Press Statement — The Saint Lucia National Trust (the Trust) acknowledges the Minister of Tourism’s recent remarks concerning the management of Saint Lucia’s historic and natural treasure, the Pigeon Island National Landmark (the Landmark).
With a proud partnership with the Saint Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival spanning thirty-one years, the Trust is advocating for a collaborative, strategic and solutions-oriented approach to address the evolving venue management landscape, while upholding sustainability and heritage conservation.
The Saint Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival is recognised as one of the premier events in the Caribbean and is poised for continued significant growth: The Trust is cognizant of the need for a symbiotic relationship between heritage conservation, culture and tourism, and emphasizes mutual respect for each sector’s values and priorities. We firmly believe that through open dialogue and collaboration, a harmonious balance can be achieved – one that carefully safeguards our heritage assets for future generations, while harnessing the potential of our vital tourism industry.
As Saint Lucians, we cherish our island’s rich history, often referred to as the “Helen of the West” for its unparalleled beauty and the storied conflicts between the French and British. Pigeon Island National Landmark stands as a tangible testament to this narrative.
Preceding the causeway’s construction linking Pigeon Island to mainland Saint Lucia, visionaries including Sir Julian Hunte and Robert Devaux, advocated for its preservation as a heritage park. They were successful and their efforts also culminated in the establishment of the Trust, dedicated to safeguarding Saint Lucia’s heritage. As Sir Julian emphasized on Earth Day 2022, “Our job is to ensure that we do not throw away our patrimony.”
While the Landmark has become a favoured venue for tourism and events, it’s essential to recognize its primary role as an internationally recognised historic heritage park. The Trust collaborates closely with tourism operators and event organizers to ensure sustainable use of this unique heritage space, steered by legislation such as the Trust Act and Pigeon Island Byelaws. These laws provide clear guidelines for site usage and maintaining the delicate balance between utilization and conservation.
The Trust consistently urges event organizers to adhere to the regulations, along with the 2009 Cabinet-approved Mass Crowd Events Guidelines, which set standards and safety requirements. However, the Landmark’s historic layout and fragile historic structures pose undeniable challenges for hosting large-scale events. As event sizes grow, it becomes increasingly unsustainable and unsafe to continue exceeding a certain capacity at the Landmark: Pigeon Island National Landmark can foreseeably maintain its crucial role in the Jazz Festival by hosting smaller, more intimate events, allowing the larger events transition to larger, more suitable venues.
In response to this challenge, the Trust has taken proactive measures: An audit of Festival events at Pigeon Island National Landmark was conducted by events management expert Ms. Bernadette Albert; The findings, shared with Festival Management partners in August 2023, underscore the need for updated venue management strategies.
The Saint Lucia National Trust is committed to this process of dialogue, and to collaboratively seek solutions that uphold the integrity of Pigeon Island National Landmark and Saint Lucia’s heritage other spaces, while pursuing sustainable tourism practices.