Saint Lucia
 

1781-1783, 1794-1795, 1796-1802, 1803-1875   1875 - 16 Aug 1939   16 Aug 1939 - 1 Mar 1967   16 Aug 1939 - 1 Mar 1967 (Unofficial)   1 Mar 1967 - 22 Feb 1979    22 Feb 1979 - 22 Feb 2002   Adopted 22 Feb 2002 Map of St. Lucia Hear National Anthem "Sons and Daughters of St. Lucia" Text of National Anthem Adopted 1967 Constitution  (22 Feb 1979) Capital: Castries (Le Carenage 1651-1785; Félicité 1794) Currency: East Caribbean Dollar (XCD)  National Holiday: 22 Feb (1979) Independence Day Population: 165,510 (2018) GDP: $2.54 billion (2017) Exports: $185.1 million (2017) Imports: $600 million (2017) Ethnic groups: African descent 71.2%, mixed 23%, indigenous  3%, East Indian/Indian 1.1%, European 1.5%, other 0.2% (2012) Total Police Force and Coast Guard: 947 (2012) Merchant marine: 889 ships (2018)  Religions: Protestant 75% (Pentecostal 27.6%, Anglican 13.9%, Seventh Day Adventist 11.6%,  Baptist 8.9%, Methodist 8.7%, Evangelical 3.8%, Salvation Army 0.3%, Presbyterian/Congregational 0.3%), Roman Catholic 6.3%,  Rastafarian 1.1%, Jehovah's Witness. 0.8%, other 4.7%, none 7.5%, unspecified 4.7% (2012) International Organizations/Treaties: ACP, ACS, ALBA, AOSIS, APM, BTWC, C, Caricom, CCM, CD, CDB, CELAC, CTBT, CWC, ECCB, ECCU, ENMOD, ESCR (signatory), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, ICSID, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, IRENA, ISA, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, NPT, OAS, OECS, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW, Petrocaribe, UN, UNCLOS, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFCC, UNFCC-KP, UNFCC-PA, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Saint Lucia Chronology 13 Dec 1502                Sighted by Christopher Columbus and claimed                              for Spain, named Isla de Santa Lucía. 23 Aug 1605 - Sep 1605     First attempted English settlement by settlers from                              the Olive Branch which had been blown off course.  2 Jul 1627                Granted to James, Earl of Carlisle by King Charles I                              of England (as part of the Islands of Carlisle                              Province, also called Carliola); no settlement. 1635                       French officially claimed the island but did not                              settle it. 1638 - Aug 1640            Second attempted English settlement. 1643                       French colony (Sainte-Lucie). 1664 - Oct 1667            English occupation. 1667 - 1674                Administered by the French Compagnie des Indies                               Occidentales. 1674                       French crown colony, as a dependency of Martinique                              (evacuated 1674/88-1719, 1720-22, 1723-44). 16 Dec 1722 - Jan 1723     English settlement at Petit Carenage, opposed by                              the French. 1723 - 1744                Neutral territory agreed by Britain and France in                              the Treaty of Choc, but French settlers remain. 1744                       French colony (Sainte-Lucie). 18 Oct 1748 - 1756         Declared Neutral territory by Treaty of Aix-la                              -Chapelle (French only evacuate and island                               11 Mar 1753 - 13 Sep 1755 and it is de facto                              a French possession). 25 Feb 1762 - 10 Feb 1763  British occupation. 28 Dec 1778 -  3 Jan 1784  British occupation.  7 Sep 1792                Renamed Sainte-Lucie-La-Fidèle (Castries is                              renamed Félicité).  4 Apr 1794 - 18 Jun 1795  British occupation. 25 May 1796 - 29 Sep 1802  British occupation. 25 Oct 1797 - 19 Apr 1801  Nominally organized as Lucie département of France                             (Saint Lucia and Tobago; not effected due to                              British occupation). 29 Sep 1802 - 22 Jun 1803  Restored to France. 22 Jun 1803                British colony (Saint Lucia). 30 May 1814                British possession confirmed.  1814                       British crown colony. 1838 -  1 Jan 1960         Part of the Windward Islands (see Grenada).  3 Jan 1958 - 31 May 1962  Part of the Federation of the West Indies                              (see Trinidad and Tobago).  1 Mar 1967 - 22 Feb 1979  Associated state 22 Feb 1979                Independence from Britain (St. Lucia).

