Saint Lucia

 

Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs                                          
June 2007                                                                     
                                                                       
  Background Note: Saint Lucia                                                
                                                                       
  The flag of St. Lucia is blue, with a gold isosceles triangle below a black 
  arrowhead; the upper edges of the arrowhead have a white border.            
                                                                       
  PROFILE                                                                     
                                                                       
  OFFICIAL NAME:                                                              
  Saint Lucia                                                                 
                                                                       
  Geography                                                                   
  Area: 619 sq. km. (238 sq. mi.).                                            
  Cities: Capital--Castries (pop. est. 67,000); Micoud; Gros-Islet; Vieux Fort;
  Soufriere.                                                                  
  Terrain: Mountainous.                                                       
  Climate: Tropical.                                                          
                                                                       
  People                                                                      
  Nationality: Noun and adjective--St. Lucian(s).                             
  Population (2005): 165,500.                                                 
  Annual growth rate (2005): 1.5%.                                            
  Ethnic groups: African descent 90%, mixed 6%, East Indian 3%, European 1%.  
  Religions: Roman Catholic, Seventh Day Adventist, various Protestant        
  denominations.                                                              
  Languages: English (official); a French patois is common throughout the     
  country.                                                                    
  Education (2004): Adult literacy--94.8%.                                    
  Health (2005): Infant mortality rate--12/1,000. Life expectancy--men 70.3   
  years; women 77.7 years.                                                    
  Unemployment (2006): 15.7%.                                                 
                                                                       
  Government                                                                  
  Type: Westminster-style parliamentary democracy.                            
  Independence: February 22, 1979.                                            
  Constitution: 1979.                                                         
  Branches: Executive--governor general (representing Queen Elizabeth II, head
  of state), prime minister (head of government), cabinet.                    
  Legislative--bicameral parliament. Judicial--district courts, Eastern       
  Caribbean Supreme Court (High Court and Court of Appeals), final appeal to  
  Privy Council in London.                                                    
  Administrative subdivisions: 11 parishes.                                   
  Political parties: United Workers Party (incumbent); St. Lucia Labour Party.
  Suffrage: Universal at 18.                                                  
                                                                       
  Economy                                                                     
  GDP (2005): $825.2 million.                                                 
  GDP growth rate (2005): 5.1%.                                               
  Per capita GDP (2005): $4,986.                                              
  Inflation (2005): 5.2%.                                                     
  Natural resources: Forests, minerals (pumice), mineral springs.             
  Agriculture: Bananas, cocoa, coconut, citrus fruits, and livestock.         
  Manufacturing: Garments, electronic components, beverages, corrugated boxes.
  Services: Tourism and offshore banking.                                     
  Trade (2005): Exports--$64 million (merchandise) and $389 million (commercial
  services). Major markets--European Union (28.2%), Trinidad and Tobago       
  (22.5%), United States (14.0%), Barbados (10.1%), and Grenada (5.2%).       
  Imports--$475 million (merchandise) and $159 million (commercial services). 
  Major suppliers--United States (43.9%), Trinidad and Tobago (14.2%), European
  Union (14.2%), Japan (4.6%), and Barbados (3.0%).                           
  Official exchange rate: EC$2.70 = U.S. $1.                                  
                                                                       
  PEOPLE                                                                      
  St. Lucia's population is predominantly of African and mixed African-European
  descent, with small East Indian and European minorities. English is the     
  official language, although many St. Lucians speak a French patois. Ninety  
  percent of the population is Roman Catholic, a further reflection of early  
  French influence on the island. The population of just over 165,000 is evenly
  divided between urban and rural areas, although the capital, Castries,      
  contains more than one-third of the population.                             
                                                                       
  HISTORY                                                                     
  St. Lucia's first known inhabitants were the Arawaks, believed to have come 
  from northern South America in 200-400 A.D. Numerous archaeological sites on
  the island have produced specimens of the Arawaks' well-developed pottery.  
  Caribs gradually replaced Arawaks during the period from 800-1000 A.D.      
                                                                       
