Government of Saint Lucia

Approximately 100 secondary and tertiary students have begun this year's Government Summer Employment Programme, gaining valuable workplace experience, practical skills and career development opportunities across the public service.

Government is expanding investment in fisheries through improved landing sites, modern processing facilities, cold storage and new technologies to boost food security, support fisherfolk and grow fish exports.

Agriculture Minister Hon. Lisa Jawahir says the future of the banana industry lies in modernization, diversification and improved export standards to build a more resilient and competitive agricultural sector.

The Ministry of Agriculture is placing agri-processing at the heart of its Green Revolution strategy, aiming to add value to local produce, reduce food imports, create jobs and strengthen Saint Lucia's food security.

CARICOM Heads of Government concluded their 51st Regular Meeting with a renewed commitment to tackling the region's high cost of living through trade reform, renewable energy investments and strengthened regional cooperation.

The ECCB Monetary Council reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening oversight of Citizenship by Investment Programmes while engaging the European Union on proposed visa policy changes and safeguarding a vital source of revenue for member states.

Saint Lucia's Olympic champion Julien Alfred delivered another sensational performance, clocking a personal best of 21.51 seconds to win the women's 200 metres at the Monaco Diamond League, recording the third-fastest time in history.

ECCB Governor Timothy Antoine says the EC dollar continues to be one of the region's greatest achievements, with strong financial performance and a renewed focus on building resilience, economic transformation and sustainable prosperity.

The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank has introduced a redesigned family of EC banknotes and coins featuring distinguished Caribbean nation builders in place of the British monarch, celebrating the region's shared identity while preserving the EC dollar's trusted legacy.

In the headlines: The ECCB unveils new EC bank notes honouring Caribbean icons and Julien Alfred blazes through a historic 200m victory in Monaco For details on these stories and more, visit www.govt.lc

In the headlines: CARICOM leaders advance regional solutions to tackle costs of living and greater enthesis placed on Agro -processing For details on these stories and more, visit www.govt.lc

The Central Statistical Office, the Department of Equity, and UNICEF successfully wrapped up a three-day workshop reviewing preliminary data from the 7th round of the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS-7). The survey tracks internationally comparable data on the health, education, and well-being of local women and children to guide future policy decisions.

Saint Lucia's Resilient Renewable Energy Infrastructure Investment Facility has built dedicated scholarships and apprenticeships directly into its program. Public Utilities Minister Hon. Stephenson King highlights this as a direct effort to increase female participation in the energy sector and build a skilled workforce for the green transition.

During the 51st regular meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government in Saint Lucia, Prime Minister and CARICOM Chairman Hon. Philip J. Pierre signed an agreement officially instating French Guiana as an associate member, hailing it as a major step forward for regional integration.

The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Agriculture have launched joint discussions to better align schooling, vocational training, and lifelong learning with Saint Lucia's "10 Pillars of the Green Revolution Agenda." The initiative has already secured a commitment for scholarships from IICA (Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture).

The Ministry of Education met with teachers and CXC officials to assess the Caribbean Primary Exit Assessment (CPEA) program alongside Saint Lucia's new curriculum. The focus is on standardizing student competence across the region, addressing classroom challenges, and easing student transitions between Caribbean education systems.

In the headlines: French Guiana becomes CARICOM's 8th associate member and education stakeholders review CPEA implementation ahead of the new school year For details on these stories and more, visit www.govt.lc

At the CARICOM Reparations Forum, the Executive Director of the DBRP argues that true reparations must be viewed as a blueprint for sustainable development and systemic change rather than a mere financial payout.

Delivering his farewell remarks at the 51st Heads of Government Meeting, Hon. Dr. Terence Drew expresses optimism for the Caribbean's future, stressing that respectful dialogue among member states has reinforced regional integration.

Following a request from Trinidad and Tobago, CARICOM agrees to secure an advisory opinion from the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) regarding the Secretary General's reappointment process, maintaining the status quo in the interim.