Bon Fete Jounen Kweyol Sent Lisi

The grand climax of the 32^nd Creole Heritage Month, Jounen Kwéyòl, takes place today Sunday, October 30 in four host communities across the island: the hilltop village of Gros Islet in the north [only 15 minutes drive from Rayneau]; the colourful South-East coast agricultural village of Belle Vue; the Western community of Jacmel, Anse La Raye and the picturesque and diverse village of Choiseul on Saint Lucia’s south-western coast [furthest from Rayneau but still only ninety minutes drive].

These various venues chosen  put out the result of their grand preparations; local foods and drinks such as breadfruit, green fig, plantain, salt fish, king fish, manicou (opossum), roast pork, Johnny Cake (fried bake) and a famous dish, bouyon (fish, chicken or meat stewed with dasheen, yams, plantains, banana and dumplings), lime drinks, guava drinks and more.

The continuous celebration of the event which began in 1984 in Mon Repos was affected only once in 2010 with the passage of hurricane Tomas.

The FRC is adding a new feature this year whereby each host community will be highlighting a cultural area for which the community is famous.  These cultural areas comprise inter alia Agriculture, Fisheries, Craft and Music.

Go out and enjoy the good food and drinks available. Selebwe en wespay epi lapay.

Bon Fete Kweyol!

Rayneau To Celebrate Its Jounen Kweyol Activities Differently This Year

It has been a tradition for many business places to celebrate their kweyol activities the Friday prior the National festival, which is celebrated on the last Sunday in the month of October. Rayneau is no exception.

Our previous Kweyol activities especially the one in 2014 has been one of the most talk about company activities. This year the hype is on!

 A communique from the company states that the company’s Jounen Kweyol

 activities will be held this Friday at the CIE Office Grounds. “Come decked out in your Jounen Kweyol wear.” She expressed.  Breakfast and lunch will be served at 7:30  am and 12:30pm respectively.

According to the Duty Manager at Rayneau, Mr. Ireneus Jean, “This year we would like to do things a bit different….” He continued, “We are asking that on that day (date to be announced later) you [staff] wear your own creation of madras/representation of Jounen Kweyol, of course keeping it within the dress code…..” The duty manager in order to guard against the over creativity of his staff emphasized, “No spaghetti sleeves or sleeveless blouse, no crop pants, no short pants, etc.”

The concept our creative staff have to portray

Are we expecting an informal pageant-like Jounen kweyol activity?

The excitement has been fueled by management offering an in store prize to the best dressed male and best dressed female.

I bet the judges just can’t wait to see the creativity and innovations that will come up.

Weather permitting, come Friday, this year’s activity I have no doubt will be a fun-filled and memorable activity - the boys meeting on common ground.

Apart from the twist with the ladies and gentlemen displaying their creativity with the national wear there is also a hook - an "after work lime" component.  It is due to commence at 5:00pm and promises to attract a large cross section of our work force.We look forward to our customers and friends  tocome celebrate and shop on that day as well as to give support and praise to our staff as the show off their create garbs.

Picture highlights from our 2014 Jounen Kweyole activity which was held at the RCIP Grounds. Check the video link for more pics

Our sample artifacts

Nat setting up her kweyol straw hat, The boys sharing the moment

Lunch is ready,boys! It's all here.

The salazon and vive tere on fire

Bamboo bursting had its place too

 Sampling the eats and various drinks

These well prepared golden apples asking for a bite

Albert kept the spirit alive with his huge repertoire

Sharing a moment with Team Leader.

Come shop and celebrate with us the Friday. Get engaged in a kweyol shopping experience with one of our customer sales representative. You will be thrilled, period!

Upgrade Your Electrical System Before December 25, 2016

Are you in the market for everything electrical to complete your projects on-time and under budget? From wiring and connectors to alternative energy solutions, Rayneau has everything you need for electrical fixes and projects.

We have a large selection of electrical wire & cable, circuit breakers, extension cords and more.