  Europeans first landed on the island in either 1492 or 1502 during Spain's  
  early exploration of the Caribbean. The Dutch, English, and French all tried
  to establish trading outposts on St. Lucia in the 17th century but faced    
  opposition from the Caribs.                                                 
                                                                       
  The English, with their headquarters in Barbados, and the French, based in  
  Martinique, found St. Lucia attractive after the sugar industry developed in
  the 18th century. Britain eventually triumphed, with France permanently     
  ceding St. Lucia in 1815. In 1838, St. Lucia was incorporated into the      
  British Windward Islands administration, headquartered in Barbados. This    
  lasted until 1885, when the capital was moved to Grenada.                   
                                                                       
  Increasing self-governance has marked St. Lucia's 20th-century history. A   
  1924 constitution gave the island its first form of representative          
  government, with a minority of elected members in the previously            
  all-nominated legislative council. Universal adult suffrage was introduced in
  1951, and elected members became a majority of the council. Ministerial     
  government was introduced in 1956, and in 1958 St. Lucia joined the         
  short-lived West Indies Federation, a semi-autonomous dependency of the     
  United Kingdom. When the federation collapsed in 1962, following Jamaica's  
  withdrawal, a smaller federation was briefly attempted. After the second    
  failure, the United Kingdom and the six windward and leeward                
  islands--Grenada, St. Vincent, Dominica, Antigua, St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla, 
  and St. Lucia--developed a novel form of cooperation called associated      
  statehood.                                                                  
                                                                       
  As an associated state of the United Kingdom from 1967 to 1979, St. Lucia had
  full responsibility for internal self-government but left its external      
  affairs and defense responsibilities to the United Kingdom. This interim    
  arrangement ended on February 22, 1979, when St. Lucia achieved full        
  independence. St. Lucia continues to recognize Queen Elizabeth II as titular
  head of state and is an active member of the Commonwealth. The island       
  continues to cooperate with its neighbors through the Caribbean Community and
  Common Market (CARICOM), the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME), the  
  East Caribbean Common Market (ECCM), the Organization of Eastern Caribbean  
  States (OECS), and the Regional Security System (RSS).                      
                                                                       
  GOVERNMENT AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS                                         
  St. Lucia is a parliamentary democracy modeled on the Westminster system. The
  head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, represented by a governor general,     
  appointed by the Queen as her representative. The governor general exercises
  ceremonial functions, but residual powers, under the constitution, can be   
  used at the governor general's discretion. The actual power in St. Lucia lies
  with the prime minister and the cabinet, usually representing the majority  
  party in parliament.                                                        
                                                                       
  The bicameral parliament consists of a 17-member House of Assembly whose    
  members are elected by universal adult suffrage for 5-year terms and an     
  11-member senate appointed by the governor general. The parliament may be   
  dissolved by the governor general at any point during its 5-year term, either
  at the request of the prime minister--in order to take the nation into early
  elections--or at the governor general's own discretion, if the house passes a
  vote of no-confidence in the government.                                    
                                                                       
  St. Lucia has an independent judiciary composed of district courts and a high
  court. Cases may be appealed to the Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeals and, 
  ultimately, to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London. The   
  island is divided into 10 administrative divisions, including the capital,  
  Castries. Popularly elected local governments in most towns and villages    
  perform such tasks as regulation of sanitation and markets and maintenance of
  cemeteries and secondary roads. St. Lucia has no army but maintains a coast 
  guard and a paramilitary Special Services Unit within its police force.     
                                                                       
  The United Workers Party (UWP) was once the dominant force in the politics of
  St. Lucia. Until 1997, the UWP governed the country for all but three years 
  since independence. John Compton was premier of St. Lucia from 1964 until   
  independence in February 1979 and remained prime minister until elections   
  later that year.                                                            
                                                                       
  The St. Lucia Labour Party (SLP) won the first post-independence elections in
  July 1979, taking 12 of 17 seats in parliament. A period of turbulence      
  ensued, in which squabbling within the party led to several changes of prime
  minister. Pressure from the private sector and the unions forced the        
  government to resign in 1982. New elections were then called and were won   
  resoundingly by Compton's UWP, which took 14 of 17 seats.                   
                                                                       
