The Saint Lucia Cadet Corps hosted a panel discussion on April 1, in commemoration of its 90th Anniversary.

The Saint Lucia Cadet Corps was founded on July 13, 1929 as a non-profit paramilitary organization which aimed to inspire young people to achieve success in life, with a spirit of service to country and their local community. The Corps also aimed to develop qualities required of a good citizen.

Lieutenant Colonel Nathan Hyacinth, Commanding Officer of the Cadet Corps, explained the benefits of being a part of the Corps.

“The organization aims to make leaders out of young persons,” he said. “We want them to be at the forefront; we want them to take charge. We want them to be able to stand up when necessary.

Regarding the service component, we look at all aspects of service. We do lots of service when it comes to natural disasters, we do service in relation to parade or flag ceremonies, or whenever Heads of Government or any Organizations requires.”

Dr. Thomas Samuel, a former Cadet Officer, indicated that many former cadets have gone on to join the British and U.S military, and have done exceedingly well.

“Cadetting has inspired a lot of our young people to conquer their fears and excel, and the comradery that we have among the ranks is one of the things that helps boost confidence,” he said.

Women are able to join the Saint Lucia Cadet Corps from the late 1960’s. Aquilah Smith shared her experience.

“I joined the core in 2011. I’ve been there for 8 years and I’ve travelled with the core three times, to Barbados, Jamaica and Barbados again in 2018,” she said. “In Barbados, I took part in a shooting competition and placed second in the Caribbean, and during this latest trip in 2018, I achieved my star four training from the Barbados Defense Force.”

The panel discussion was held at the studios of the Government Information Service.