Current policy
St. Lucia is a country located in the region of North America. See abbreviation for St. Lucia. The June 2016 parliamentary elections led to a change of government when the Conservative United Workers’ Party (UWP) triumphed over the Left Liberal Saint Lucia’s Workers Party (SLP), which had been in power for five years. New Prime Minister became UWP Chairman Allen Chastanet.
UWP received 11 of the 17 seats while SLP received 6 seats. Chastanet, previously former Minister of Tourism, took responsibility for, among other things, foreign policy, fiscal policy, economic development and labor market issues. Chastanet is a businessman and belongs to the country’s small white power elite (see Population and language).
- Countryaah: Country facts and history of St. Lucia, including state flag, location map, demographics, GDP data, currency code, and business statistics.
Following the election defeat, Kenny Anthony resigned as SLP chairman and was replaced by Philip Pierre.
Central domestic policy issues remained the same even after the change of government. Chastanet and his UWP ministers had to contend with the country’s economic problems, which partly stem from the significant decline in the previously important banana production (see Economic overview). The high unemployment rate, which has some of the same background, was another major challenge, not least youth unemployment.
The widespread crime, often linked to drug trafficking throughout the country, has since the 1990s various governments tried to curb stricter gun laws, more police and new police operations. A lower proportion of the unemployed is also believed to be part of the solution to the problem. Many young people without jobs risk being drawn into organized smuggling activities. A discussion is underway in Saint Lucia on the resumption of the execution of death sentences for serious violent and drug crimes (see Political system).
The UWP government’s term began shakily when the East Caribbean Court resumed in July 2016 a dispute with the party that is suspected to have spent nearly $ 40,000 of state money on its own election campaign in 2011.
To get more money into the Treasury, the UWF government in early 2017 expanded the “citizenship against investment” program launched by the SLP government a year earlier. The ceiling for how many people who are allowed to apply for citizenship through the program was abandoned annually. The minimum amount of investment required for foreigners to purchase citizenship in Saint Lucia was reduced from US $ 200,000 to half the sum (see Modern History). Chinese investments in, among other things, a building complex with casino, marina, horse stables and gallop courses and apartment hotels received criticism from a domestic nature conservation association during the year as the building threatened unique animal species. The criticism resulted in the government withdrawing its financial support to the association.
FACTS – POLITICS
Official name
Saint Lucia
GOVERNMENT
monarchy, unitary state
Head of State
Queen Elizabeth II (1952–), represented on the island by Governor General Emmanuel Neville Cenac (2018–)
Head of government
Prime Minister Allen Chastanet (2016–)
Most important parties with mandates in the last election
United Workers ‘Party (UWP) 11, Saint Lucia’s Workers’ Party (SLP) 6 (2016)
Main parties with mandates in the second most recent elections
St Lucia’s Workers ‘Party (SLP) 11, United Workers’ Party (UWP) 6 (2011)
Turnout
55% in the 2011 parliamentary elections, 53.5% in the 2016 parliamentary elections
Upcoming elections
parliamentary elections by 2021
