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BASSETERRE; St. Kitts: WASHINGTON Archibald High School (WAHS) student, 14-year-old Zahara Creque has been adjudged Best-In-Country for St. Christopher and Nevis in the 2022 ECCB/RSS-ARU Creative Youth Competition.

Zahara penned a piece titled ‘The Entrepreneur’ which gave readers and in depth vision of the entrepreneurial life of a street vendor or market lady.

According to Creque, the poem was inspired by deceased Jamaican dub poet, Jean Binta Breeze for the way she easily told stories from a woman’s point of view.

Special thanks to teacher at WAHS, Ms. Denise Daniel for assistance and also to her mother Ms. Suelika Creque a writer and former journalist.

The overall winner of the 13-16 age category, was Carlisa George of the Commonwealth of Dominica, while Asaiah Yankey of the Commonwealth of Dominica won the 17-19 category. 

Karyl Woods a student of the Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College and former student of the Washington Archibald High School was adjudged Best in Country for her age category 17-19.

The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank and the Regional Security System-Asset Recovery Unit (RSS-ARU) are the sponsors of this competition.

The first place winners in each of the categories will be awarded a $3,000 cash prize and a grant of $2,000 will be awarded to their respective schools.  The students who placed second will each receive $2,500 and their schools will be presented with a grant of $1,500. The third place winners will each receive $1,500 and their schools will be awarded a grant of $1,000. 

The ECCB/RSS-ARU Creative Youth Competition is part of the ECCB’s Community Outreach Programme, and is aimed at encouraging critical and innovative thinking and raising the awareness of secondary school and community college students in the ECCU on issues of economic and social development.

The Entrepreneur by Zahara Creque

A pull mi bag a bananas cross de street

For setting up shop is a must! Mi haffi eat!

Potatoes, carrots and onions in tow!

It’s a glorious day from God, from whom all blessings flow.

I cannot let my crosses keep me down

Brightest and happiest market lady you’ll see around!

Shoo! Go away, I run a stray dog from my spot

Must keep a positive attitude, so visitors can stop

Cause dis mi bread and butter, I have no other source

An entrepreneur’s life… what an interesting life course.

Nice and lovely, sweet and juicy I cry,

My mangoes are so delicious, wouldn’t you give them a try

A lady smiled while she passed… ‘I already got some, a see you too late’

Then how about some sugar apples, my dear, I does sell dem by de weight.

You know you have to keep healthy and strong from the rona’

Come look see if you need anything else, we are all in this together

I grow these ones meself, I got mi own groun’.

It feels so good growing the things me love.

What I don’t sell, I leave for my family to eat

This is what you call sustainable farming for food security!

De Sun a go down now, it’s time to go home!

I mek a lickle bit of change… Hmm…

An entrepreneur’s life… what an interesting life course!

I sit on me porch and watch the sun take its last dip,

Me take a glimpse of me groun, and all that I grow…

I am thankful to God from whom all blessings flow

Hmm… an entrepreneur’s life, what an interesting life course!