Saint Lucia

Governance and the Rule of Law

• Saint Lucia had avoided community spread of COVID-19 throughout the pandemic until a relatively large and unprecedented spike in cases began in January 2021. As of April, case numbers have fallen drastically. 
• Saint Lucia remains in a state of emergency and has extended its nighttime curfew until mid-May 2021. 
• After beginning its National Vaccination Program on February 17, 2021, Saint Lucia is preparing to enter the second phase of its COVID-19 Vaccination Campaign, which targets workers in the transportation, education, and tourism sectors.  As of mid-April 2021, 23,688 people have been vaccinated. The country is set to receive an additional 74,400 AstraZeneca vaccines through the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access Facility (COVAX). 
• After nearly three months of mandated social distancing measures and limits on travel, the government opened the country back up for tourism in June.
• Saint Lucia requires that all visitors are tested for COVID-19 before they are permitted to depart from their home countries. This protocol has been key to mitigating the spread of COVID-19.  
• Saint Lucia’s government has implemented a phased response to the health, social, and economic challenges presented by COVID-19. The first phase addressed immediate public health concerns, while the second phase included social stabilization programs  implemented by the Department of Equity. 
• Saint Lucia is currently in the third phase of its COVID-19 response, the Economic Recovery and Resilience phase. Designed in cooperation with public and private stakeholders, the plan includes 32 interventions focused on stimulating the economy, spurring capital investment, and preparing for future health and climate crises. 
• Saint Lucia is frequently affected by natural disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes, droughts, floods, and landslides, usually causing significant physical and financial damage. The country’s climate of disaster-preparedness has likely contributed to its prudent response to the COVID-19 Crisis.
• Saint Lucia accelerated the opening and transition to the new Owen King European Union (OKEU) Hospital while reserving the older Victoria Hospital as a respiratory facility. 
• Public scrutiny over Saint Lucia’s Respiratory Hospital, Victoria Hospital, led the Ministry of Health to refurbish and expand the hospital as part of a World Bank project. 
• Residents of the Southern portion of the island are calling for the creation of a health facility to address the spread of COVID-19 at St. Jude Hospital. 
• Doctors and nurses were requested from Cuba to help build capacity for local doctors in preparation for an increased caseload.

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Growth and Innovation

• Tax revenue is estimated to have decreased by 50-60% over the course of the pandemic, presenting a significant fiscal challenge for the country. 
• Saint Lucia’s economy is heavily dependent upon tourism, with the sector accounting for approximately 40% of its GDP. Though contractions and job losses in the tourism sector have been devastating to the economy given the country’s lack of economic diversity, leaders remain optimistic that tourism will rebound, albeit slowly.
• Cruise ships are expected to return to Saint Lucia this summer. Their return is highly anticipated and serves as a sign of hope that the country’s tourism sector will begin its recovery. 
• The Saint Lucia Tourism Authority has launched public relations and marketing campaigns in an attempt to boost tourism. In its campaigns, the Tourism Authority has focused on Saint Lucia’s stable COVD-19 situation and Prime Minister Allen Chastanet’s effective pandemic response. 
• In spite of a dampened tourism outlook, the Hyatt Hotels Corporation has begun construction on Saint Lucia’s first Grand Hyatt Hotel. 
• The Saint Lucia Development Bank will provide a combination of loan and grant support to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with a focus on food security and adoption of digital technologies. 
• A “Love Saint Lucia” campaign was launched to support farmers and fishers by improving consumer awareness and increasing domestic market share of local products. 
• Despite these efforts, the Saint Lucian economy is expected to contract by 8.5% in 2020 due to the prolonged effects of the pandemic and the economic lockdown. 

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Social and Cultural Inclusion

• The production company A.C.I.D. Kreationz has created fun and informational public service announcements to bring awareness and how to stop the spread of COVID-19. 
• They Often Cry Outreach (TOCO), a Saint Lucian non-profit organization, organized an online fundraising event to repatriate 94 nationals stranded outside the country. 
• A small group of Saint Lucian musicians released a public education campaign titled “Together We Can Win This War” to bring awareness and personal responsibility to fighting COVID-19. 
• Sports officer and journalist Kenson Casimir raised over $20,000 for food and beverage vendors who have lost significant income via an online fundraiser attracting 50,000 viewers.

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Select resources for Saint Lucia:

Governance and the Rule of Law:

Breaking Travel News. (2020, July 08). St. Lucia unveils new arrival protocols as tourism reopens. https://www.breakingtravelnews.com/news/article/st-lucia-unveils-new-arrival-protocols-as-tourism-reopens/.

Caribbean National Weekly. (2020, July 13). St. Lucia Government Unveils Multi-million Dollar Economic Recovery Plan. https://www.caribbeannationalweekly.com/caribbean-breaking-news-featured/st-lucia-government-unveils-multi-million-dollar-economic-recovery-plan/.