Governors 
23 Aug 1605 - Sep 1605     Nicholas St. John
1638 - Aug 1640            Judlee (or Jadlee)
1643 - 1654                Louis de Kerengoan, sieur          (d. 1654)
                             de Rousselan (lieutenant governor)
1654                       La Rivière                         (d. 1654)
1654 - 1656                Jean Haquet                        (d. 1656)
1656                       Le Breton
1656                       sieur de Coutis
1656 - 1660                d'Aigremont                        (d. 1660)
1660                       de La Lande                        (d. 1660)
1660 - 1664                Bonnard 
1664 - Oct 1667            Robert Faulk
Oct 1667 - Jul 1719        Vacant
24 Jul 1719 - 1720         Henry de Saint-Martin -Commander
1720 - 1722                Vacant
16 Dec 1722 - Jan 1723     Nathaniel Uring (or Wring)
                             (deputy governor)
1723 - 1744                None
Commandants
1744                       Martin                             (d. 1744)
 8 Jun 1744 - 11 Mar 1753  Nicolas Baptiste des Merliers      (b. 1688 - d. 1761)
                             de Longueville (1st time)              
11 Mar 1753 - 13 Sep 1755  Abandoned
13 Sep 1755 - 17 Nov 1761  Nicolas Baptiste des Merliers      (s.a.)
                             de Longueville (2nd time)              
Nov 1761 - 25 Feb 1762     Sévère René des Merliers de        (b. 1726 - d. c.1800)
                             Longueville            
Governors
25 Feb 1762 - 10 Feb 1763  George Brydges Rodney              (b. 1718 - d. 1792)
                             (1st time)
10 Feb 1763 - Sep 1764     Pierre Lucien de La Chapelle,      (b. 1716 - d. ....) 
                             chevalier de Jumilhac
1764 - 1771                Claude François Anne de Micoud  
Lieutenant governors
1771 - 1772                Claude Anne Gui de Micoud (acting) (b. 1739 - d. 1806/15)
                             (commandant)
18 Feb 1772 - Nov 1773     Frédéric Laure de Kearney          (b. 1721? - d. 1773)
Nov 1773 - 1776            Alexandre Potier de Courcy         (b. 1725 - d. 1777)
1776 - 28 Dec 1778         Marc Étienne de Joubert            (b. 1716 - d. 1784)
1776 - 28 Dec 1778         Claude Anne Guy de Micoud          (s.a.)
                             (commandant)
                             (acting for Joubert)
28 Dec 1778 -  1 Aug 1779  James Grant (commander)            (b. 1720 - d. 1806)
Aug 1779 - 1780            William Medows (commander)         (b. 1739 - d. 1813)
Feb 1780 - 1781            Sir George Brydges Rodney          (s.a.)
                             (2nd time)
1781 - 1782                Anthony St. Leger                  (b. 1731 - d. 1786)
1782 -  3 Jan 1784         Chester
Governors
 3 Jan 1784 - 14 Apr 1789  Jean Zénon André de Véron de       (b. 1733 - d. 1789)
                             Labourie, baron de Labourie
Apr 1789 - Jun 1789        Étienne de Manoel (acting)         (b. 1740 - d. 1794)
21 Jun 1789 - Sep 1792     Jean-Joseph Soubader de Gimat      (b. 1747 - d. 1794)
1792                       Montdenoix
                           + Linger                    
                           (agents)(acting)
Sep 1792 - 1792            Pierre Jacques Fulcrand de la      (b. 1740 - d. 1822)
                             Roque de Montels (1st time)
                             (acting)    
Dec 1792 - 1793            Jean-Baptiste Raimond              (b. 1765 - d. 1829)
                             Lacrosse -Commissioner
                             (in Guadeloupe)
