FOUNDING MEMBERS

Hon. Msgr. Dr. Patrick Anthony, SLC, PhD, D.Litt(UWI)

Patrick A. B. Anthony  (PABA) –  is a Theologian, Cultural activist and Communications specialist, who holds a Masters degree in Theology from the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, and a Doctorate from the English Department of the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad & Tobago.

In 1973, he founded the Folk Research Centre whose media programmes brought to the wider Saint Lucian public, for the first time, authentic information on their folk culture. These fostered positive attitudes towards Saint Lucia’s first language, Kwéyòl, and led to its acceptance into hitherto inaccessible or exclusive places like mainstream media, Parliament, and written publications, culminating in the birth of Saint Lucia’s largest contemporary cultural festival, Jounen Kwéyòl.

He was declared a National Cultural Hero in 2013, and a WACC Laureate by the WACC, London in 2019.  In 2000, he was awarded the Saint Lucia Cross (SLC) by the Government of Saint Lucia and in 2023 the University of the West Indies awarded him an honorary Doctor of Letters (DLitt) honoris causa.

Ms. Andrea Bourne

Andrea Bourne – an educator who dedicated 43 years of her life to education. During her teaching career, she was actively involved in the St. Lucia Teachers’ Union and served as a trustee for a number of years. She is a founding member of the Folk Research Centre (FRC) which was founded from the Study and Action Group (SAG) of which she was a member.  She has also been a member of FRC’s Board of Directors In the 1970’s, Ms Bourne was engaged in the FRC’s Adult Literacy Programme at Her Majesty’s Prison using the Paulo Freirean method of ‘education for conscientization and liberation. She participated in the recordings of cultural programmes which formed part of St. Lucia’s oral tradition.

Source: A) Celebrating 40 years: FRC honours founding members and inducts national cultural heroes. [Castries], FRC, 2013. P. 8.

Mr. Petrus Compton

Petrus Compton is a national of Saint Lucia and a committed regionalist. A graduate of both Mona Campus, where he majored in Literature, and Cave Hill Campus where he pursued studies in Law. He taught Literature at Mona Campus and at the Castries and Soufriere Comprehensive Schools in Saint Lucia. He also taught Law at Cave Hill Campus, and University of Warwick (UK). He completed post-graduate studies in law at University College, London, and, following completion of exams for the Bar, he was called to the Bar at Gray’s Inn, UK, and also the Bar of Saint Lucia and the OECS in 1992.

Petrus Compton served as Senior Crown Counsel in the Attorney-General’s Chambers (St. Lucia), before becoming Attorney General (1997 -2004) and Minister for Foreign Affairs (2004 – 2006). A passionate cultural activist, Petrus was a founding member of the Kokeeoko Singers, Study and Action Group, Folk Research Centre, St. Lucia Jazz Society, Cozy Guzzlers Benevolent Fund. He was also a founding director of Soufriere Action Theatre (SAT) and Chairman of the Cultural Development Foundation (CDF). He is presently a member of Labowi Promotions, and is also on the Board of Directors of the Laborie Development Foundation.

Mr. Ausbert D'auvergne

Ausbert d’Auvergne, is an Island Scholar who was educated at the Castries Anglican Primary School, St. Mary’s College and the St. Lucia A- Level College. He is the holder of Master of Arts in Economic and Social Studies (Development Studies), and Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Economic and Social Studies (Economics and Agricultural Economics) Degrees from the University of Manchester, United Kingdom. He is a former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Planning, Development, Housing, Personnel Establishment and Training and a former Senator and Minister of Economic Affairs, Economic Planning, National Development, Investment and the Public Service. Ausbert d’Auvergne, among others, strove to set up the Folk Research Centre in 1973.

Source: A) – https://archive.stlucia.gov.lc/govfolks/sen_the_hon_ausbert_dauvergne.htm. 

Source: B) – Thomas, Margo. (2018, March 31). The FRC tragedy lessons to be learned: The Star Newspaper. https://stluciastar.com/frc-tragedy-lessons-learned/.

His Excellency Dr. Didacus Jules

His Excellency Dr. Didacus Jules assumed the post of Director General, of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States in May 2014. One of the driving forces in the regional integration thrust towards a single economic and social space involving twelve Eastern Caribbean States, Dr. Jules has extensive regional and international experience, most of it focused on education, social policy and organisational transformation. He served as Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the Caribbean Examinations Council,  leading a thorough modernization of the Council. He has also served as Vice President Human Resources Cable and Wireless St, Lucia (2005-2008); Permanent Secretary for Education & Human Resource Development St. Lucia (1997-2008) as well as Permanent Secretary for Education and Chief Education Officer in revolutionary Grenada from 1981-1983. He once served as Resident Consultant of the National Research and Development Foundation.