Safeguard your home with surge protectors, fire safety, smoke detectors, and home security systems.

At Rayneau you can find the most stylish lighting fixtures including lamps, chandeliers and other contemporary indoor lighting as well as state-of-the-art illumination including CFL bulbs and LED light fixtures.

It’s always a good idea to update your dimmers and switches, electrical outlets and adapters, electrical wire and cables, doorbells and fuses.

Make any room in your house stand apart with subtle recessed lighting.  We also carry outdoor lighting  for your patio or deck with motion detector security lights, or solar lights to your walkway or garden.

Get a new look in your living room by changing out your wall plates, light switch covers and outlet  covers.

For extra protection, back up your living space with a portable generator, backup batteries or a home standby generator to keep things running even when the power goes out.

We even stock flashlights and portable lighting to help you prepare for or get through emergency situations.

Hurry on down  to Rayneau and speak with our Electrical Department Customer Sales Representative for all you electrical equipment for that upgrade or call us at 450 7247.

6 Tips To Avoid the Rush-Rush And Start Preparing For Christmas In October

“Are you ready for Christmas?” Whenever someone asks that question, my heart rate accelerates as I remember all the things yet to do. However, if we thought about preparation a little differently, our “getting ready” could be less of a rush-rush chore to get things done.

For children, Christmas is a time of joy, a time of celebration and a time for receiving gifts. But for most of us adults, it can be a season full of madness, stress, anxiety and lots of things to do. This is the reason why you should prepare for this season months before it happens. Yes, make preparations for Christmas, early. As early as the month of October kicks in, your Christmas preparations should begin.

Preparing for Christmas can be a lot of work, especially for moms. With the pressure of buying gifts, sending greeting cards, decorating our homes, putting up lights, cooking, attending parties, and cleaning up afterward, we have little time to actually enjoy the meaning of Christmas.

As is the case with most things, planning ahead can help ensure your next Christmas goes smoother than a ride in Santa’s sleigh.

So there are my 6 groundbreaking *ahem* Christmas prep-advance tips to keep in mind:

1 – Think About Last Christmas

First of all, take a pen and paper and begin writing a list of everything you were happy and unhappy with last Christmas. It’s basically a case of pinpointing your successes and failures, in order to minimize the latter next time around.

2 – Consider Cash-Flow

It’s important that you remain realistic when it comes to how much you can afford to spend over the festive season in general. It can be hugely helpful to allocate a precise budget to your intended Christmas spending, in order to ensure you don’t get carried away at the time.

3 – Shop Ahead

Shopping for Christmas and starting in October gives you the opportunity to make the most of sales, specials and the kinds of one-off deals that could save you a fortune. It also means avoiding the chaotic Christmas rush!

4 – Start Saving Now

Even if you only put a tiny amount to one side every week or month, it will still add up to help you with those inevitable Christmas expenses. A few cents over $45.00/week from now will yield $500.00 to buy gifts the week before Christmas.

Or…opt out of Christmas gifts altogether.
I’m constantly astonished how many people who don’t have the money feel the need to buy gifts for other people. If you’re not financially secure, I honestly believe the best gift you could give would be to say, “Hey guys, this year I decided to be brutally honest with myself and admit that I can’t afford to give any gifts. So this year, the only gift I’m giving is to get myself financially stable.”

6 – Relax!

Last but not least, the more you treat Christmas like a tiring logistical challenge, the less you’ll enjoy what it’s really all about. Family, friends, food and fun – a time of year to revel in the most important things in life! So above all else, don’t take it all too seriously and relax!

Visit us today. We have a wide array of items to choose from to make Christmas special for that cherished someone.

Lift Your Spirits and That Of Your Guests This Holiday Season

With the holidays fast approaching, so are your holiday visitors. Is your home company-ready? If not, there’s still time to do something about it. You can dramatically upgrade your décor in just a weekend – or even a day — by doing some interior painting. Before you put up the lights, put on a fresh coat of paint. We bet they’ll sparkle even brighter because of it!