  The UWP was re-elected on April 16, 1987, but with only nine of 17 seats.   
  Seeking to increase his slim margin, Prime Minister Compton suspended       
  parliament and called new elections on April 30. This unprecedented snap    
  election, however, gave Compton the same results as before--the UWP retained
  nine seats and the SLP eight. In April 1992, Prime Minister Compton's       
  government again defeated the SLP. In this election, however, the government
  increased its majority in parliament to 11 seats.                           
                                                                       
  In 1996, Compton announced his resignation as prime minister in favor of his
  chosen successor Dr. Vaughan Lewis, former director-general of the          
  Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS). Dr. Lewis became Prime     
  Minister and Minister of Finance, Planning and Development on April 2, 1996.
  The SLP also had a change of leadership with former CARICOM official Dr.    
  Kenny Anthony succeeding businessman Julian Hunte.                          
                                                                       
  In elections held May 23, 1997, the St. Lucia Labour Party won all but one of
  the 17 seats in parliament, and Dr. Kenny Anthony became Prime Minister and 
  Minister of Finance, Planning and Development on May 24, 1997.              
                                                                       
  In elections of December 3, 2001, the SLP won 14 of the 17 available seats. 
  The leader of the UWP, Dr. Morella Joseph, failed to win a seat. Marcus     
  Nicholas served as leader of the parliamentary opposition. Former Prime     
  Minister Sir John Compton came out of retirement to become leader of the    
  opposition UWP in 2005.                                                     
                                                                       
  The United Workers Party won an upset victory in elections held December 11,
  2006, taking 11 seats against 6 won by the St. Lucia Labour Party. Sir John 
  Compton once again returned to the position of Prime Minister, as well as   
  Minister of Finance.                                                        
                                                                       
  Principal Government Officials                                              
  Head of State--Queen Elizabeth II                                           
  Governor General--Dr. Pearlette Louisy                                      
  Prime Minister and Minister of Finance--Sir John Compton                    
  Minister for External Affairs, International Financial Services, Information
  and Broadcasting--Rufus Bousquet                                            
  Ambassador to the UN--Chargé Olaf Fontenelle                                
  Ambassador to the United States and the OAS--Sonia Merlyn Johnny            
                                                                       
  St. Lucia maintains an embassy at 3216 New Mexico Ave., NW, Washington, DC  
  20016 (tel. 202-364-6792). St. Lucia also maintains consulates general in New
  York and Miami.                                                             
                                                                       
  ECONOMY                                                                     
  St. Lucia's economy depends primarily on revenue from tourism and banana    
  production, with some contribution from small-scale manufacturing. All      
  sectors of the economy have benefited from infrastructure improvements in   
  roads, communications, water supply, sewerage, and port facilities. These   
  improvements, combined with a stable political environment and educated work
  force, have attracted foreign investors in several different sectors.       
  Although St. Lucia enjoys a steady flow of investment in tourism, the single
  most significant foreign investment is Hess Oil's large petroleum storage and
  transshipment terminal. In addition, the Caribbean Development Bank funded an
  extensive airport expansion project.                                        
                                                                       
  Although banana revenues have helped fund the country's development since the
  1960s, the industry is now in a terminal decline, due to competition from   
  lower-cost Latin American banana producers and soon-to-be reduced European  
  Union trade preferences. The country is encouraging farmers to plant crops  
  such as cocoa, mangos, and avocados to diversify its agricultural production
  and provide jobs for displaced banana workers.                              
                                                                       
  Tourism recovered in 2004, following the post-September 11, 2001 recession, 
  and continued to grow in 2005, making up more than 48% of St. Lucia's GDP.  
  The hotel and restaurant industry grew by 6.3% during 2005. Stay-over       
  arrivals increased by 6.5%, and the United States remained the most important
  market, accounting for 35.4% of these arrivals. Yacht passengers rose by    
  21.9%. Redeployment of cruise ships, remedial berth construction, and high  
  fuel costs prevented higher growth rates. However, several investors have   
  planned new tourism projects for the island, including a large hotel and    
  resort in the southern part of the island.                                  
                                                                       
