The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the new United States administration congratulated St. Lucia on its 42nd independence anniversary on Monday.
The regional grouping’s Secretary-General Ambassador Irwin LaRocque said that the island’s many achievements “serve as testimony to the strength and resilience of its exceptionally talented and innovative people.
“It is those characteristics which will enable St. Lucia to continue on its path to sustainable development despite the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic,” LaRocque wrote in a congratulatory message to St. Lucia’s Prime Minister Allen Chastanet as the island marked the occasion under the theme, ‘A Resilient Nation. We can, we will”.
The CARICOM Secretary-General added that St. Lucia’s efforts to advance the regional integration process were most appreciated.
“I am particularly appreciative of your dynamic leadership, as the Head of Government with responsibility in the Quasi-Cabinet for Sustainable Development (including Environment and Disaster Management and Water) and do look forward to St. Lucia’s continued and active engagement in advocating in favour of the Community’s objectives,” Ambassador LaRocque told Chastanet.
Meantime, the Joe Biden administration sent its congratulations through US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken.
“The United States values St. Lucia’s regional leadership and partnership. We continue to take steps forward together in education, entrepreneurship and youth development while combatting the pandemic,” he said.
“We appreciate St. Lucia’s consistent voice for democracy and human rights in the hemisphere.
“We are proud of our strong bilateral relationship, and we look forward to continuing to work with St. Lucia toward a more secure, prosperous, resilient and democratic Caribbean,” he added.
St. Lucia obtained its independence from Britain on February 22, 1979.
CMC