Letters & Opinion

Who Is Gilbert Chagoury?

By Peter Josie
By Peter Josie

THAT’S A question many Saint Lucians are asking since the announcement by Her Excellency the Governor General, of the Independence Day awards, marking thirty-six years of political freedom for her island.

For my part, the highlight of the recent observances was neither the military parade in the north nor the dance and frolic and ‘theatre’ in the south. Instead, it was the official naming of the list of honorees. Among those was one name which stuck out like a sore thumb, and which surprised many. I refer of course to none other than ‘Gilbert Chagoury.’

Whence cometh Gilbert Chagoury and what is his claim to fame? Let me rephrase that question: What did Gilbert Chagoury do for the people of Saint Lucia to qualify as a recipient of the prestigious Order of Saint Lucia – the Saint Lucia Cross (SLC)? This is one of the highest honours this island can confer to deserving persons. One ought therefore to know who nominated Chagoury and why?

I am confident that no Saint Lucian at home or overseas will question the SLC which was conferred on Doctor Martin Didier, one who needs no introduction to Saint Lucians twenty-one years and over. Surely Dr. Didier along with several other medical practitioners, whom I can name, is deserving of such high accolade. Several medical professionals have chosen to render their expertise to this island at great personal sacrifice and cost to themselves and their families. These men and women could have been earning millions in more developed countries. Instead, they chose to serve the people of Saint Lucia who are grateful for the services of these dedicated men and women.

This tickles more questions such as: Is Gilbert Chagoury a medical professional who has rendered yeoman service to Saint Lucia? Was he one of those who helped George Charles, Oleo Jn. Baptiste, Charles Augustine and others establish trade unionism in Saint Lucia? Is he a local fire officer who fought destructive fires in Castries and Soufriere in times past? Was he one of the early educators who set his mark on the island that produced two Nobel Laureates and many other excellent sons and daughters? Who indeed is Gilbert Chagoury; where was he born, how did he come to such national prominence in Saint Lucia and what (or who) sustains his island connections?

For answer, I turned to Rick Wayne, whom I consider a proficient national archivist. I then discovered that Rick had mentioned Gilbert Chagoury in his weekly talk show last Thursday, February 26. Rick had not only questioned the ‘honourable’ Chagoury’s SLC award, and also expressed an intention to pursue the matter in his Star newspaper. I should watch ‘Talk’ on Thursday evenings and be certain to read the Star newspaper.

Let me be clear, I first heard the name Gilbert Chagouray some thirty or so years ago in certain government circles. It appeared at the time that Chagoury had been introduced to Prime Minister Compton as a ‘filthy-rich’ investor who wanted to lavish his well earned money on the poor island of Saint Lucia. The island had just emerged from years of colonialism into full political independence. I did not hear that name again until recently. I assumed the man had either returned to his native land or that he had suffered and died from an excessive dose of prosperity. No mention of a requiem or a tribute was reported.

Still, the question why now, and, why Gilbert Chagoury, begs itself! I therefore ask again, how did the name Gilbert Chagouryreach the National Awards Committee and what is his history of service to the people of Saint Lucia? When was he first named ‘Ambassador’ and how has he managed to survive when so many others have been axed by vengeful newly minted ‘Lucian’ politicians. Who first introduced him to Prime Minister Compton? How did he survive the axe of new Labour? Remember, dear reader that, new Labour was determined to overturn everything which Compton had either touched or built or appointed? In this regard readers ought to be curious to discover the love fest between successive Governments, and the man Gilbert Chagoury.

Whilst this year’s national awards – and Gilbert Chicory in particular – coursed through my mind the following quotation surfaced and defined my feelings. It was delivered by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (not ‘I Have a Dream’) in which he adopted a poem by James Russell Lovell, (1845) titled “The Present Crisis.”
“Once to every man and nation comes a moment to decide,
In the strife of truth and falsehood, for the good or evil side;
Some great cause, God’s new Messiah, offering each the bloom of blight,
And the choice goes by forever twixt that darkness and that light.
Though the cause of Evil prosper, yeti’s Truth alone is strong
Truth forever on the scaffold, Wrong forever on the throne, –
Yet that scaffold sways the future, and, behind the dim unknown,
Standeth God within the shadow, keeping watch above his own.”

Perhaps a more deserving tribute on the 36th anniversary of Saint Lucia’s independence belongs to the Cabinet Secretary whose vision and creative energy has amply demonstrated that independence is much more than a date. It is a state of mind – a journey undertaken through the collective will of a people determined to add to the broader good. That Saint Lucian journey, partially told in recent pictu0.res in Castries, should serve to inspire a new generation.

