Government Clarifies Position On Country’s Patrimony

The Government of Saint Lucia has clarified its position on the issue of the Country’s Patrimony as it relates to public access to beaches and other recreational areas.

Tourism and Investment Minister Dr. Ernest Hilaire, in a recent interview, noted that securing Saint Lucia’s patrimony is vital to the overall developmental sustainability of the country.

According to the minister, a clear message is being sent out to investors that “development must be in sync with patrimony”.

In light of the latest issue whereby the Cabot developers Queen’s Chain Lease was rescinded, members of the public now have access to beaches along the northeast coast, at Cas En Bas, Donkey, and Secret beaches. When the matter of Cabot developers seeking to occupy beach lands for its project’s development came up, it escalated into a matter of much controversy and public concern with environmentalists and other enthusiasts strongly disapproving of the move.

“It makes a very powerful statement in terms of our concept of foreign investment …and investors know that when they come to St Lucia, we place patrimony very high on our agenda,” said Hilaire. He noted that this move was intended to set the tone for future foreign-investment developmental projects and not necessarily to deter foreign investors from coming to the destination.

“When investors come to Saint Lucia they would know that issues of the public access to beaches are fundamental to Saint Lucians and what we have done is to secure for Saint Lucians the access to established and long-standing traditional areas that they have used for recreation,” the tourism minister added.

A series of archaeological studies undertaken by experts at the bequest of the St Lucia National Trust (SLNT) personnel, revealed Amerindian ‘burial ground’, artifacts, and other relics found at a site within the Cabot Project.

According to Hilaire, the preservation of the country’s indigenous cultural heritage remains a top priority for the St Lucia Labour Party (SLP) administration.

Speaking on the Amerindian settlement issue, he said, the government wants to send out a message to investors that “when you do come to St. Lucia, these things do matter to us as a people…that our patrimony, our traditions, our heritage, it does matter to us.

“So come to a destination that places value on people, on history and to use that as a selling point for our country …we can be a destination that is charming, sophisticated, and a destination that has a soul and a personality,” Hilaire said.

He asserted:  “The best way to do that is to ensure that your history is preserved, your identity is secured.”

The minister said the government wants developers to be aware that while prospective projects may generate jobs and economic activity, nonetheless, the developments must be in harmony with the socio-economic lives of the people.

“Any investor who is conscious of the context (that) they invest, should be conscious of this and have to take note and appreciate the fact that as a people we are putting those things high up on the national agenda,” Hilaire declared.