 5 Feb 1793 - Apr 1793     Nicolas Xavier de Ricard           (b. 1726 - d. 1812)
 2 Apr 1793 - 1794         Pierre Jacques Fulcrand de la      (s.a.)
                             Roque de Montels (2nd time)
 4 Apr 1794 - 1795         Sir Charles Gordon                 (b. 1756 - d. 1835)
1795 - 18 Jun 1795         James Stewart                      (b. 17.. - d. 1815)  
Jun 1795 - 25 May 1796     Gaspard Goyrand -Commissioner      (b. 1764 - d. 1799)
25 May 1796 - May 1796     Sir Ralph Abercromby               (b. 1734 - d. 1801)
Lieutenant governors
May 1796 - Jan 1797        John Moore                         (b. 1761 - d. 1809)
Jan 1797 - Jul 1798        James Drummond                     (b. c.1758 - d. 1831)
Jul 1798 - Mar 1802        George Prevost                     (b. 1767 - d. 1816)
                             (lieutenant governor from 4 Jul 1801)
Mar 1802 - May 1802        Sir Thomas Trigge (acting)         (b. c.1742 - d. 1814)
May 1802 - 29 Sep 1802     George Henry Vansittart            (b. 1768 - d. 1824)
29 Sep 1802 - 22 Jun 1803  Jean François Xavier Noguès        (b. 1769 - d. 1808)
Governors
22 Jun 1803 - 26 Jun 1803  William Grinfield                  (b. 1745 - d. 1803)
                             (military governor)
26 Jun 1803 - 20 Jul 1807  Robert Brereton                    (b. 1747 - d. 1816)
20 Jul 1807 - 10 May 1814  Alexander Wood                     (b. 17.. - d. 1817)
1814                       Jacob Jordan (acting)
1814 - Sep 1815            Francis Delaval                    (b. c.1753 - d. 1826)
Sep 1815 - Jul 1816        Edward Stehelin                    (b. c.1759 - d. 1827)
Jul 1816 - 16 Nov 1816     Robert Douglas                     (b. c.1745 - d. 1828)
16 Nov 1816 - 21 Oct 1817  Richard Augustus Seymour           (d. 1817)
                             (acting to ... 1817)
24 Oct 1817 -  6 Nov 1817  John Joseph Winkler (acting)       (d. 1833)
 6 Nov 1817 - 25 Jun 1818  Edward O'Hara (acting)             (b. 1767 - d. 1833)
25 Jun 1818 - Jun 1821     Sir John Keane (1st time)          (b. 1781 - d. 1844)
Jun 1821 - 18 Jul 1821     Edward Copson (acting)             (b. 1775 - d. 1822)
18 Jul 1821 - Feb 1823     John Montagu Mainwaring (1st time) (b. 1761 - d. 1842)
Feb 1823 - 23 Apr 1823     Sir John Keane (2nd time)          (s.a.)
23 Apr 1823 - 21 Jan 1824  John Montagu Mainwaring (2nd time) (s.a.)
                             (acting)
21 Jan 1824 - 27 Feb 1824  James Culley (acting)              (d. 1833)
27 Feb 1824 - 11 Jan 1826  Nathaniel Shepherd Blackwell       (b. 1778 - d. 1833)
                             (acting)
11 Jan 1826 - Nov 1827     John Montagu Mainwaring (2nd time) (s.a.)
Nov 1827 - 17 Jan 1829     Lorenzo Moore (acting)             (b. 1765 - d. 1837)
17 Jan 1829 - 18 Dec 1829  David Stewart                      (b. 1772 - d. 1829)
18 Dec 1829 - 26 Dec 1829  George Augustus Elliot Delhoste    (b. 1787 - d. 1839)
                             (acting)
26 Dec 1829 -  1 Jan 1830  Robert Mullen (acting)
 1 Jan 1830 -  1 Feb 1830  Francis Power (acting)
 1 Feb 1830 - 10 Jan 1831  James Alexander Farquharson        (b. 1775 - d. 1834)
                             (1st time) (acting)
10 Jan 1831 -  8 Mar 1831  George Mackie                      (b. 1778 - d. 1831)
 8 Mar 1831 - 15 Sep 1831  Mark Anthony Bozon (1st time)      (b. 1766 - d. 1846)
                             (acting)
