: 
 Advocating for breathalyzer testing and drug treatment court
 Formation of St. Lucia Coalition on Tobacco Control seeking
legislation for higher tobacco taxes, warning labels on tobacco
packages and advertisements, and banning of smoking in public
places; all in accordance with World Health Organization (WHO)
Framework Convention on Tobacco Control which was ratified by
the Government of St Lucia

Establishment of community in-action groups and school-based drug
free clubs
 Youth Parliament
 Launching of the Breathe Free Campaign and the Healthy Lifestyle
Initiative
 Community mobilization activities including anti-drug marches and
rallies, sports, literary competitions, drug free pageants and social
events.
 Media awareness programs utilizing television, radio and newsprint
 Capacity building workshops
 Family Reintegration Program
 Consultations and collaborations with stakeholders including similar
agencies, youth organizations and communities
 Youth regional and international cultural exchanges and regional
drug and substance Abuse debates.

Our core values of service, integrity, transparency, responsibility and accountability remains strong. Our efforts to inspire and empower all to make healthy choices continue this year and beyond with initiatives such as the establishment of empowerment centres, Ambassadors Community Empowerment (ACE), Kaiso competitions, Sports Not Drugs Hero Trophy Friendly Games, and Family Reintegration Program. As an organization,
we are committed to building resilience and to adjust to the shifting trends of these times, empowering and changing lives. By seeking to strengthen prevention (both internally in terms of institutional
strengthening and externally through collaboration), we continue to reiterate that drug abuse prevention is a national concern - it is everyone’s business.

NCPADD Applauds Dr. Clement Edward

NCPADD St Lucia thanks and applauds Chairman, Dr Clement Edward for his vision, commitment and service of excellence to our nation in demand reduction and community development. A man who loves people and his
country of birth, Dr. Edward is a true St. Lucian and humanitarian, not only touching lives but transforming minds.

We today, attribute the establishment of Caribbean Drug Awareness Month to both Dr. Clement Edward and Pastor Victor Roach of Barbados through their consistent and prolonged advocacy and many discussions
with CARICOM.

CARICOM finally through the Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) gave their approval and official recognition of Caribbean Drug Awareness Week. NCPADD then was in its infancy. Since then, every year
in January, the region celebrates Caribbean Drug Awareness Month and this year NCPADD St. Lucia celebrates our 21st anniversary. Our theme for 2024 is “NCPADD: Strengthening Prevention”.

We give the clarion call to all as it is an opportunity for key stakeholders to network and collaborate our efforts in demand reduction initiatives and to create the awareness of the dangers of use and abuse of drugs. “Inspiring and empowering all to make healthy choices.”