In a ribbon cutting ceremony on October 8th, 2025 a newly refurbished Babonneau Pre-K Classroom was officially handed over from the Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF) to the Principal and staff of the Babonneau Primary School.
This sub-project, was implemented under the BNTF 10th Programme, included the retrofitting of the Pre-K Classroom, the construction of teacher and toddler washrooms, teacher and student furniture, storage room, painting, external reading area and upgrading of the boys’ urinal.
Costing EC$241,519.00, the modernized Classroom was handed over at a ceremony attended by Parliamentary Representative for Babonneau, Hon. Dr. Virginia Albert Poyotte, District One Education Officer, Mr. Cyrus Cepal, Executive Director of the Saint Lucia Social Development Fund (SSDF) Mr. John Victorin, Deputy Project Manager of BNTF, Mr. Brandon Antoine, Administrator of the Early Childhood Development Unit, Mrs. Vernita Bruce, Principal of the Babonneau Primary School, Ms. Tessa Bartlet, Inspector Charles of the Babonneau Police Unit, Chairperson of the Babonneau Constituency Council, Mrs. Marilyn Baine, Contractor Mr. Linus Justin along with SSDF staff and other invited guests.
Ms. Tessa Bartlet, Principal of the Babonneau Primary School expressed her elation of the handover stating, “We have already bourn the fruits of having this Pre-K classroom in the area as 47 children have successfully transitioned to Grade 1 and we are indeed servicing the communities from Babonneau Proper to Garrand and Cacao, and we are greatly appreciative of the renovations made to the school.”
The BNTF 10th programme, is the poverty reduction flagship programme of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), and is designed to reduce the incidence of poverty in low-income vulnerable communities, by improving basic community access and drainage, water and sanitation, quality education and livelihood enhancement through community-based projects.
The SSDF, under the purview of the Ministry of Equity, Social Justice and Empowerment, is the implementing agency of the BNTF St Lucia.