  St. Lucia's currency is the Eastern Caribbean Dollar (EC$), a regional      
  currency shared among members of the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU).
  The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) issues the EC$, manages monetary  
  policy, and regulates and supervises commercial banking activities in its   
  member countries. The ECCB has kept the EC$ pegged at EC$2.7=U.S. $1.       
                                                                       
  St. Lucia is a beneficiary of the U.S. Caribbean Basin Initiative and is a  
  member of the Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM). The country  
  hosts the headquarters of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States      
  (OECS).                                                                     
                                                                       
  FOREIGN RELATIONS                                                           
  Historically, the major thrust of foreign affairs for St. Lucia has been    
  economic development. The government is seeking balanced international      
  relations with emphasis on mutual economic cooperation and trade and        
  investment. It seeks to conduct its foreign policy chiefly through its      
  membership in the OECS. St. Lucia participated in the 1983 Grenada mission, 
  sending members of its Special Services Unit into active duty. St. Lucia is a
  member of the Commonwealth, the Organization of American States (OAS), and  
  the United Nations. It maintains friendly relations with the major powers   
  active in the Caribbean, including the United States, the United Kingdom,   
  Canada, and France. St. Lucia has been active in eastern Caribbean regional 
  affairs through the OECS and CARICOM.                                       
                                                                       
  U.S.-ST. LUCIAN RELATIONS                                                   
  The United States and St. Lucia have a cooperative relationship. The United 
  States supports the St. Lucian Government's efforts to expand its economic  
  base and improve the lives of its citizens. The Government of St. Lucia has 
  cooperated with the United States on security concerns. U.S. assistance is  
  primarily channeled through multilateral agencies, such as the World Bank,  
  and the USAID office in Bridgetown, Barbados. The Peace Corps, whose Eastern
  Caribbean regional headquarters is located in St. Lucia, has 22 volunteers in
  St. Lucia, working primarily in business development, education, and health.
  U.S. security assistance programs provide limited training to the           
  paramilitary Special Services Unit and the coast guard. In addition, St.    
  Lucia receives U.S. counternarcotics assistance and benefits from U.S.      
  military exercises and humanitarian civic action construction projects.     
                                                                       
  St. Lucia and the United States share interest in combating international   
  crime and narcotics trafficking. Because of St. Lucia's geographical        
  location, it is an appealing transit point for traffickers. In response to  
  this threat, the Government of St. Lucia has concluded various bilateral    
  treaties with the United States, including a Maritime Law Enforcement       
  Agreement (subsequently amended to include overflight and order-to-land     
  provisions), a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty, and an Extradition Treaty.   
                                                                       
  More Americans visit St. Lucia than any other national group. In 2005,      
  tourist visitors totaled over 700,000, mainly from the United States, the   
  United Kingdom, and CARICOM. Cruise ship arrivals in 2005 were down by 18%  
  over 2004, while the number of stay-over visitors increased slightly in the 
  same period.                                                                
                                                                       
  Principal U.S. Embassy Officials                                            
  Ambassador--Mary M. Ourisman                                                
  Deputy Chief of Mission--Mary Ellen T. Gilroy                               
  Political/Economic Counselor--Martina Strong (Acting)                       
  Consul General--Clyde Howard Jr.                                            
  Regional Labor Attaché--Martina Strong                                      
  Economic/Commercial Affairs--Anthony Eterno                                 
  Public Affairs Officer--Julie O'Reagan                                      
  Peace Corps Director--Kate Raftery                                          
                                                                       
  The United States maintains no diplomatic presence in St. Lucia. The        
  Ambassador and Embassy officers are resident in Barbados and frequently     
  travel to St. Lucia.                                                        
                                                                       
  The U.S. Embassy in Barbados is located in the Wildey Business Park, Wildey,
  St. Michael (tel: 246-436-4950; fax: 246-429-5246).                         
                                                                       