Why is it that we tend to spot the deficiencies in our décor just before family and friends are due to arrive?

In the throes of day-to-day living, most of us become somewhat blind to the condition of our rooms, including their colour. But when it really counts, we take a harder, more critical look. All too often, we don’t like what we see. When that happens, we are left with a couple of options: We can panic . . . or paint!

Nothing changes the appearance of a home interior faster, or more effectively, than a fresh coat of interior paint. And, giving a room an entirely new appearance at holiday-time will help lift your spirits and that of your guests.

What’s especially nice about painting just prior to the holidays is that you can even choose colors that are just right for the season, as long as you’ll still love them when the day is done.

Don’t skimp on quality paint. Good paint like Ultimata Plus will last longer and extend the life of your paint job. It is not often that research and technology combine to create an innovation that revolutionizes an industry. 

We are proud to introduce Uttimate Plus from Harris Paints. Combining five new technolologies in one can.

Ultima Plus can be tainted in any colour or custom matched to any colour of your choice

1. Coverfast technology -  gives you brighter colours in fewer coats

2. Selfprime technology – makes start-up easier

3. Easybreathe technology - gives better air quality and lower odour

4. Mildewguard technology - keeps colours fresh by resisting fungus longer

5. Colourlast technology - makes your colours stronger and more resistant to paintaing

Visit us today or call 450 7247 to talk to one of our friendly customer representative or  714 5609 to speak with Michael, our paint department salesperson for all your answers about how to lift your spirit and that of your guests the Christmas

Selebwe Mwa Ewitaj Kwéyòl Epi Nou (Celebrate Creole Heritage Month With Us))

Un Fe' (An Iron)

The Folk Research Centre (FRC) has dubbed the month of October, Mwa Ewitaj Kwéyòl (Creole Heritage Month.)  According to the Executive Director of the Folk Research Centre, Hilary LaForce, “We use the opportunity that Creole Heritage Month provides to educate our people. What we do by way of education is to encourage persons to recognize cultural icons in their community,..........exhibit what we call technologies, and showcase artifacts and various items which are being used in the community.”

We concur with La Force and look forward to playing our part throughout the month and celebrating with you this 32^nd Jounen Kweyol in a number of ways - encouraging the speaking of patois during sales interactions, upgrading our products and services, showcasing artifacts and various  items which forms part of the St Lucian Culture and other Kweyole related activities.

As you may already be aware, Rayneau is now a well-known One-Stop Home Improvement Store, supplying a vast selection of brand names in construction and industrial products, plus numerous services. We offer the best overall value, period!

The store is a retail anomaly. It runs differently and sells differently,and we are proud of it. There are competitors on all sides, but no one can mimic our operations.  From its in-store labels to contractor financing services, Rayneau sets itself apart from the rest in the retail world.

Our success and very existence are dependent on the frequent sales and word-of-mouth recommendations of loyal, satisfied customers. Simply put, our mission is all about “….delivering the best quality products and services and constantly ensure service beyond expectation.” 

On that note, here are seven reasons why you should be shopping with us during Creole Heritage Month and in the future.

Kweyole names for popular items

#1 - Showcasing Artifacts: Have you seen and touched some of the old items persons of the past made use of? By shopping at our store during the month of October you will be afforded the opportunity to get first-hand experience of many of these artifacts. We will also allow you to take pics as well to send to love ones overseas.

#2 - Top Class Customer Service: Our friendly Customer Service Representatives (CSRs) are always willing to help and their main objective is to assist you the customer as effectively as possible. We are aware that one of the most challenging issues for our CSRs is dealing with different customers - irate customers, offensive customers, and defensive customers. Because of this our CSRs have gone through rigorous training to get them well prepared. They are there to give you the “WOW” shopping experience.

#3 - Quality products: We make it our duty to stock products that have been tested and proven to give the best service to customers. We also stock new versions of a few artifacts as well. It is for this reason our products are from some of the world’s top brands, like Makita, Hillman, Chemtron, Harris, Stanley, Bosch, etc.