Dowrich-Phillips, L. (2020, May 19). Saint Lucia opening borders to US visitors as tourism plan announced. https://www.looptt.com/content/saint-lucia-opening-borders-us-visitors-tourism-plan-announced-5.

Emanuel, Kingsley. (2020, November 15). Residents Call for Respiratory Hospital in the South. Loop News St. Lucia. https://www.loopslu.com/content/residents-call-respiratory-hospital-south.

Government of Saint Lucia. (2020, April/May). SOCIAL STABILIZATION PROGRAMME (PHASE 1) [Press release]. https://rcistlucia.com/social-stabilization-programme-phase-1/.

————. (2020, September 11). Prime Minister optimistic about tourism sector comeback. http://www.govt.lc/news/prime-minister-optimistic-about-tourism-sector-comeback.

Ministry of Health and Wellness. (2020). Saint Lucia’s COVID Dashboard. https://www.covid19response.lc/.

Prevention Web. (2020, August 5). Facing drought, COVID-19, and hurricane season, Saint Lucia bolsters its disaster risk financing plans. PreventionWeb.net. https://www.preventionweb.net/news/view/73041.

Saint Lucia Ministry of Health and Wellness. (2021). SAINT LUCIA’S COVID-19 DASHBOARD. www.covid19response.lc/.

St. Lucia News. (2020, March 23).  St. Lucia airports closed to arriving passengers. https://www.stlucianewsonline.com/breaking-news-st-lucia-airports-closed-to-arriving-passengers/.

————. (2020, September 24). Saint Lucia Tourism Authority launches strategic campaigns to boost tourism recovery. https://www.stlucianewsonline.com/saint-lucia-tourism-authority-launches-strategic-campaigns-to-boost-tourism-recovery/.

————. (2020, November 12). Gov’t “Working Overtime” to Improve Respiratory Hospital – Chastanet. https://www.stlucianewsonline.com/govt-working-overtime-to-improve-respiratory-hospital-chastanet/.

Saint Lucia Times. (2021, March 11). Curfew Adjusted to 9:00PM Effective March 17. https://stluciatimes.com/curfew-adjusted-to-900pm-effective-march-17/.

————. (2021, March 18). Over 19,000 Get COVID-19 Jab – Phase Two of Vaccination Drive Coming. https://stluciatimes.com/over-19000-get-covid-19-jab-phase-two-of-vaccination-drive-coming/.

Growth and Innovation:

The Jamaica Observer. (2020, October 9). St Lucia to Get 345-Room Grand Hyatt Hotel. http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/business-report/st-lucia-to-get-345-room-grand-hyatt-hotel_204970?profile=1009.

MacDonald, S. B. (2020, July 03). COVID-19, the Caribbean and what comes next. https://theglobalamericans.org/2020/07/covid-19-the-caribbean-and-what-comes-next/.

McLeod, S. (2020, July 13). St. Lucia Government Unveils Multi-million Dollar Economic Recovery Plan. The Caribbean National. https://www.caribbeannationalweekly.com/caribbean-breaking-news-featured/st-lucia-government-unveils-multi-million-dollar-economic-recovery-plan/.

Srinivasan, K., Muñoz, S., & Chensavasdijai, V. (2020, April 30). COVID-19 Pandemic and the Caribbean: Navigating Uncharted Waters. International Monetary Fund. https://blogs.imf.org/2020/04/29/covid-19-pandemic-and-the-caribbean-navigating-uncharted-waters/.

St. Lucia Times. (2020, June 30).  “Love Saint Lucia” Campaign to be Launched. https://stluciatimes.com/love-saint-lucia-campaign-to-be-launched/.

————. (2020, July 20). Saint Lucia’s economic recovery budget is $579 million. https://www.stlucianewsonline.com/saint-lucias-economic-recovery-budget-is-579-million/.

————. (2021, February 16). Saint Lucia Announces Changes to COVID-19 Prevention and Control Measures. stluciatimes.com/saint-lucia-announces-changes-to-covid-19-prevention-control-measures/.

Social and Cultural Inclusion:

Caymanian Times. (2020, June 15). St Lucian gives Gros Islet vendors $20k. https://www.caymaniantimes.ky/news/st-lucian-gives-gros-islet-vendors-20k.

St. Lucia News. (2020, March 26). Saint Lucian artistes join fight against coronavirus. https://www.stlucianewsonline.com/saint-lucian-artistes-join-fight-against-coronavirus/.

————. (2020, June 10). Kenson Casimir Raises Over $20,000 For Vendors. https://stluciatimes.com/kenson-casimir-raises-over-20000-for-vendors/.

They Often Cry Outreach. (2020, June 14). Government Facilitates Repatriation Flight from the United States. https://www.theyoftencryoutreach.org/article/16528-government-facilitates-repatriation-flight-from-the-united-states.