Meet Vernetta Paul of St. Lucia
Celebration of Women and the Steelpan Art Form
St. Lucia - She is the president of the St. Lucia Steel Band Association. The first woman to ever hold this office in St. Lucia. Vernetta Paul shares her vision for the way forward for steelpan in St. Lucia in an exclusive with WST.
Born and raised in “The Helen of the West”, Paul says she is a proud St Lucian and a teacher by profession with majors in English Language and Literature.
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Replies
Hi Ms. Paul, I am Gerard Clarke. I read your interview and certainly wish you well with the Steelband movement in St. Lucia. I am a pan tuner, with instruments within your school program via Mr. Jason Joseph. I am affiliated to Sean Lewis, who will be visiting your country tomorrow 23rd March. Unlike last year when I was unable to make the trip, I will be doing so this year arriving on 24th Sunday.I am told that from the airport I will be heading directly to a concert then to the hotel. I am a longstanding member/player of White Oak Starlift (49 years) and a former captain and currently tuner for the band. I have held other administrative positions in the band as well as the executive of Pan Trinbago Trinidad under George Goddard and Arnim Smith in the seventies.I would like it to be possible to meet with you during my 3 1/2 day stay as I should be able to discuss meaningful ideas on the way forward.
Hello Vernetta, it is indeed a pleasure to correspond with you my name is Pepe Francis and i am the president of the British Associiation of Steel Bands BAS here in the UK, recently i met a gentleman at an international conference in trinidad who was there representing St Lucia i believe he is also a pan tuner but his name escapes me at the moment but he was telling us about the plight of the steel bansd movement ibn St Lucia so i do hope you will be able to make a difference and do call on us for any advicxe you may require and we will try our best to assist.
pepe.