#4 - Product Knowledge: Our Customer Sales Representatives understand our products’ features and this allows them to present their benefits accurately and persuasively. We know that customers respond to enthusiastic sale representatives who are passionate about their products and eager to share the benefits. Routinely every week every CSR must choose a product of his/her choice and describe it to his/her co-workers. This form of weekly training keeps our staff well informed about our products.

Modern version of a few tools

#5 - Friendly atmosphere:  Shopping at Rayneauj is like being at home. From the time you enter you are greeted by the warmest of persons – whether it be our greeter or a sales representative you are immediately treated as family. You will, through a few warm exchanges, made to feel comfortable and the one-on-one interactions are never short of relevant information.

#6 - Our Team Leader Gives Back: Reports show that Rayneau Gajadhar, owner and Team Leader of the company contributes each year to communities, organizations, clubs and schools, through volunteering, in-kind contributions, and/or direct cash donations. That means your purchase of a good or service at our store is a great way to “pay it forward.”

#7 - Our Flexible Shopping Hours: We have taken your busy hours into consideration and have arranged these special opening and closing hours to suit your busy schedule.  

Mon – Fri- 7:00am - 6:00pm            Sat – 7:30am – 3:30pm

Sun – 9:00am -1:00pm                    Holidays – 8:00am – 1:00pm

Make shopping at Rayneau a "Wow  experience" during 2016 Mwa Ewitaj Kweyo'l (Creole Heritage Month).Visit us or call 450 7247 for more info. 

Rayneau's Bagged Aggregates Products - An Innovative Step Towards Competitiveness (Video)

“Our future growth relies on competitiveness and innovation, skills and productivity... and these in turn rely on the education of our people.” - Julia Gillard

The National Competitiveness and Productivity Council (NCPC) will be hosting its third annual Productivity Awareness Week commencing tomorrow.

The observation of the 2016 Productivity Awareness Week from Oct – 16, which will be held under the theme “Enhancing Competitiveness through Innovation”, will aim to demonstrate that through a mindset of innovative thinking we can become competitive.

25 kg  Bagged Coarse Sand

At RG Group of Companies Ltd we believe  competitiveness is characterized as the ability to continually reach growth in productivity, which means to achieve higher output with limited inputs of labour and capital. We are also of the view that

enhancing competitiveness through fostering innovation is the way forward for today’s entrepreneur. Innovation is about change and ambiguity about the future, which means that it is often thought to be "risky". Innovation is paramount for competitive survival.

We firmly believe that companies should not wait until a product is perfect; they should quickly get their products into the market and then quickly learn from how the products are received. And so we did.

It is on this premise and innovative thinking that our company took the initiative to repackage  and reintroduce into the market its aggregates. Making the consumer our primary focus and his ability to buy in smaller quantities, management has come up with this brilliant creative package  “Rayneau Bagged Products.” We are the leading bagged aggregate supplier on island and we offer collection and delivery on a wide range of these products.

Rayneau has changed the culture of shopping for aggregates in the country. It has been the norm for consumers to buy aggregates by the yard. We have now introduced bagged products to make it more convenient for the customer by placing some of the more popular aggregates in sealed plastic bags -  this means you can now shop for ½" and ¾” stones, white sand, coarse sand and ready-mix by the bag just as you would buy a bag of cement. What makes this product even more competitive is the fact that the customer is given a choice of shopping for either 42.5 and 25 kg product.

All the indicators show that the product has been well received and the demand is very encouraging. 

Have you for the longest while been putting this small project that don't require much 1/2" or 3/4" stones, white or coarse or even ready-mix? Well then, our bagged aggregates products is your answer. 

Hurry on down to Rayneau and experience the convenience of this great innovation.

Check out our video at https://youtu.be/KHJO-5tzDqU

The management and staff of RG Group of Companies Ltd wish everyone a dynamic” Productivity Awareness Week.”

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