As a secondary school student at St Mary’s College, he was a Member of the Study & Action Group established by Msgr. Patrick Anthony that undertook studies in liberation theology, conducted research in the folk culture of Saint Lucia and implemented a literacy program in the main prison using the methodology of Paulo Freire. In 1973 the cultural research project was formalized and became the Folk Research Centre, St. Lucia and one of the major initiatives – the annual celebration of Jounen Kweyol – has become a major national cultural event

Dr. Jules wrote his Caribbean Studies Paper on The Prison Literacy Project and was awarded the UWI Cave Hill Caribbean Studies Prize for that year. The experience of the Prison Literacy Project also influenced the methodology of the National Literacy Campaign and the Centers for Popular Education in Grenada during the Revolution of 1979 as Dr. Jules served as Adult Education Coordinator and later held concurrent roles of Chief Education Officer and Permanent Secretary for Education, Youth, Sports & Culture.

Mr. David Popo

Reverend David Popo is a Theologian and a Development Sociologist. During the period 1973-1979, he studied Philosophy and Theology at the Regional Seminary of St. John Vianney and the Ugandan Martyrs, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago. Reverend Popo holds a Bachelor (Joint Hons Upper Second Class) degree in Sociology and Development Studies from the Faculty of Economic and Social Studies, University of Wales Swansea, United Kingdom, 1989-1992. He also holds from the same university, a Master of Philosophy in Social Policy (1997-2001).  He is also a graduate in Development Studies from the Holy Ghost Missionary College Institute of Development Studies, Dublin, Republic of Ireland. He also holds Post Graduate Certificates in Disaster Risk Reduction Management from the Florida International University (2007), and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

 

Reverend Popo has worked in the areas of social development, natural resources/environmental management, community based disaster management since 1996. 

For many years he worked as a social scientist with the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission.  Reverend Popo was directly involved, in the crafting of the first indigenous regional environmental management policy, the St. George’s Declaration (SGD) in 1999/2000 and, as a member of a consulting team in the revision of the SGD in 2019. He is a founding member of the Monsignor Patrick Anthony Folk Research Centre, and assisted in the Centre’s programming of the radio programme entitled, “FolkWays of St. Lucia”, during the late 1970s. For many years he worked as a social scientist with the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission.  Reverend Popo was directly involved, in the crafting of the first indigenous regional environmental management policy, the St. George’s Declaration (SGD) in 1999/2000 and, as a member of a consulting team in the revision of the SGD in 2019. He is a founding member of the Monsignor Patrick Anthony Folk Research Centre, and assisted in the Centre’s programming of the radio programme entitled, “FolkWays of St. Lucia”, during the late 1970s.

Mrs. Mary Popo

Mrs. Mary Popo is a qualified banker who holds a BSc in Banking and Finance (Hons) from the University of Manchester. She is a former member of the Associate of Chartered Institute of Bankers, UK. She has served the financial services industry both at the National and Regional levels. For over 40 years, the majority of her tenure was at senior management level. Following her retirement from active banking in 2011, she served the Caribbean Association of Banks (CAB) as General Manager, for seven years. Moreover, she played a leading role in advocating for correspondent banking for regional banks, during the derisking era.

Mr. Kennedy Samuel

Kennedy Phillip Samuel, more popularly known as ‘Boots’, served as an Executive Director of both the FRC and the Cultural Development Foundation in Saint Lucia. He is qualified and widely experienced in the fields of Education and Cultural Development. Some of his specific skill areas include Creole Language Education and Creole Literacy. He has been the recipient of several M&C Fine Arts Awards, and one notable contribution is his years of leadership in the development of Popular Theatre in Saint Lucia and the Caribbean.  He is a founding member of the Folk Research Centre, and in 2004, he was awarded the Medal of Merit (Silver) for his outstanding contribution in culture at the St. Lucia National Independence Awards.

His Excellency, Hon. Anthony Severin SLC

Anthony Bryan Severin attended the Methodist Infant and Primary Schools before proceeding on a full Government scholarship to St. Mary’s College.  Mr Severin developed a keen interest in the arts and culture, drama, choral or other musical groups at the Castries Parish Centre, and listened to vinyl recordings of live performances of Jazz greats at the Francois residence at Morne du Don. He was a founding member of the Folk Research Centre, and in his professional life, Mr Severin has served as Head of Internal Relations at the Secretariat of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States, and now appointed High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, and Ambassador to the Republic of France.

Dr. Bernard La Corbiniere

Bernard La Corbiniere, a St. Lucian who attended St. Mary’s College, and the University of the West Indies, Barbados. then obtained a Masters of Science degree in Computer Science from the University of Kent, and then he obtained a Doctor of Philosophy in Economics. He has served as a Director on a number of public and privated sector Boards. Also, he was one of the founding members of the Folk Research Centre, and has served as Chairman of that same institution.