BASSETERRE; St. Kitts – EIGHT young persons were honoured on Friday (Nov. 12) by the Liamuiga Youth Legacy Awards Association (LYLAA) for their outstanding contributions to society.
At a simple but very significant ceremony at the Ocean Terrace Inn, Samal Duggins, Clauja Bradshaw, Suelika Creque, Virgil Hodge, Unoma Allen and Larry Vaughn were recipients of the Liamuiga Youth Award for their contribution to youth development, while Jihan Williams and Dr. Garfield Alexander received the Youth Legacy Award for their many years of service to
youth development.
Williams and Alexander are former Legacy Youth awardees.
The event was chaired by LYLAA’s Director of the Selections Committee, Julie Charles. Invocations were done by Jacqueline Christopher, and 2008 LYLAA awardee Azilla Clarke gave the history of the organisation.
The feature address was delivered by Permanent Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Youth Curt Lewis, who applauded the awardees on their achievements and commended LYLAA for the work it has done over the years.
Speaking briefly to the awardees at the event, Deputy Prime Minister Hon. Sam T. Condor said since the inception of the LYLAA he has been to every award ceremony and each year was impressed with the awardees and by their speeches.
Atiba Byron of the Fishers Group, which is a group geared towards changing the mindset of young men through straight talk and facilitation, did the representation of symbols.
The awardees were asked to deliver speeches on various topics they thought affected youths and to suggest ways in which they were going to help the situation. The topics were teenage pregnancy, building self-confidence and self-esteem, ignoring negativity, support for youth and volunteerism.
The awardees were honoured with a pin, a honour cord, a flag and a plaque. Presentations were done by PS Lewis, Director of Youth and past Legacy awardee Geoffrey Hanley, Celia Christopher, Austin Weekes and Atiba Byron. The vote of thanks was delivered by Mutryce A. Williams, Founder/Chairperson of LYLAA.
According to a press release, the Liamuiga Youth Legacy Awards Association is an Honour Society that recognises young people who have been exemplary citizens of St. Kitts, who are agents of change and who have contributed to the development of their respective communities and to St. Kitts between the ages of 16-35, devoting him/herself to a legacy of Scholarship,
Leadership and Service.
During its five-year existence, the organisation took a year off in 2009 to revaluate its mandate but realised that the recognition of exemplary young people is critical not only to enhancing youth morale, but also prove nationally, regionally and internationally that St. Kitts is a nation with young persons who believe in scholarship, leadership and service.
LYLAA has recognised a number of outstanding young persons since its inception in 2004. Those young persons are Sharalee Benjamin-Kelly, Shamara Morton, Janelle Lewis, Fadil Imo, Terrance Martin, Steve Whittaker, Geoffrey Hanley, Deidre Daniel, Claricia Langley, Jacqueline Bryan, Clive Saunders, Stachio Williams, Jenson Morton, Nigel Browne, Winnielle Guilbert, Diana Williams, Janelle Powell, Michelaena Mills, Pierre Liburd, Konris Maynard, Von Michael Martin, Gloria Esdaille, Francil Morris, Jihan Williams, Joyelle Clarke, Candisie Franklin, Sudeakka Francis, Dr. Garfield Alexander and Khrystus Wallace, Lavern Louard Greaves, Mr. Leslie ‘Sugar Bowl’ Morton, Ian Richards, Dwayne Weekes, Dominic Matthew, Azard Gumbs, Azilla Clarke, Tonicia ‘Queen Anastasia’ Martin, Naeemah Hazelle-Menon and Pastor Lincoln Connor.