  Other Contact Information                                                   
  U.S. Department of Commerce                                                 
  International Trade Administration                                          
  Trade Information Center                                                    
  14th and Constitution, NW                                                   
  Washington, DC 20230                                                        
  Tel: 1-800-USA-TRADE                                                        
                                                                       
  Caribbean/Latin American Action                                             
  1818 N Street, NW, Suite 310                                                
  Washington, DC 20036                                                        
  Tel: (202) 466-7464                                                         
  Fax: (202) 822-0075                                                         
                                                                       
  TRAVEL AND BUSINESS INFORMATION                                             
  The U.S. Department of State's Consular Information Program advises Americans
  traveling and residing abroad through Consular Information Sheets, Public   
  Announcements, and Travel Warnings. Consular Information Sheets exist for all
  countries and include information on entry and exit requirements, currency  
  regulations, health conditions, safety and security, crime, political       
  disturbances, and the addresses of the U.S. embassies and consulates abroad.
  Public Announcements are issued to disseminate information quickly about    
  terrorist threats and other relatively short-term conditions overseas that  
  pose significant risks to the security of American travelers. Travel Warnings
  are issued when the State Department recommends that Americans avoid travel 
  to a certain country because the situation is dangerous or unstable.        
                                                                       
  For the latest security information, Americans living and traveling abroad  
  should regularly monitor the Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs Internet
  web site at http://www.travel.state.gov, where the current Worldwide Caution,
  Public Announcements, and Travel Warnings can be found. Consular Affairs    
  Publications, which contain information on obtaining passports and planning a
  safe trip abroad, are also available at http://www.travel.state.gov. For    
  additional information on international travel, see http://www.usa.gov/     
  Citizen/Topics/Travel/International.shtml.                                  
                                                                       
  The Department of State encourages all U.S citizens who traveling or residing
  abroad to register via the State Department's travel registration website or
  at the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate abroad. Registration will make your
  presence and whereabouts known in case it is necessary to contact you in an 
  emergency and will enable you to receive up-to-date information on security 
  conditions.                                                                 
                                                                       
  Emergency information concerning Americans traveling abroad may be obtained 
  by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S. and Canada or the regular   
  toll line 1-202-501-4444 for callers outside the U.S. and Canada.           
                                                                       
  The National Passport Information Center (NPIC) is the U.S. Department of   
  State's single, centralized public contact center for U.S. passport         
  information. Telephone: 1-877-4USA-PPT (1-877-487-2778). Customer service   
  representatives and operators for TDD/TTY are available Monday-Friday, 7:00 
  a.m. to 12:00 midnight, Eastern Time, excluding federal holidays.           
                                                                       
  Travelers can check the latest health information with the U.S. Centers for 
  Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia. A hotline at 877-FYI-TRIP
  (877-394-8747) and a web site at http://www.cdc.gov/travel/index.htm give the
  most recent health advisories, immunization recommendations or requirements,
  and advice on food and drinking water safety for regions and countries. A   
  booklet entitled "Health Information for International Travel" (HHS         
  publication number CDC-95-8280) is available from the U.S. Government       
  Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402, tel. (202) 512-1800.                 
                                                                       
  Further Electronic Information                                              
  Department of State Web Site. Available on the Internet at http://          
  www.state.gov, the Department of State web site provides timely, global     
  access to official U.S. foreign policy information, including Background    
  Notes and daily press briefings along with the directory of key officers of 
  Foreign Service posts and more. The Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC)
  provides security information and regional news that impact U.S. companies  
  working abroad through its website http://www.osac.gov                      
                                                                       
  Export.gov provides a portal to all export-related assistance and market    
  information offered by the federal government and provides trade leads, free
  export counseling, help with the export process, and more.                  
  STAT-USA/Internet, a service of the U.S. Department of Commerce, provides   
  authoritative economic, business, and international trade information from  
  the Federal government. The site includes current and historical            
  trade-related releases, international market research, trade opportunities, 
  and country analysis and provides access to the National Trade Data Bank.   

 

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