Oh, how I wish there was some picture or record of Gilbert Chagoury at work on that journey.

6 Comments

    1. Very poor article Peter. A lot of words saying nothing. We who have read Rick Wayne’s work know who Chagoury is. Apparently you have not read his work.

  1. Charity begins at home but it is always more bountiful from abroad n’est pas?
    Come now “Saint Pete” are you the holy apostle of Fair Helen or are you Holey Swiss Cheese.

    From my disadvantageous sky scraper in El Norte the planning and deployment of the festivities had BALANCE . Please read and digest Mr Stan Bishop’s overview.
    Formality and Festivity were geographically decentralized- very important for nation building.

    AND YOU A FORMER POLITICAL REP OF THE SOUTH found the action in the south to not merit
    even a stiff upper lip conservative TORY hooray. Would you have preferred the masses of common folks dressed in their only Sunday best wardrobe , sipping Red Rose Tea at High noon, while watching a Skyped Throne room room address streaming from Buckingham.-
    to be followed by a polo (horses) exhibition match between visiting Commonwealth teams and for their supper, perhaps a free Shepherds or Mutton pie for each participant -jetted in via BA and VA airlines prepared by the Nightingale society of Leeds.

    You have finally convinced me that the mean spirited, scowling visage of the power for power grabbing sake mantra you represent-currently, need to be in power -even if for a fortnight- so that the masses can first hand feel the flames of your version of tortured torchiere braising their Glutus Maximus- with glee. Then, and only then will that full tilt REVOLUTION a la Les Miserables’ that you so yearned to internalize and lead from Garand in the North to Laborie in the South- in your Odlum years – come to fruition.
    You did have a dream, oui?
    You looked so macho and handsome in Che style Beret, aviator glasses, Olive bush jacket and deep Khaki pants and permanent sheen black military shoes.

    Here is a tune from the masses celebrating independence in your former political bastion @ VFort.gov; to help you to loosen up your stuffy Surrey cravat and Piccadilly loafers -in the here and now:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToAHD9hFhe0

  2. Dassault Mirage
    Prophet of the Desert you should have sent him the original version of that strictly roots song -vintage ’78

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YROAOQNftJM

    Holy gyroscopes that Donna and Althea duet still so fresh like a hedge of early dawn dewey Hibiscus. 🙂
    If this original version can’t put the Dub in His Rub
    then we can assume that he has become an eunuch – a high priest in Pharaoh’s temple of Gloom

  3. Peter can find all of his answers on the WEB:

    “Gilbert Chagoury was born to Lebanese immigrant parents in Lagos, Nigeria. He studied at the College des Freres Chretiens in Lebanon before returning to Nigeria.

    In 1971, he founded the Chagoury Group, an industrial conglomerate with interests in construction, real estate and property development, flour mills, water bottling and purification, glass manufacturing, insurance, hotels, furniture manufacturing, telecommunications, IT, catering and international financing. Gilbert and Ronald Chagoury founded C & C Construction in the late 1970s, which was the forerunner of Hitech and ITB (these now form the Construction Division of the Chagoury group of Companies).

    Through their ownership of the Chagoury Group, Gilbert Chagoury and family have an estimated wealth of $4.2 billion.

    He served as an Ambassador and Adviser to governments in Africa and the Americas. He has also served as Ambassador to the Vatican for St. Lucia, economic adviser to President Mathieu Kérékou of Benin, and ambassador to UNESCO.

    Ghagoury was a close associate of Nigerian dictator, General Sani Abacha, who helped his business interests in the country. After Abacha died in 1998, Chagoury returned an estimated $300 million to the Nigerian government to secure his indemnity from possible criminal charges.

    Chagoury has been a supporter of Bill and Hilary Clinton since the 1990s. He has funded their election campaigns and is a major donor to the Clinton Foundation.

    In 2010, ABC News reported on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s apology to Chagoury.

    … He serves on the board of the Lebanese American University where he provided a donation of $10 million to fund the Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine and $3.5 million for the construction of the Alice Ramez Chagoury School of Nursing.

    The Louvre’s Gilbert et Rose Marie Chagoury Gallery is named for them, housing a permanent exhibit including French works donated by the Chagourys. He has donated in excess of $340,000 for the renovations of the Church of Our Lady of Lebanon in Paris, France. He has also donated US$10,000 to the Beverly Hills 9/11 Memorial Garden in Beverly Hills, California.

    He is married to Rose Marie Chamchoum of Miziara in Northern Lebanon since 1969.”

  4. This was the most ‘ped temps’ article I have every read. It felt like watching a bad movie with glaring plot holes throughout… pointless.

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