15 Sep 1831 - 15 Dec 1831  John William Mallet (acting)       (d. 1831)
15 Dec 1831 - 28 Jan 1832  Mark Anthony Bozon (2nd time)      (s.a.) 
                             (acting)
28 Jan 1832 - 20 Mar 1832  John Carter (1st time)(acting)
20 Mar 1832 - 23 Jan 1834  James Alexander Farquharson        (s.a.)
                             (2nd time)
23 Jan 1834 - 28 Jan 1834  Charles Lewis (acting)
28 Jan 1834 -  7 Mar 1834  John Carter (2nd time) (acting)
 7 Mar 1834 - 12 Jul 1834  Sir Charles Felix Smith (acting)   (b. 1786 - d. 1858)
Lieutenant governors
12 Jul 1834 - 1837         Sir Dudley St. Leger Hill          (b. 1790 - d. 1851)
 5 Apr 1837 - 1838         Thomas Bunbury (acting to 183.)    (b. 1787 - d. 1857)
20 Mar 1838 - 19 Jan 1839  John Alexander Mein (acting)       (b. 1786 - d. 1841)
19 Jan 1839 - 1841         Mathias Everard                    (b. 17.. - d. 1857)
Feb 1841 - Feb 1841        George Murray (acting)             (b. 1772 - d. 1846)
27 Feb 1841 - 1841         George Graydon (1st time)
Jul 1841 - 1842            William Caldwell (acting)
1842 - 1843                George Graydon (2nd time)
 1 Feb 1843 - 1844         Andrew Clarke                      (b. 1793 - d. 1847)
15 Jul 1844 - 1848         Arthur Wellesley Torrens           (b. 1809 - d. 1855)
11 Jan 1848 - 1852         Charles Henry Darling              (b. 1809 - d. 1870)
 1 Jul 1852 - 29 Jul 1852  Cole (acting)
Jul 1852 - Oct 1852        Henry Clermont Cobbe               (b. 1811 - d. 1855)
Dec 1852 - 1855            Maurice Power                      (b. 1811 - d. 1870)
1855 - 1856                Deverell (acting)
Feb 1856 - May 1857        James Vickery Drysdale (acting)
Administrators   
21 May 1857 - Oct 1861     Henry Heggart Breen                (b. 1805 - d. 1881)
1862 - 1869                James Meyer Grant
May 1869 - Jul 1869        Thomas H. Dix (1st time)(acting)
Jul 1869 - 1878            George William Des Voeux           (b. 1834 - d. 1909)
 1 Mar 1878 - 18 Jun 1878  Thomas H. Dix (2nd time)(acting)
19 Jun 1878 - 29 Aug 1879  Arthur Elibank Havelock            (b. 1844 - d. 1908)
30 Aug 1879 -  4 Mar 1881  Thomas H. Dix (3rd time)
1881 - 1884                Roger Tuckfield Goldsworthy        (b. 1839 - d. 1900)
29 Apr 1882 - 18 Jul 1882  Thomas H. Dix (4th time)
                             (acting for Goldsworthy)
28 Jul 1882 - 25 Sep 1882  Thomas H. Dix (6th time)
                             (acting for Goldsworthy)
26 Nov 1882 - 21 Mar 1883  Thomas H. Dix (7th time)
                             (acting for Goldsworthy)
11 Jun 1883 - 31 Aug 1883  Thomas H. Dix (8th time)
                             (acting for Goldsworthy)
May 1884 - 1885            Clement Courtenay Knollys          (b. 1849 – d. 1905)
28 May 1885 - 31 May 1885  J.K. Ferguson (acting for Knollys)
19 Sep 1885 - Jan 1889     Edward Daniel Laborde              (b. 1826 - d. 1898)
Commissioners
Jan 1889 - 1891            Robert Baxter Llewelyn             (b. 1845 - d. 1919)
1891 - 1896                Valesius Skipton Gouldsbury        (b. 1839 - d. 1896)
1897 - 26 May 1899         Charles Anthony King-Harman        (b. 1851 - d. 1939) 
                             (from 23 May 1900, Sir Charles Anthony
                             King-Harman)                    
26 May 1899 - 28 Apr 1902  Harry Langhorne Thompson           (b. 1857 - d. 1902)
                             (acting to 1900)
Sep 1902 - 1905            Sir George Melville                (b. 1842 - d. 1924)
Jul 1905 - Nov 1905        Edward Daniel Laborde (acting)     (b. 1863 - d. 19..)
