Deputy to Governor General Warns of New Challenges for Saint Lucia in ‘A World Walking on Diplomatic Egg Shells!’
Chronicles of a Chronic Caribbean Chronicler
By Earl Bousquet
Deputy to the Governor General, His Excellency Felix Finisterre, delivered the 2026-2027 Throne Speech in the House of Assembly Tuesday morning to a Joint Session of the Upper and Lower Houses of Parliament, in an address that marked the first not delivered by the sitting Head-of-State in the 13 Parliaments since Independence in 1979.
His Excellency arrived, inspected and took the salute from a Guard of Honour by the Royal St. Lucia police Force (RSLPF), before proceeding to the House of Parliament, following the glittering gold-shine mace that symbolizes the presence and authority of the British Throne in the island’s parliament.
The pomp and symbolism moved from the parliamentary courtyard on Laborie Street, Castries, to the parliamentary chamber, occupied by elected members and senators, the diplomatic corps, Governor-General Emerita (GGE) Dame Pearlette Jouisy, Permanent Secretaries and protocol officers and a packed gallery of interested citizens.
As per usual, the House of Assembly (Lower House) comprising elected parliamentarians (MPs) met and the Prime Minister, Hon. Philip J. Pierre, moved a Motion, supported by Leader of the Opposition Allen Chastanet, pledging ‘Loyalty and Allegiance’ to His Majesty, King Charles III.
The motion also called for a Joint Sitting of both Houses, to receive the Throne Speech about to be delivered, on The King’s behalf, by his representative in Saint Lucia (Mr Finisterre, in place of Governor General Sir Cyril Errol Charles, who’s seeking medical attention abroad).
The same process was replayed by the Senate, with President Alvina Reynolds moving the motion.
Thereafter, King Charles’ Throne Speech delivered, with His Excellency outlining what ‘My Government’ will do in the next financial year.
Noting these are unprecedented times and calling on citizens to “Protect our Democracy” and not “Take it for granted…”, His Excellency said the new challenges also demand rethinks of what used to be.
He noted that international diplomacy was no-longer based on “dialogue and compromise” but more these days on “weight”.
But, he said, Saint Lucia will seek to navigate the new times by maintaining and further developing ties with traditional allies and starting new relations “with those that share our ideas.”
Recalling that saint Lucia transitioned from the British Privy Council to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) on July 20, 2023, His Excellency said Constitutional Review proposals left decades ago by the late Justice Suzie d’Auvergne will be revisited, including that of the position of Head-of-State.
He said his government was keeping its eyes on the volatility of international energy prices and their impact on Saint Lucia’s prices for “vehicle fuel, cooking gas and food, as well as aviation fuel” – the latter “with implications for tourism.”
Noting that Climate Change continues to be “an existential problem”, the Deputy to the GG signalled government intends to revisit the nation’s quests for alternative energy – also calling on citizens to “Respect out Environment!”
He promised government “will continue observing” the global movements, but assured that “major projects will continue” — including delivery of the Halls of Justice project next year (barring unforeseen circumstances).
His Excellency warned the next year will test islanders’ resilience, but he felt challenges can be overcome if the nation unites like never before.
And he ended the King’s Throne Speech urging fellow saint Lucians to invoke the 2026 Independence theme of ‘Moving Forward Together’ (‘Douvan Ansam’) to face the coming challenging year, during which the world will continue walking “on diplomatic egg-shells”.
The speech – never mind its official designation – was also somewhat historic for other reasons.
For example, beneath all the ceremonial symbolism lay a fundamental reality that many younger onlookers or innocent observers commented on and questioned about:
Why the Parliament of an independent and sovereign Saint Lucia has to pledge ‘Loyalty and Allegiance’ to the King of England and why the speech outlining an elected government’s policies is being delivered in the name of the King.
His Excellency’s indication that the next constitutional review would revisit the position of Head of State drew light applause from those who read undeclared interpretations.
The number of such inquiries from persons who felt the island had put its sovereignty on ice also reveals a welcome indication that more Saint Lucians want to feel more independent from the British Crown 47 years after independence.
But it also reveals another important factor: insufficient public understanding of Saint Lucia’s post-colonial constitutional relationship with the UK, both as a former British colony and as a member of the (British) Commonwealth, in which even republics have to recognize the UK monarch as their Head of State.
Britain’ relationship with The Commonwealth today has its growing strains, among them demands for Reparations for Slavery and Native Genocide and equal demands for return of stolen artefacts.
Britain and fellow European nations that benefitted from The Worst Crime Against Humanity (as Trans-Atlantic Slavery is now designated by the United Nations) collectively abstained in the related March 26 UN General Assembly vote that saw 133 For and only three Against, with 52 Abstentions.
Britain’s three major political parties (Labour, Conservatives and Reform) all reject Caribbean claims for Reparations and Reform – leading the popularity polls ahead of coming national elections – has threatened to ban visa entry for countries demanding Reparations, which includes a growing number of Commonwealth member-states.
But while Britain and its European allies ensured the wealth of the nations in the Commonwealth wasn’t commonly shared, they also ensured leaving their colonial navel strings in the Caribbean after independence by bequeathing constitutions to the new nations that also still determine how former colons govern themselves after nationhood.
This is simply a new age when, even six decades after independence, Caribbean citizens have started showing some disgust in their citizenship being subject to imperial (neo-colonial) parliamentary and legislative requirements and practices that put the island’s sovereignty on the back burner, or in the freezer — even though momentarily.