“Anita James was a brilliant and visionary leader who achieved national recognition for her work in Environmental Education. For more than two decades, her energy, tenacity and ability to leap over tall hurdles, despite her short stature, was palpable in any room or forum graced by her presence. To say Anita was passionate is near injustice as she all but demanded a hearing and then insisted on meaningful change in the wake of every caucus. 

In 1990, after having made quite a stir within the Ministry of Education at Soufriere Comprehensive Secondary School and Sir Arthur Lewis Community College respectively, she joined the Forestry Division as Environmental Education Officer to begin and head the most impact-fully memorable years for Education in Forestry. Her insatiable thirst for knowledge was evident to all in her charge and oozed into the programs and activities she championed.

Training others to educate others was one of her creeds, as evidenced by the of birthing the L.E.A.P methodology; Learning for Environmental Action Program – An interactive learning methodology to train teachers. Educating the Saint Lucian public on what we have in our biodiversity that makes us unique and special was a lifelong passion that resonated as a calling for Anita.

When a call was made to snatch our National Bird from the brink of extinction, Anita was ready to lead the charge and played a role crucial in the now historic Jacquot Rescue Campaign. The success of this effort laid the foundation for subsequent successful conservation efforts with The Saint Lucia Whiptail Transmigration Rescue Operation.

As Environmental Education Officer, Anita oversaw the establishment and management of multiple trails in the Forest Reserve, including  training and management of Tour Guides.  There was no stone left unturned in the readiness of Tour Guides in her fleet, many of these guides wearing the mantle of Forest Officer today, carrying forward the charge to educate others. Every visitor to the forest reserve , local or foreign was met with the same urgent message to conserve and protect our biodiversity. . She had an eagle eye when it came to noticing important details that would have caused major problems if not detected and fixed.  Always kept her eyes on the goal and never lost focus whether by reason of ‘friendship’ or otherwise.

Anita led by example;  Ruled not by ambition or by the desire for personal glory, but by well-defined and articulated principles. She was always commending the littlest contributions of others to the cause, with the most grandiose of superlatives, with no expectation of acknowledgment or praise for her own inspirational role. Always with Anita, “what you see, is what you get”. So, that a spade was always called a spade with great emphasis and flourish. A woman, of whom all, friends and “others” alike, are unanimous in attesting there was no fakery, no guile.

More importantly, Anita was a mentor and a friend who helped so many recognize their potential and grow as professionals.”

Indeed, the physical place filled by this   leader an avid conservationist, Anita James, will now be empty, but the admiration and appreciation of this unique life lived, will forever inhabit the hearts of many of this generation, even unto the coming generations.

Overtaken as we are with the grief at her  passing, we are thankful to have been privileged to serve alongside this legendary personality.

The staff of the Forest and Land Resources Division would like to extend our deepest condolences to the Family of Ms. James.