Alfred dominated the women’s 100m finals at the Paris Olympics and her closest challenger (the world champion, Sha’Carri Richardson, was not even close! – (0.15 seconds behind). Alfred earned the gold medal — and the title of the fastest woman in the world — with a time of 10.72 seconds.
Did you hear me? Saint Lucian Julien Alfred stunned the world on Saturday 03 August 2024, storming to the women’s 100m title and initiated a “social revolution” in the small volcanic island in the southern Caribbean!
Here is a somewhat revealing storyline! A young Saint Lucian woman caught-up in the excitement of the moment shouted, “Juju is carrying the whole of Saint Lucia on her shoulders!”
And she got it right! Juju, as she is affectionately called, is carrying Helen (Saint Lucia is nicknamed the “Helen of the West Indies”) – championing Saint Lucia’s Mission for Self-determination and, as a mere youth, assuming the responsibility of representing her people at the “assembly of the world.”
What about the rest of the storyline? Early signs on the ground strongly suggest that Julien Alfred is bringing Helen together – a country of 180,000 people distanced by language (English and kweyol); separated by town and country; divided along political tribal lines; alienated along two evident socio-economic classes (the bourgeoisie and the malewe); battered by successive hurricanes and storms; enfeebled since the fall of “green gold” and overwhelmed by a persistent double-digit youth unemployment.
In the interim, it appears that leading up to the Saturday 03 August 2024 event, “the Juju movement” seemed to have forced the “bad guys” into retreat – forcing the organized criminals, terrorists, bandits, up-setters and elements of the lumpen proletariat to retreat – to lay down their cutlasses and stop the shooting and the gang wars.
For the people came out to fete! And crime or no crime, the “French-Caribs” would not be stopped on the event days! The people laid down their tools – left homes, banana farms, peasant farms, hotels and restaurants, offices and factories – and passed through the valleys, mountains, gullies, and plateaus – many by modern transport and some by foot to the Sir Derek Walcott Square to cheer on their beloved Julien Alfred to victory (in Paris) on the giant TV Screen. Everyone shouted “Go juju go! Go juju go!” Go juju go!”– the relentless chanting voices of children, the young, the old; the maimed, the halt and even the blind – Saint Lucia beat the World for Gold! Viv Sent Lisi! Long Live Saint Lucia!
But wait! This is not all the storylines! Did you know that Juju did not introduce Helen to the world? Many had gone before her to open the door and keep it open. In 1979 Sir Arthur Lewis received the Nobel Prize in Economics – becoming the first black person to win the Nobel Prize in Economics. In 1992, Sir Derek Walcott was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. In 2004, Daren Sammy became the first international cricketer from St Lucia and in 2010, he became Saint Lucian to be named West Indies Cricket Captain – and since then, he has played franchise cricket all over the world. Juju is the New Trail blazer!
And Juju has rekindled hope for the children of the malewe. They know that Julien is a runner from humble beginnings who used to run on the field, struggling with no shoes and barefoot, even in school uniforms.
BUT lest you miss the point! Julien Alfred has now pushed the “sliding door” very wide open – and is now opening the door for the many talented young people in Fair Helen!
Go juju go! Go Juju Go! Go Juju Go!