Castries, Feb. 22, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Government of Saint Lucia has invited all Saint Lucians at home and in the diaspora to come together for the observance of the 44th anniversary of attaining Independence.  

This year the theme is Douvan Ansanm which means One People. Shaping our Destiny. A string of activities have been planned to accentuate the nation’s pride, engender community spirit and build comradery amongst all Saint Lucians. 

Prime Minister of Saint Lucia, Hon. Philip J. Pierre encouraged members of the diaspora to join the Independence celebrations. He spoke to the importance of tapping into the skills of Saint Lucians living overseas. 

“We would like for them to share their talents. There are doctors, scientists, and people who have a wealth of experience and knowledge. We need them to come and share their experiences with Saint Lucia.” 

Chair of the National Independence Committee, Ben Emanuel, explained that the intent is to build off on the momentum of last year’s celebrations. He said one of the objectives of the committee is to ensure that the 2023 activities provide opportunities for participation at all levels. 

“We will have national events and we will also have district and community events; the idea being that we really want to bring people together,” he said. “So we will have zonal activities—activities by various sectors, but at all levels of the community, we will see the participation of people. In fact, some of the events will really bring people back into Independence activities for example our military rally. We made an attempt this year to ensure that we maximize community participation.” 

A bit of history 

Saint Lucia Independence Day is celebrated annually on February 22 to commemorate the day when Saint Lucia gained its complete independence from the United Kingdom in 1979. First inhabited by the Arawaks and Caribs, Saint Lucia was colonized by the French and British in the 17th century. Previously called Iyanola by the Arawaks and later Hewanorra by the Caribs, Saint Lucia was also known as Helen of the West Indies due to being frequently switched between French and British control.  

The French were the first Europeans to settle on Saint Lucia, signing a treaty with the Caribs in 1660. In 1663, the British took control of the island. They were then at war with the French 14 times, resulting in frequent changes in the rule on the island. In 1814 Saint Lucia was officially ceded to the British by the French as part of the Treaty of Paris, and it became one of the British Windward Islands colonies. Saint Lucia joined the West Indies Federation in 1958 and became a self-governing island as a member of the West Indies Associated States in 1967. On February 22, 1979, Saint Lucia achieved its complete independence under Sir John Compton of the conservative United Workers Party (U.W.P.). 

Make Saint Lucia your second home 

Saint Lucia is an amazing island known for its majestic Piton mountains, refreshing waterfalls, spectacular hiking trails, beautiful beaches, drive-in volcanoes, local street parties, and exclusive restaurants. 

On deciding the best part of Saint Lucia to stay in, the south is best for adventurous and active travelers, who want to be close to some of the exciting natural attractions available there, including waterfall explorations, trips to therapeutic mineral baths, and more. Then, the north is where all the action happens, with the hotels and all-inclusive luxury resorts.  

Not only that, investors can access business opportunities via Saint Lucia’s Citizenship by Investment Programme (CIP) and tap into one of the fastest-growing economies in the Caribbean region.  

As a famous internal getaway destination, Saint Lucia offers a range of luxury real estate options. 

The Alpina Saint Lucia Hotel and the Alpina Square offers investors the chance to invest in the southern part of the island, about a 5-minute drive from the Hewanorra International Airport.  

These locations also provide easy access to main tourist attractions along the unspoiled Caribbean Sea on the western coastline, including the Pitons (Saint Lucia’s UNESCO World Heritage Site), the historic town of Soufriere, the Soufriere Sulphur Springs, and the Diamond Falls and Botanical Gardens. 

Adjacent to one another, The Alpina Saint Lucia Hotel will be managed by Alpina Management AG, the management company of The Alpina Mountain Resort & Spa in Tschiertschen, Switzerland. The Alpina Square on the other hand will be managed by The Alpina Saint Lucia Hotel which houses premium commercial and retail spaces. 

The Saint Lucia Canelles Resort is a luxury resort developed by the Galaxy Group, and managed by AMResorts, a subsidiary of Apple Leisure Group. 

With two brands, Dreams and Zoetry, plus Canelles Oceanfront Apartments, the resort offers a high level of luxury for couples and those with children in ideal beachfront settings. With spacious rooms and suites, graciously appointed and luxuriously equipped, it will provide a picture-perfect vacation experience with welcoming service and romantic inclusions. 

Hyatt Hotels has recently announced that it will undergo transformative growth in 2023, with a record pipeline of 117,000 rooms worldwide as of year-end 2022, one of which 10 percent is classified as a lifestyle hotel and illustrating Hyatt’s leadership position in the luxury, lifestyle, and leisure segments. According to the group, a notable driver of this growth is the announced asset-light acquisition of Dream Hotel Group’s lifestyle hotel brand and management platform which is expected to bring established lifestyle hotel brands – including Dream Hotels, Unscripted Hotels and The Chatwal – into the Hyatt portfolio. The acquisition extends Hyatt’s brand footprint in strategic destinations including Saint Lucia, Nashville, Hollywood, Las Vegas, South Beach, Doha, and New York City. 

Citizenship by investment 

Launched in 2016, the Citizenship by Investment Programme (CIP) of Saint Lucia is one of the top performers in the Caribbean region. As the demand for the programme such as this skyrockets amongst high net-worth individuals (HNWIs), the newly elected government is striving to utilise the funds brought in by the programme to develop more advanced public infrastructure and uplift the standard of living of its people. 

Investors can choose between a range of investment options, including that of real estate, with a minimum investment amount of US$200,000. 

The benefits of Saint Lucia CIP are well-known by High Net-Worth Individuals. As it offers a favourable environment for businesses and entrepreneurs, allowing them to increase their profits through the progressive tax structure and wide range of offshore banking services. The country offers favourable tax regimes to investors, along with providing passage to global markets and opportunities to diversify portfolios and wealth planning. 

Saint Lucia is also popular for providing a family-friendly environment to the investors. The nation recognises dual citizenship and offers a chance to pass citizenship on to future generations. The alternative citizenship of Saint Lucia provides rights and equality, the same as those afforded to a natural born citizen of the country. Additionally, an investor can add dependents under one application.