BASSETERRE: Prime Minister the Hon. Dr. Terrance Drew made a point of personally showing up Friday morning as students marched through Basseterre ahead of World Down Syndrome Day — stepping outside Government Headquarters on Church Street to greet the procession as it passed.
The gesture drew warmth from the crowd, with the Prime Minister visibly moved by the display of colour, energy and unity on the streets of the capital.
In a statement following the march, Dr. Drew did not hold back his emotion.
“I was so happy to step out in front of Government Headquarters and be greeted by the bright smiles, energy, and excitement of our children,” he said. “The laughter, the colours, the togetherness — it was a beautiful reminder that inclusion lives in moments like these.”
The Prime Minister was joined by senior public officials who lined the route as students and staff of the Cotton Thomas Comprehensive School led the march under the theme “Together Against Loneliness.”
Dr. Drew used the occasion to deliver a broader message to the Federation — that the children leading the march were modeling values the entire nation should adopt.
“Our children are leading the way in showing us what love, acceptance, and community really look like,” he said.
With World Down Syndrome Day observed on Saturday, the Prime Minister issued a direct call to action for all residents of St. Kitts and Nevis.
“Let us continue to build a Federation where everyone belongs.”