Year in Review: Struggles, triumphs and historical celebrations in 2022

Vincentians overcame many challenges in 2022, against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic and recovery in the wake of the eruption of La Soufriere.

Students excelled academically, entrepreneurs experienced big wins for their businesses and new stories were recorded on history’s pages.

Below are most popular feature stories in 2022, according to metrics on the searchlight.vc website:

1.Young mother’s life is no stroll in the park

The life of  a mother of three from Gorse was featured on the front page, highlighting the struggles of the beverage and pastry vendor.  Following the publication of Glasgow’s story, she was able to receive donations to help jump start her business.

MARKETER GLASGOW on her usual Sunday hustle

2. Georgetown woman transforms her life by making coconut oil

Another female entrepreneur, Denise Richards, was also featured in SEARCHLIGHT which saw her coconut oil business soaring to new heights.

Denise Richards with a bottle of her coconut oil

3.Pat Ragguette weds childhood friend in lavish ceremony 

Love was in the air when Pat Ragguette, a four-time calypso queen in St Vincent and the Grenadines, wed the love of her life Roy Russell.

PAT RAGGUETTE showing off her wedding gown

4.From where in St Vincent does the best tri tri come? (+video)

Leeward or Windward tri tri, which is the best? Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves put the argument to bed with his claim that the best tri tri comes from Colonaire.

Tri Tri (Edson Reece photo)

5.Jack of all trades now into taxi operation at Georgetown

Keyron Lewis is a man on the hustle with a drive to succeed. SEARCHLIGHT featured the story of the Georgetown taxi operator back in May.

Keyron Lewis is now one of 12 taxi operators in Georgetown

6.Jael makes good on promise to top his mother’s CPEA exam score

The friendly spirit of competition between mother and son in the Caribbean Primary Exit Assessment (CPEA) was a popular story for readers.

Jael Forbes (right) and mom Jennifer Forbes

7.Rockies woman calls for an end to discrimination

“Let’s normalise disabled persons working with able-bodied persons without discrimination” was the plea made a member of the disabled community, Tinique Primus.

Tinique Primus

8.First batch of Vincentian graduates of Cuban universities reach retirement

After braving the challenges of studying Cuba, in the height of anti-communist propaganda back in the 1980’s, a group of students returned to SVG as qualified professionals and went on to make meaningful contributions to the country.

Some of the earliest students to pursue higher education in Cuba (circa 1984). From left – Bernard Hamilton, Douglas Slater, Donnie DeFreitas (deceased), Dexter Rose, Andreas Wickham and Thornley Myers

9.Vincentian woman’s fascination with planes fuels desire to pursue degree in Aerospace Engineering

Following her childhood passion, Vincentian Rhaine Williams graduated from the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida with a BSc in Aerospace Engineering.

RHAINE WILLIAMS

10.St Vincent and the Grenadines entered the age of flight 95 years ago – The journey from 1927

SVG celebrated 95 years in the modern era of flight after four American planes first landed on the island on April 8, 1927.

In 1927, St Vincent and the Grenadines entered the Age of Flight with the arrival of four American amphibian planes. Ninety-five years later, the Argyle International airport welcomes on a regular basis, scheduled commercial flights from North American and Europe