Tonight: we get a tour of the National Archives of Saint Lucia.
For over 3 decades it has been home to records, newspapers, artwork, portraits, artefacts and so much of what defines Saint Lucia.
The National Archives reminds us of those who’ve blazed the trail at the highest levels in sports, trade and commerce, those who offered themselves for public office breaking barriers and steering the nation from a colony to an independent state.
And the person who helped make this repository all possible is Margot Thomas who after 33 years has retired. She helped champion legislation that now makes it possible for generations past, present, and future to access the documents, photographs, maps and newspapers that details our nation’s history.
The chosen successor is Patrick Freeman was gracious enough to give Calabash TV a quick tour of the vast library of records, newspaper, journals, reports, and invaluable documents, declarations and so much of Saint Lucia’s checkered past.
Background info:
Birth of the National Archives Authority of Saint Lucia
In 1986 and 1987, Mr Tom Wadlow, a retired Archivist from the U.S.A., visited Saint Lucia on a consultancy to examine the island’s records management readiness and make recommendations on an archives and records management infrastructure in Saint Lucia (Thomas, 1992).
On October 23, 1993, the Government of Saint Lucia proclaimed the National Archives Authority of Saint Lucia Act (No. 16 of 1993).
This move paved the way for a national repository to house the historical patrimony of Saint Lucia. With this Act, the archival role of SLAHS as Preserver of Records was made redundant, and the Public Records Act of 1965 and the Destruction of Court Records Act of 1936 were repealed.
Establishment of Board of NAASLU
Since NAASLU fell under the aegis of the Office of the Prime Minister, a statutory board was required to provide policy direction to the archives.
In 1995, the first Board of the National Archives Authority of Saint Lucia assumed responsibility for the overall supervision of the National Archives, which was formerly that of the SLAHS.
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