Three-time Saint Lucia Olympian Levern Spencer carried the CARICOM Reparations Baton for the final leg of the Reparations Relay on Saturday October 29, ahead of a Reparations Youth Rally held the same day on Derek Walcott Square in the Saint Lucia capital, Castries.

Castries, Thursday November 3rd, 2016: It was a scene of excitement in the streets of Castries, Saint Lucia last Saturday afternoon, when national and club athletes, headed by three-time Olympian, Levern Spencer, led the charge in a youth relay, passing the CARICOM Reparations Baton, that culminated in a youth rally at the Derek Walcott Square.

The relay began at The Sab Playing Facility next to the George F.L. Charles Airport at Vigie in Castries and continued to La Clery, Chaussee Road, Leslie Land, Riverside Road, Brazil Street and Bridge Street, then into the Square, to mark the start of the day’s Youth Rally for Reparations.

The relay included national athletes such as: Long Distance runner Michael ‘Mega Boost’ Biscette, Javelin Thrower Albert Reynolds, Combined Events athlete Makeba Alcide, 400m Runner Allana Paul, as well as members of Morne Stars Athletics Club.

The anchor leg of the race was run by Levern, a Central American and Caribbean and 2015 PanAm Games Women’s High Jump Champion, who has represented Saint Lucia at the last three Olympic Games.

Levern was also earlier this year awarded a National Award by the Government of Saint Lucia for her sporting exploits at home and abroad. She was also the only Caribbean woman in the final line-up for the Rio Olympics, emerging and leaving the Games as 6th best woman high-jumper in the world

The athletes were welcomed to the Derek Walcott Square (renamed from the original Columbus Square) by Mayor of Castries Peterson Francis, who receiver the CARICOM Reparations Baton from Spencer and passed it on to Saint Lucia’s CARICOM Youth Ambassador Charde Desir, who is also Dean of the CARICOM Youth Ambassadors.

Following the 40-minute relay, those in attendance were treated to cultural performances by drama groups from schools and communities, as well as by a mixed Venezuelan-Saint Lucian ensemble from the Saint Lucia School of Music.

There were also speeches by representatives from the Saint Lucia National Reparations Committee (NRC), the Iyanola Council for Advancement of Rastafari (ICAR), the CARICOM Secretariat and the Dean of the CARICOM Youth Ambassadors.

Everyone who attended was in high spirits and the commitment to Reparations displayed by the youth was indeed heartwarming.