SKN Labour Party refers to Ms Rattan as game-changer & social entrepreneur of future

St Kitts and Nevis: St Kitts and Nevis Labour Party saluted and acknowledged Ms Sharon Rattan and refers to her as game-changer & social entrepreneur of future.

To embark on the party is delighted to honour a force, a woman who has stood with and against giants, in the name of youth, women and Kittitians and Nevisians here and abroad.

SKN Labour Party stated, “Led by her maxim, “Always be your best “, Ms Rattan’s passion is deeply rooted in people development, growth and creativity. Those seeds were planted on 1st October 1986 when she joined the teaching profession. Unsure about where this experience would take her, Ms Rattan cultivated a love for teaching and immersed herself in the challenging task of teaching at the Sandy Point High School, now known as the Charles E. Mills Secondary School, to students her own age.”

She taught History, Geography and Civics at the early stages of her teaching career. Her love for teaching grew, and her experience lasted for 17 years across different secondary schools, including Basseterre Junior High School, Cayon High School and the Basseterre High School.

Nothing warmed her heart more than to see her students excel in any field of their choice. Her experiences in the classroom with children of varying abilities taught her to develop empathy and cemented the understanding that all children cannot walk on the same road.

 It is no wonder that she pursued studies in education at the Bachelor (University of the West Indies) and Master (the University of London, Institute of Education) levels.

After leaving the classroom in 1997, she worked at the Curriculum Development Unit, Ministry of Education, as the Social Studies Coordinator. In this capacity, she leads curriculum reform for primary Social Studies, History and Geography. 

This experience provided a perspective at the policy level and how it interfaces with the reality of the ethos of the schools.

Her involvement in the arts and sports nurtured her self-confidence as she excelled in dance. Through the arts and sports, she experienced the benefits of volunteerism whilst honing her leadership skills. Ms Rattan is an accomplished dancer and has vast experience in this field. 

Since her teenage years, she has been training and performing with the Basseterre High School Culture Club and then the Vivace Dance Company. As a teacher, she passionately led the development of the art form during the period 1990 -1994 as the artistic director of Basseterre High School Culture Club. 

Volunteering to teach dance in the communities for pageants, churches and for the National Carnival Committee profoundly inspired her to uplift others. Serving as a choreographer, pageant organizer and trainer, carnival organizer, performing arts enthusiast gave her a place at the table to lead.

During the period 1996 to 2000, Ms Rattan also chaired the Junior Carnival and the Talented Teen Pageant. In 2000 when the most successful CARIFESTA festival was staged in St. Kitts and Nevis, she chaired the Performing Arts Committee. 

From 2000 onward, Ms Rattan also served on the calypso committee and shifted her focus to become a carnival mas’ band leader from 2005 to 2011. This period was also a time she served as an advocate for the Olympic Committee. 

 Ms Rattan describes this period in her life as one of growth, bringing along people and sharing, building relationships and making connections. It reinforced her commitment to people development and growth.

In 2010, Ms Rattan was promoted to the position of Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and Gender Affairs. Presently, she is the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Post and Urban Development. 

It is an experience that has taught her to be a valuable team member. Leading people in different ways and from different positions is one of her most critical lessons at this level.

With thirty-two years of experience as a public servant, she has extensive knowledge of the social, economic, political and cultural milieu of St. Kitts and Nevis. 

Rattan’s multi-disciplinary experiences as a Permanent Secretary, educator, performing artiste and passionate practitioner in the creative and cultural industry have equipped her with a wide range of skills and knowledge to position herself to become whatever she chooses as she enters another stage of her learning journey.

“It is our immense pleasure to highlight Ms Sharon Rattan, a game-changer and a social entrepreneur of the future,” St Kitts and Labour Party added.

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