Nov 1905 - 1909            Philip Clark Cork                  (b. 1854 - d. 1936)
Apr 1909 - 15 Feb 1914     Edward John Cameron                (b. 1858 - d. 1947)
15 Feb 1914 - 26 Mar 1914  Anthony De Freitas (acting)        (b. 1869 - d. 1940)
26 Mar 1914 - 1915         William Douglas Young              (b. 1859 - d. 1943)
20 May 1915 - 25 Apr 1918  Charles Gideon Murray              (b. 1877 - d. 1951)
23 Mar 1917 - 15 Dec 1918  Reginald Popham Lobb               (b. 1874 - d. 1950)
                             (acting [for Murray to 25 Apr 1918])
16 Dec 1918 - 20 Dec 1918  George O'Donnell Walton (acting)   (b. 1871 - d. 1950)
21 Dec 1918 - 1927         Wilfred Bennett Davidson-Houston   (b. 1870 - d. 1960)
27 Feb 1928 - 20 Feb 1935  Charles William Doorly             (b. 1875 - d. 1942)
                             (from 1 Jan 1935, Sir Charles William Doorly)
 7 Jun 1935 -  1 Jul 1938  Edward William Baynes              (b. 1880 - d. 1962)
31 Oct 1937 -  9 Jul 1938  Geoffrey Hammond Frith             (b. 1891 - d. 1945)
                             (acting [for Baynes to 1 Jul 1938])
 9 Jul 1938 - 1944         Arthur Alban Wright                (b. 1887 - d. 1967)
10 Feb 1944 - 1947         Edward Francis Twining             (b. 1899 - d. 1967)
27 Aug 1947 - 1952         John Montague Stow                 (b. 1911 - d. 1997)
14 May 1952 - 1953         Frederick Eutrope Degazon (acting) (b. 1913 - d. 2008)
Feb 1953 - 21 Oct 1957     John Kingsmill Robert Thorp        (b. 1912 - d. 1961)
21 Oct 1957 - 21 Jan 1958  ....(acting)
Administrators
21 Jan 1958 - Jan 1962     Julian Edward George Asquith,      (b. 1916 - d. 2011)
                             Earl of Oxford and Asquith 
18 Jan 1962 - 28 Feb 1967  Gerald Jackson Bryan               (b. 1921 - d. 2018)
                             (acting to 30 Aug 1962)
Governors
 1 Mar 1967 - 30 Sep 1971  Frederick Joseph Clarke            (b. 1912 - d. 1980)
                             (from 19 Jul 1967, Sir Frederick Joseph Clarke) 
30 Sep 1971 -  5 Oct 1974  Ira Marcus Simmons                 (b. 1917 - d. 1974)
                             (from 11 Jun 1974, Sir Ira Marcus Simmons)
                             (acting to 13 Dec 1973)
29 Nov 1974 - 22 Feb 1979  Sir Allen Montgomery Lewis         (b. 1909 - d. 1993)
King/Queen¹ 
22 Feb 1979 -              the King/Queen of the United Kingdom
Governors-general (representing the British monarch as head of state)
