THE recent announcement by the United States of America of its intention to open Diplomatic Missions in two OECS countries has created quite a buzz of discussion amongst the citizens of the OECS countries, and a great deal of speculation as to which of these countries will be selected.
When the United States of America indicated its intention to establish a Mission in one of the OECS countries for the first time some years ago, I was serving in the St. Lucia Senate as a United Workers Party Opposition Senator and the Party’s spoke-person on external matters (1979 – 1982).
Being aware of the excellent benefits that the citizens of St. Lucia would enjoy from such an American presence, especially the tremendous boost it would give to our tourism and hospitality industry, I tabled a private Members Resolution, at a meeting of the Senate, calling on the St. Lucia Government to do whatever it could to ensure that our country would be considered by the Americans as a possible location.
Unfortunately, none of my fellow UWP Senators (Romanus Lansiquot and Cyril Landers) seconded the Resolution and, quite naturally, nor did any of the Government or Independent Senators. Since just weeks before I tabled the resolution, my opposition Senate colleagues had reported me to the Executive of the United Workers Party with the complaint that I was not speaking in support of their contributions at Senate meetings, I guess that by not supporting my Resolution they were sending me a message.
You see, I could never accept that the upper chamber of our Parliament should be merely used as another avenue/opportunity to continue the “political rhetoric” that is spewed all over the place. It was my honest belief that appointment to the Senate gave us a special opportunity to highlight, discuss and promote the issues that really affect and advance the development and growth of our country and its people, regardless of the political party that we represented. Hence the reason for my UWP fellow Senators displeasure with me.
During the discussion that followed the tabling of the Resolution, I was verbally lambasted and taken to task by a female government Senator during which she asked me who did I think I was to want to tell the Americans where to open their Diplomatic Mission. Knowing that not everyone has the ability to “think outside the box”, it was not difficult for me to ignore and forgive her vicious personal attack on me.
In a brief conversation with the President of the Senate (Sir Calixte George) following the Senate Meeting, I was not surprised to hear him express the view that the Resolution was a good one and that he regretted the fact it didn’t get to the next stage. It should be mentioned here that his performance as our Senate President reflected a substantial degree of empathy and a “St. Lucia first” approach in handling the business of the Senate.
It is my humble opinion that he will go down in history as one of the finest Senate Presidents our country has ever produced and, although he threatened to have me removed from the Senate Chamber on one occasion, my respect and affinity for him have grown considerably over the years.
This Resolution was one of many that I tabled during our Senate meetings; some earned the approval of the Senate members, and others didn’t. Amongst those that earned the approval of the Senate were a Resolution calling for improvement and increases in the Benefits provided by the National Insurance Scheme, a resolution that condemned the Russian invasion of Afghanistan, and a Resolution that sought to guarantee Press Freedom in St. Lucia.
As we all know by now, the Americans eventually decided to locate their Diplomatic Mission in Antigua and Barbuda. Years later, when I assumed the appointment as Director of Human Resources and Industrial Relations with Caribbean Hotels Management Services in Antigua (1992 – 1995), I was able to see for myself the tremendous benefits that the people of Antigua and Barbuda were enjoying as a result.
It is not surprising, therefore, that the current Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, the Hon. Gaston Brown, has already (publicly) expressed the hope that his country will be chosen by the Americans once again.
The deadline given by the Americans for the establishment of the Missions in two OECS Countries is December 2024, and it is expected that the Government of every single OECS country will do everything possible to try to impress the Americans that their country is the best place for the Missions.
There are a number of reasons why St. Lucia is very well placed to be more than just favorably considered by the Americans as one of the locations for their Diplomatic Mission. Primary amongst these is the incredible level of “goodwill” that Americans have for our country.
It is a level of goodwill that I have experienced over the years during (a) my direct involvement in the Tourism and Hospitality Industry (1971- 1983), (b) the time I serve as Deputy Chairman of the St. Lucia Tourism Development Board with oversight for the North American market, and St. Lucia’s Director on the Board of the Eastern Caribbean Tourism Association(1982 – 1986) and (c) whilst working with the West Indies Central Labour Organization in Washington, Florida and Vermont on behalf of the Governments of Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Barbados and the OECS countries (1986 – 1990).
Everywhere I went, on learning that I was from St. Lucia, Americans that I came in contact with would talk warmly of our island. Those who had already been to St. Lucia would talk about the beauty of the island and the warmth and kindness of its people, while those who had never been to St. Lucia would talk about the positive comments they had heard about it and their serious intention to visit the island in due course.
However, some of the most heart-warming expressions of support and goodwill for St. Lucia that I have ever heard came during an official visit to Washington D.C., in 1991, by Hon. Romanus Lansiquot (Minister of Health, Information, Broadcasting and Labour) and I (then Minister of State in the Ministry of Health, Information, Broadcasting and Labour (with responsibility for the Labour Portfolio).
During a meeting at the U.S. State Department, it was indeed heartening and rewarding to hear these senior State Department Officials express their love and admiration for St. Lucia and their unwavering support and commitment for the development and growth of our people.
Another reason that should stand St. Lucia in good stead for consideration by the Americans as a prime location for a United States Mission is our history of co-operating and working with the Government of the United States of America, which dates as far back as the Second World War, during the time that their military personnel were operating here.
Some of the benefits to be derived from such an official American presence on St. Lucia are quite substantial, especially in the areas of tourism, travel, migration, off-shore employment, border protection and security, and controlling criminal activity which is getting more sophisticated every day (especially with the advent of the use of drones).
In light of the on-going exemplary performance of the current Minister of External Affairs and his Team, I am very confident that St. Lucia can be one of the two OECS countries chosen by the Americans to locate their Diplomatic Missions; so, let’s make it happen!