The Government of Saint Lucia, as part of an existing program with the Organization of American States (OAS), has embarked on a project to enhance the framework for the development of a heritage economy in the Caribbean.

The current phase of the project focuses on strengthening and enhancing heritage economies in three OAS member states, namely, Guyana, Jamaica and Saint Lucia.

The minister with responsibility for Culture and Creative Industries, Sen. Fortuna Belrose, said community involvement is key.

“This project is indeed important, particularly as we are in the process of developing a village tourism product which is a deliberate effort to bring out the unique attributes of each of our villages for the economic and social development of our people,” she said. “The framework that will be established will assist us in shaping the industry; so it is important that communities understand the value of the industry, and what they can do to enhance the experience of visitors by using our history, artifacts, and other cultural assets.”

The Cultural Development Foundation (CDF) in collaboration with the Department of Tourism and Heritage Tours of Saint Lucia Inc., held a workshop on community engagement methods for identifying local heritage values. The participants were able to gain hands-on experience that will inform the country’s sustainable heritage endorsement standard.

Celia Toppin, Project Manager of Cultural Heritage of the OAS, said: “The training workshop is held to teach participants various techniques for involving communities in identifying values and places, products and services, that they consider to be an effective representation of Saint Lucian culture by going out into the communities and interviewing people on what things are of heritage value to them.”

One of the major milestones to arrive at the Heritage Tourism Endorsement is the completion of a Photovoice project. Photovoice also known as picture voice, and is a qualitative method used for community-based participatory research to document and reflect reality. Celia Toppin explained that this method combines photography with grassroots social action and is commonly used in the fields of community development.

“So a person can take photographs of places and of people which are representations of the heritage and interpret them.”

The workshop commenced on Feb. 5, and will culminate on Feb. 7.