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| Keeshan "Banka" Walwyn |
Basseterre, St. Kitts (October 29, 2004): Mrs. Jacinth Henry-Martin has joined with members of the Ministry of Culture and scores of persons wishing Keeshan "Banka" Walwyn a speedy recovery, after he suffered injuries from a traffic accident that claimed the life of Trinidadian calypso monarch Janny Williams.
The tragic event took place on October 24 in St. Lucia. Unconfirmed reports point to faulty brakes as the reason the car plunged 300 feet down an embankment. According to HTS News, the vehicle careened off the road shoulder throwing its six occupants into nearby bushes. Williams was the lone fatality.
A ministry official said the department was saddened by the news of the accident and the subsequent loss of life. He expressed sympathy to the families and extended best wishes to the injured, particularly Kittitian Keeshan Walwyn, who was hospitalised and listed in stable condition.
"Banka has worked closely with the ministry on many initiatives such as fife workshops and costume designing for Children’s Carnival," the official said adding, that he has also represented the country at many regional and international festivals.
"He (Walwyn) is an excellent cultural ambassador and we are grateful for his continued contributions. We hope his physical, mental and emotional strength heals from this tragic affair and allows him to resume his work with children which provides a great source of joy."
Banka, who hails from the Mc Knight Community, was in St. Lucia on the invitation of Caribbean Vizion, a group that promotes economic cooperation while developing a relationship between education, culture and regional consciousness among West Indians.
The late Janny Williams was also a member of the group and visited St. Kitts and Nevis in February, 2003 to launch the "Make a Caribbean Friend" project in schools. She will be missed by local students who became very attached to her and other group members during their stint here.
