As the incumbent Kalinago Chief, I am pleased to inform the general public and in particular the people of the Kalinago Territory that based on popular demand and incomplete initiatives which my office has been working on for the betterment of our community, I have decided to make myself available for reelection at the upcoming Kalinago Chief Elections.
Indeed, the last term was filled with challenges but we were able to undertake several initiatives which were generally aimed at enhancing the quality of life of our people.
Among some of our accomplishments was the provision of basic tools and supplies to several residents under a GEF funded programme. The programme also included support to agricultural enterprises namely chicken and rabbit rearing.
The staging of the very first edition of the Kalinago Cultural Festival was one of the greatest achievements for my office. This event which was undertaken through a joint collaboration between the office of the chief and the Kalinago Festival Committee was meant to enhance the tourism product and foster greater economic activities in the community and assist in the preservation of the rich and unique cultural patrimony of our people. It is our fervent hope that in our next term, we will see the full-scale staging of such a great event which has the potential to significantly impact the national tourism product while generating much needed economic activities for our people.
The council was also instrumental in signing an MOU with Murphy International which it is envisaged will result in significant viable economic projects for the Kalinago. Community.
Unfortunately, midway during the term, we were struck by Hurricane Maria and this did affect in many ways most of the plans which the office of the Chief was working on some which were nearing the implementation phase.
Nonetheless, the office of the chief was quick in its response and did play a significant part in getting relief supplies such as food, clothing, tents, and tarpaulins for the residents of our community who were most in need.
We worked with our partners and had relief supplies in some instances delivered right here in the Kalinago Territory in an effort to avoid the red tape and interference of the government.
In addition to the setback of the hurricane, while I do admit much more could have been achieved, the workings of the office of the Chief and Council were significantly impeded due to political interference by the government and this, needless to say, jeopardized much of what we could have accomplished as a people. Several of the plans of the office of the Chief were deliberately not supported because they were demanding that the state treat us with greater respect and give us an equal say around the table.
In addition, the current system which we continue to use in the selection of persons to serve on the Kalinago Council does not necessarily give us a team of persons who are capable and committed to undertake the critical interventions which are highly needed to propel our community forward nor to give us the level of representation we need at various forums nationally, regionally and internationally.
One of my hopes is that in the incoming council, we will get a better team of persons who are committed to the cause of pure Kalinago people empowerment and we will shed the shell of political partisanship which has done nothing but to create division, enmity, mistrust and the unnecessary undermining of our people perpetrated by the very people we should look up to.
In this respect, in the new term, I intend to aggressively pursue the work we have already started with Murphy International which includes the development of a model farm in Touna, assist in the establishment of the Kalinago Development Corporation as well as the establishment of the Kalinago Cultural Festival as our flagship tourism product.
The development of the Kalinago Territory as a model of community tourism is also one of my priorities as we seek to enhance the tourism product in the Kalinago Territory.
As your Chief, I am convinced that we can achieve much more if we work together and channel our resources limited as they are in the right direction.
The upcoming election is indeed critical for all of us as an indigenous community. Therefore, I encourage all of us to take the election of the Kalinago Chief seriously and vote for representation, not for those who have no or limited experience in representing people or those who you know for sure do not have the fortitude to stand up on your behalf when the opportunity demands nothing less.
I thank you wholeheartedly for the opportunity to serve during the last five years and look towards leading our flock one more time.
God bless.
Charles Williams (Incumbent Kalinago Chief)
