Meet the FRC Board
Msgr. Patrick A.B. Anthony (Founding Director)
Hilary La Force (Chairman)
Leslie Charles (Deputy Chairman)
Lindy-Ann Alexander (Kwéyòl committee)
Msgr. Patrick A.B. Anthony (Founding Director)
Patrick A. B. Anthony, director of the Archdiocesan Pastoral Centre, St. Lucia, and archdiocesan press officer, holds a Masters degree in theology from Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, and a doctorate from the English Department of the University of the West Indies, Trinidad. Theologian, cultural activist and communications specialist, Msgr. Anthony is the founder of the Folk Research Centre, St. Lucia, the St. Lucy's Home for the rehabilitation of street people, and the Anthonian Home for the elderly. He was chairman of the St. Lucia National Trust for several years and Vice President of the St. Lucia Archaeological and Historical Society. He is editor of the Catholic Chronicle (the monthly newspaper of the Catholic Church in St. Lucia); one of the editors of Theology in the Caribbean Today (proceedings of the Annual Conference on Catholic Theology in the Caribbean Today); and a member of the Eastern Caribbean Press Council (ECPC). He is also the past president for the Caribbean region of the World Association for Christian Communication (WACC-Caribe), and a former director on the Central Committee of the World Association for Christian Communication, London (WACC). He has been a Visiting Lecturer at the Center for Religious Communication, University of Dayton, Ohio (Summer 1993); a research partner and faculty member at the Center for Mission Research and Study, Maryknoll, New York; a research assistant at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, and is currently a lecturer at the Caribbean School for Catholic Communication in Trinidad. In February 2000, he was awarded the St. Lucia Cross (SLC) by the Government of St. Lucia. He has published several papers on gospel, culture and communication.
Hilary La Force is a long time member of the Folk Research Centre and Chairman of the Board since 2005. He works with the St Lucia Development Bank heading Service Delivery and also sits on the board of the Cultural Development Foundation as treasurer. A celebrated storyteller and folk musician, Hilary has travelled widely sharing the folk culture of St Lucia throughout the region. He began both passions at a young age and quickly distinguished himself as a master storyteller and kwòtro and guitar player and vocalist. His band, The Lucians, was much sought after and he has shared the stage with such folk luminaries as Frank Norville and Augustin Julian.
Andrea Bourne is a founding member of the Folk Research Centre. A former school principal, she retired from her 43 year career in education in 2006. She served as trustee of the St Lucia Teachers’ Union for several years and has a long history of community involvement as an active trade unionist and cultural activist. She received trade union awards on three occasions as well as the International Women’s Day award for her outstanding contributions to the teacher trade union movement. In addition to her commitments with the FRC, Andrea is also a member of the Anglican Church Choir, the Parochial Church Council of the Holy Trinity Anglican Church, and president of the St Lucia Labour Party Women’s Organisation. Andrea very passionately believes that literacy is key in sensitising and mobilising communities to articulate their needs. She maintains that adult literacy, both in English and Kwéyòl is a fundamental tool of community empowerment.
Lindy-Ann Alexander has been an active member of the FRC 1981 and was elected to the board in 2007. She is currently a Senior Lecturer in French at Sir Arthur Lewis Community College and Head of Department of Humanities. Her background is in linguistics and she has been an avid promoter of the Kwéyòl language, sitting on the Kwéyòl Language Committee since its inception in 2004, and working as a coordinator of courses for Kwéyòl language acquisition and literacy through the FRC. Lindy-Ann is also an outstanding athlete (squash) and was voted sportswoman of the year in 1989. She also dominated the women’s OECS squash scene for over a decade. She is passionate about St. Lucian Creole culture and research into the island’s cultural heritage.
Paul Lorde has been a director at the Folk Research Centre since 2002 and currently chairs the Kwéyòl Heritage Month Committee. Supervisor at the Gros Islet Town Council, and P.R.O of the charitable organisation Grow Well, Paul has been very heavily involved in community development. Kwéyòl Heritage Month has grown in scope and reach since its inception and Paul is pleased to see how St Lucia has become more sensitised to the richness of Kwéyòl heritage and hopes to see the continued growth of community spirit. From the community of Monchy, an area rich in the tradition of folk dancing, Paul is a fan of the kont and never misses the annual Lawenn Kwéyòl competition.
As a boy growing up at Pavee Michael Fontenelle recalls his community band leader engaging everyone in séwennal and the St Cecilia traditions, an image which has lasting impact. Currently the Deputy Branch Manager at Guyana and Trinidad Mutual Insurance Group of Companies, Michael has maintained his interest in music; he is the production manager of Take Over Tent and an active contributor to the music of the flower festivals. He published a collection of poetry and short stories "Lamentation" with Kentry Jn. Pierre in 1987, was a Member of the popular theatre group, Unity Theatre which won the M&C Fine Arts Award for Drama in 1985 for the play, Rape of Fair Helen by A. Stanley French. He is also production manager for Haydn Forde’s Gemstone Theatre Company. Along with four other cultural enthusiasts, Michael formed F-Imagine, a group that conducts workshops for primary school aged children to promulgate the traditional and theatre arts.
Cultural activist and folklorist Marylene Gaston joined the FRC board in 2008. She is a freelance florist and caterer and runs a small museum from her home by appointment. The museum houses artefacts of Saint Lucia’s folk traditions including a display of her collection of house wares. From the community of Mon Repos, home to the Queen of Culture, Sesenne, Marylene is steeped in the folkloric traditions of the flower festivals and folk dancing. An accomplished drummer, she is engaged in teaching the folk songs of the island to children. Marylene was awarded the British Empire Medal in 2008 for her contribution to the cultural life of Saint Lucia.
Celebrated actor, storyteller, poet and director George ‘Fish’ Alphonse joined the FRC board in 2009. He works at the Cultural Development Foundation as a special events officer responsibility for Traditional Arts and has responsibility for the development of folk arts and traditions. He is a multiple time award winner of the M&C Fine Arts Awards in his practicing disciplines and is, arguably, Saint Lucia’s best known actor and poet. He has successfully directed several local plays and his one-man shows play to packed houses of appreciative audiences. Fish is a consummate performer and a dedicated folklorist.
Resources
06.15.2011 | 738.80 KB
03.5.2010 | 584.50 KB
02.10.2010 | 15.43 KB
