For outstanding and dedicated community service

Mr. Reginald Dominic Cherebin was born in Grenada, but took up residence in Saint Lucia in 1974 and subsequently became a citizen of his adopted homeland. At the age of 17, he joined the British Army and served in Trinidad and Tobago and in British Guiana (now Guyana).

In Saint Lucia he served as President of the Saint Lucia Branch of the Commonwealth Ex-Service League for thirty – six years, representing the League at many international conferences. . He was a dedicated member of the League and a tireless fighter for its cause. To this day, in spite of his age, he continues to visit especially the house-bound members of the League and their families.

He served for many years as a Sports Administrator: as a President of the Lawn Tennis Association, President of the Boxing Association, and an Executive Member of the Saint Lucia Athletic Association and the Cycling Association.

He also gave much of his time to his Church, serving on its Parish Council and in the Choir. He has made a significant contribution to the Salvation Army, serving for over twenty years as a member of its Advisory Board, five of these as Chairman. He currently serves as Vice Chairman.

Mr. Cherebin is a singer, sportsman, ex-soldier, and humanitarian committed to the sick, needy and vulnerable. He has indeed been an outstanding citizen.

For dedicated service to community and country

Mr. Theophilus Ferguson John is a former public servant, a community activist and a politician. Mr. John began his public service career as a teacher at the River Doree Anglican Combined School. After seven years in the service, he travelled to the United Kingdom where he read for an LL.B degree at Warwick University. He was called to the Bar at Middle Temple in 1987 and subsequently served the London Borough of Lambeth first as its Housing Lawyer and subsequently as its Principal Housing Lawyer until his return to Saint Lucia in 1996.

He entered elective politics in 1997 and was elected to serve as a Member of Parliament for the Constituency of Choiseul/Saltibus. He was reelected in 2004 and appointed Minister for Physical Development, Environment and Housing. He served until December 2006.

As a community activist he invested much of his time in developing youth clubs to harness the energies of the young people in his native community of Choiseul. He was an avid musician and he shared his skills and talents with the youth in the community. He served his community and his country with dedication, honour and commitment.

For dedicated service to community and education

Mr. Eustace Carol Tertullien is a retired teacher and Principal who began his career at the age of 15. Most of his teaching career was spent at the Vieux Fort Junior Secondary School but in 1978 he became Principal of the Grace Combined School where he remained until his retirement in 2000.

He has served as Chairman of the Vestry of the Church of the Assumption in Vieux Fort, as Treasurer of the Southern Extravaganza Committee, Member of the Southern Committee for the Disabled, St John Association of Saint Lucia, Southern Arts Society, the Vieux Fort Disaster Committee, the Liquor Licence Board and as Southern Coordinator of the Adult Education Program.

For contribution to community and the art of Calypso

Mr. Cyril “Get Through” Felix left school at the age of 15 to take care of his grandmother. Over the years he tried his hand at many skills, as a labourer, a crane operator, a driver, a cook, a craft producer, but it is for his contribution to the art of Calypso that he is best known. He became known nationally when in 1982 he launched the Take Over Calypso Tent. It was in that same year that the sang his Road-March winning song “What the People Chanting”; a song was meant to bring pride and joy to the community and to let people know that Marchand has produced some of Saint Lucia’s most noble sons.

He has mentored many young people in the Marchand community and nurtured many aspiring calypsonians, encouraging them to love and to embrace the musical art form, not only as a display of talent, but more importantly as a tool for communication and discussion on national and social issues.

For long and dedicated service in the field of education and community life

Mr. Frederick Jongue is a retired teacher who has given forty-three years of service in the field of education at the Roseau Combined and Odsan Combined Schools. He is a former Chairman of the Bexon and Roseau Development Committees and the Castries South East Constituency Council. He has served with the 4-H Clubs, the Saint Lucia Red Cross and the National Emergency Management Organisation. He is a trained First Aid instructor, the Co-ordinator of the Ministry of Education’s HIV/AIDS Prevention Seminar, a Family Life Director, an Emergency Shelter Manager, and a Senior Elder of the L’Abbayee Seventh Day Adventist Church.

Outstanding Folklorist and Musician

Born on July 10, 1929, Mr. Joseph Rameau Poleon started to play the violin at the age of 15. He is undoubtedly a custodian of the island’s folk music, and has been deservedly described as “Saint Lucia’s pre-eminent folk violinist”. He has shared his talents widely, collaborating with many local musicians to perform and record the authentic sounds of Saint Lucia’s folk music. In 1979, he teamed up with another of our folk musicians, the late Eric Adley to form the Mount Gallien Folk Group. He is considered the Country’s Ambassador of folk music, and has represented Saint Lucia throughout the Caribbean, in Europe and in North America.

His contribution to folk music has been recognized by Saint Lucia’s Folk Research Centre who has named him one of our five folk heroes. He has featured prominently in many of our folk music recordings and many have relied on his interpretation of that aspect of our cultural heritage. Despite his age, he continues to give of his knowledge, skills and talents to folk groups across the length and breadth of the island.

For dedicated service to the community and to education

Rufina Jennifer Cooper-Jn Baptiste served in the education system for a total of thirty-seven years, starting at the age of eighteen with the Laborie Girls’ Primary School eventually becoming Principal of the Laborie Infant School.

She has worked with the Basic Needs Trust Fund as a facilitator for their Flower Arranging Evening Course and on various skills training programmes with the National Skills Development Centre. She remains a community person, being involved in her church and serving on the Laborie Cooperative Credit Union.

For dedicated and outstanding public service

Mr. George Deterville has given dedicated service to the people of Saint Lucia, first as a Teacher, later as a police officer. After a year’s service in the teaching profession, he joined the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force, serving the Force faithfully for thirty-three years until his retirement in 2011. He currently serves as Director of Security in the Ministry of the Public Service. One of the most respected intelligence officers in the Royal Saint. Lucia Police Force, he was frequently called upon to train police officers in other Commonwealth Caribbean states.

He has also served several other social organizations, notably as President of the Archdiocesan Youth Council, as Organiser and Security Officer to the local Disaster Preparedness Committee, and in the establishment of Sports and Cultural Clubs in his community of Anse-la-Raye.

For long and dedicated service in the field of education

Mr.Grames Jean has served as a teacher throughout his working life. He entered the teaching profession in 1950 and was assigned to the Saltibus Combined School. Later he was transferred to the Laborie Boys’ School, where he remained, eventually becoming its Principal, until his retirement at the age of 57 years.

Mr. Jean has served as Returning Officer in the Laborie constituency for many years. Even at his advanced age he is an active serving member of “Couples for Christ” a confraternity of the Roman Catholic Church.

For outstanding and dedicated service to Church, Community and Country

Father Raymond Laurent has given outstanding service to Church, Community and Country. A Roman Catholic Priest for over forty - seven years, he has ministered in many parishes throughout Saint Lucia, and has served as Vicar General and Administrator of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.

Outside of his native Saint Lucia, he served for over three years in the field of catechetics in Burki

In addition to his priestly duties, Father Laurent has served as Manager of several Government-assisted Catholic Schools, on the Board of the national radio station, Radio Saint Lucia, on the Saint Lucia Christian Council, as a Director of the Boys’ Training Centre, and as Chairman of the Board of Visiting Justices to the Island’s prison.