22 Feb 1979 - 19 Jun 1980  Sir Allen Montgomery Lewis         (s.a.)
                             (1st time) 
19 Jun 1980 - 13 Dec 1982  Boswell Bennie Williams            (b. 1926 - d. 2014)
                             (acting to 16 Dec 1981)
13 Dec 1982 - 30 Apr 1987  Sir Allen Montgomery Lewis         (s.a.)
                             (2nd time) 
30 Apr 1987 - 10 Oct 1988  Vincent Frederick Floissac         (b. 1928 - d. 2010)
                             (1st time) (acting)
10 Oct 1988 - 31 May 1996  Stanislaus Anthony James           (b. 1919 - d. 2011)
                             (from 10 Apr 1992, Sir Stanislaus Anthony James)
                             (acting to 22 Feb 1992)
 1 Jun 1996 - 31 Aug 1997  William George Mallet              (b. 1923 - d. 2010) 
                             (from 22 Feb 1997, Sir William George Mallet) 
31 Aug 1997 - 17 Sep 1997  Sir Vincent Frederick Floissac     (s.a.)
                             (2nd time) (acting)
17 Sep 1997 - 31 Dec 2017  Calliopa Pearlette Louisy (f)      (b. 1946)
                             (from 16 Jul 1999, Dame Calliopa Pearlette Louisy)
 1 Jan 2018 - 31 Oct 2021  Emmanuel Neville Cenac             (b. 1939)
                             (from 18 Jan 2018, Sir Emmanuel Neville Cenac)  
                             (took oath of office on 12 Jan 2018)
 1 Nov 2021 -              Cyril Errol Melchiades Charles     (b. 1942)
                             (acting)

Chief ministers
 1 Jan 1960 -  3 Jul 1964  George Frederick Lawrence Charles  (b. 1916 - d. 2004)  SLP
 3 Jul 1964 -  1 Mar 1967  John George Melvin Compton         (b. 1926 - d. 2007)  UWP
Premier
 1 Mar 1967 - 22 Feb 1979  John George Melvin Compton         (s.a.)               UWP
Prime ministers
22 Feb 1979 -  2 Jul 1979  John George Melvin Compton         (s.a.)               UWP
                             (1st time)
 2 Jul 1979 -  4 May 1981  Allan Fitzgerald Laurent Louisy    (b. 1916 - d. 2011)  SLP
 4 May 1981 - 17 Jan 1982  Winston Francis Cenac              (b. 1925 - d. 2004)  SLP
17 Jan 1982 -  3 May 1982  Michael Pilgrim (interim)          (b. 1947)            PLP
 3 May 1982 -  2 Apr 1996  John George Melvin Compton         (s.a.)               UWP
                             (2nd time)
 2 Apr 1996 - 24 May 1997  Vaughan Allen Lewis                (b. 1940)            UWP
24 May 1997 - 15 Dec 2006  Kenny Davis Anthony (1st time)     (b. 1951)            SLP
15 Dec 2006 -  7 Sep 2007  Sir John George Melvin Compton     (s.a.)               UWP
                             (3rd time)
 1 May 2007 - 30 Nov 2011  Stephenson King                    (b. 1958)            UWP
                             (acting to 9 Sep 2007 [for Compton to 7 Sep 2007])
30 Nov 2011 -  7 Jun 2016  Kenny Davis Anthony (2nd time)     (s.a.)               SLP
 7 Jun 2016 - 28 Jul 2021  Allen Michael Chastanet            (b. 1960)            UWP
28 Jul 2021 -              Philip Joseph Pierre               (b. 1954)            SLP

  ¹Full style:
(a) 22 Feb 1979 - 1979: "By the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of The Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith";
(b) 1979 - 8 Sep 2022: "By the Grace of God, Queen of Saint Lucia and of Her other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth";
(c) from 8 Sep 2022: "By the Grace of God, King of Saint Lucia and of His other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth."

Territorial Dispute: Joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large portion of the Caribbean Sea.

Party abbreviations: SLP = Saint Lucia Labour Party (social democratic, center left, est.1949); UWP = United Workers' Party (christian democratic, conservative, est.1964);
- Former parties: PLP = Progressive Labour Party (democratic socialist, split from SLP, May 1981-c.1989)