450 Rotarians to converge on SVG

The local economy is expected to receive a significant boost come April 2024, as for the first time ever, Saint Vincent and Grenadines (SVG), through the Rotary Club, will host the 2024 Rotary District 7030 Conference.

The conference will run from April 18 to 20, and will see over 450 Rotarians from District 7030 converge on the island. District 7030 is made up of over 3200 Rotarians from 75 clubs across 17 countries and territories in the Southern Caribbean.

Speaking during the 2024 Rotary District 7030 conference media launch which was held on Monday at the Paradise Beach Hotel in Villa, chair of the organizing committee Shafia London-Williams said the conference is being coordinated by the local Rotary and Rotaract clubs.

Several venues have been chosen for the events which include a pre-conference workshop for presidents and secretaries elect from across the region, the opening ceremony, a welcome cocktail, two Conference Days, a Vincy Village and a polio awareness walk.

“The Conference will showcase the collective impact that Rotarians could make through collaboration,” London-Williams stated.

There will also be a cultural event where persons will get to experience a little bit of the culture of SVG.

Guests will be treated to the “Vincy Village” where local artisans, craft-makers and food sellers will display and sell products, and guests will be taken for a “Vincy lunch,” where “…what we consider our local dishes, our pelaus, our roast breadfruit, the salt-fish, our jack fish, if there is any,” will be served.

“It is promised to be a transformative experience, but one where we are going to have these persons experience the true warmth and hospitality of what it means to be Vincy.

“And to be able to do this, we are really excited and we are going to do it with the partnership of many persons,” London-Williams said while noting that they are counting on partnerships with hotels.

“So we are truly appreciative of the support that the hotel industry has given us thus far. We are also in talks with various government ministries for them to be part of this. For example, the buses, the welcome kits, different government agencies will be assisting us and we are also truly grateful for that support.”

She noted also that they will host a “fairly unique” project fair where participating Rotary Clubs from different districts across the USA will be here in addition to the 450 Rotarians expected from the regional clubs.

“And for that we will be sharing with them different projects they can partner with, with the Rotarians in the region, which they can fund.

“So we are bringing them in as well to get a piece of SVG and in the same time interact with Rotarians and help us to execute a number of our initiatives which support the community and the society at large,” London-Williams said.

“It’s not every day we get 450 people to be a part of SVG and these are Rotarians, a lot of them are professionals, a lot of them will be interested in investment, will be interested in bringing back their families, so it’s a great opportunity not just for Rotary but for all of SVG.

The media launch also heard from Rotary Club of St Vincent South’s Immediate Past President Kurt Dougan, District 7030 Governor Brian Glasgow and Conference Secretary Mikasha Ramsaran.