Statement By Premier Fahie on Saint Lucia Election and Changing of CARICOM Secretary General

Statement

Premier's Office
Topics: 
CARICOM, Regional Affairs
Release Date:
Saturday, 31 July 2021 - 7:01pm

STATEMENT BY PREMIER AND MINISTER OF FINANCE HONOURABLE ANDREW A. FAHIE

UPDATE ON REGIONAL DEVELOPMENTS:

SAINT LUCIA ELECTION & CHANGING OF CARICOM SECRETARY GENERAL

31st JULY, 2021

On behalf of the Government and people of the Virgin Islands, I would like to congratulate the new Prime Minister of Saint Lucia, The Honourable Philip J. Pierre, on his resounding election victory and appointment as Prime Minister. The General Election was yet another triumph of democracy in the Caribbean.

As a fellow Head of Government in CARICOM and OECS, I look forward to working with Prime Minister Pierre and wish him every success in office as he now has the incredible responsibility of leading the people of Saint Lucia through these unprecedented times that we call the COVID era.

There is also another “changing of the guard” taking place in the region. The current Secretary General of CARICOM, His Excellency Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, will officially demit office on 31st July after a decade as the top regional civil servant.

Among many other things, he led CARICOM’s efforts to assist the Virgin Islands after Hurricanes Irma and Maria devastated these islands. We owe him a great debt of gratitude.

I salute Ambassador LaRocque for his outstanding contribution to the advancement of the Caribbean as Secretary General. 

On behalf of the Government and people of these Virgin Islands, I thank him for his distinguished service and wish him well in his future endeavours.

As Ambassador LaRocque exits the stage, the new Secretary General Dr. Carla Barnett will officially take the helm of the CARICOM Secretariat on 1st August. Dr. Barnett hails from Belize and is the first woman to hold the post.  This is indeed historic and inspiring.

As Premier, I look forward to working with Dr. Barnett on the wide range of issues that CARICOM will tackle in the weeks and months ahead.

On behalf of the Government and people of the Virgin Islands, I extend warm congratulations to Dr. Barnett and wish her every success as Secretary General of CARICOM.