St. Lucia has earned the enviable accolade of being one of the most fun-loving destinations in the Caribbean, both for regional and extra-regional travelers, an accolade that speaks directly to the much-needed tourism dollar.
That, however, is not all that this wonderful island is known for. Like a few other regional destinations there are some picturesque physical attributes that make this island a unique specimen in world travel including the world-famous Pitons and the Sulfur Springs among others.
Then there are those things that we have come to be known for that may seem, to some, to be an accomplishment but in actual fact are less than complimentary.
One such area is the level of drinking that has gradually permeated into local society to now be almost seen as a societal norm, a national pastime.
Quite apart from being unofficially crowned the chicken eating capital of the world, we are also fingered as the alcohol centre of the region, particularly when looking at certain brands. These reported per capita assessments, whether accurate or not, whether true or not, are certainly not accolades to be proud of. What is true is that the island has seen an increase in alcohol-related, non-communicable diseases (NCD), a worrying trend that can derail progress in a small ailing health system.
But how has increased alcohol consumption seemingly become a national pastime? Undoubtedly a difficult question for the average St. Lucian to answer, one that may require a more scientific approach, however, there is one particular trend that is key to any assessment being done on the issue; the number of bars that now exist on this small island.
If Gros Islet as a constituency has approximately 24,000 voting age adults and may have approximately 100 bars, it means there is a bar for every 240 individuals. But then a large majority of individuals do not go to bars so there may very well be a bar for every 120 residents. And what of even smaller constituencies like Castries Central where there exist approximately 9000 voting age adults and feature bars numbering near 50. These are all loose figures, but the point is made.
This year, like every other year, our drink champions will take center stage, at the upcoming jazz festival, and surely at the 2026 version of St. Lucia Carnival and every other event, not excluding Jounen Kweyol.
Some may be eager to suggest that there isn’t an issue and that it’s a simple case of St. Lucians just enjoying themselves. While a drink at a social event or “hangout” may be a vice that most of us enjoy, overindulgence remains the overarching issue.
It has been scientifically proven that binge drinking (4-5+ drinks in 2 hours) and heavy drinking (8-15+ drinks/week) severely impacts physical and mental health. It increases the risk of cancer, liver disease, cardiovascular issues (stroke, heart disease), and immune system damage. For the drinking St. Lucian, 4 drinks in two hours seem like child’s play particularly at our major celebration events.
Let it not be said that the ill health of our nation is a mystery. St. Lucia seems to have drunk itself into a less than sober quagmire and there is not fix in sight.
Then again, it is the weekend and what’s a little drink. After all, isn’t the “Spirit of St. Lucia?”