On Monday, September 16, the Lower House officially approved the “Julien Alfred Day Bill” to honor the island’s first-ever Olympic champion.
September 27 will now be recognized as a national holiday, with celebrations including a free concert at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground.
When the proposal was initially introduced, some questioned whether the holiday would be a one-time event.
However, the newly passed bill allows for future national achievements to be celebrated in a similar fashion, designated as a “Day of National Excellence.”
Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre highlighted this in his address to the Chamber:
“Cabinet may, by order published in the Gazette, in relation to any subsequent year, appoint any day to be a Day of National Excellence and declare that day a public holiday. Because we may have another athlete who wins a gold medal, we need the flexibility to declare any such day as a day of excellence,” the Prime Minister stated.
This move aligns with the vision shared by the Minister for Youth Development and Sports, Kenson Casimir, regarding sports as a springboard for success across various fields.
The Julien Alfred Day celebrations are expected to provide economic benefits for the island, including media coverage of the festivities by the hit Netflix docu-series, Sprint.
The Minister reiterated the government’s commitment to using sports as a vehicle for national development.
“I’ve always said that if you want to shine the light in the country, invest in sport. Thankfully, I have a Minister of Finance who understands that. We’ve made the investment in sport, and now we are reaping the massive rewards that we so deserve as a nation,” the Minister said.
The Saint Lucia Government has indicated that with the passage of this bill, the Island not only celebrates the exceptional achievements of Julien Alfred but also sets a precedent for recognizing and supporting excellence across all arenas.
