Governor-General of Saint Lucia
Coat of arms of Saint Lucia
Flag of the governor-general
Incumbent
Errol Charles
Acting since 11 November 2021
Viceroy
StyleHis Excellency
ResidenceGovernment House, Saint Lucia
AppointerMonarch of Saint Lucia
Term lengthAt His Majesty's pleasure
Formation22 February 1979
First holderAllen Montgomery Lewis
Salary36,112 USD annually[1]
Websitegovernorgeneral.govt.lc

The governor-general of Saint Lucia is the representative of the Saint Lucian monarch, currently Charles III. The official residence of the governor-general is Government House.

The position of governor-general was established when Saint Lucia was granted independence on 22 February 1979.

List of governors-general of Saint Lucia

Following is a list of people who have served as Governor-General of Saint Lucia since independence in 1979.

  Denotes Acting Governors-General
No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)		 Term of office Monarch
(Reign)
Took office Left office Time in office
1 Sir Allen Montgomery Lewis
(1909–1993)		 22 February
1979		 19 June
1980		 1 year, 118 days
Elizabeth II

(1979–2022)
2 Boswell Williams
(1926–2014)		 19 June
1980		 12 December
1982		 2 years, 176 days
(1) Sir Allen Montgomery Lewis
(1909–1993)		 13 December
1982		 30 April
1987		 4 years, 138 days
– Vincent Floissac
(1928–2010)
Acting Governor-General		 30 April
1987		 10 October
1988		 1 year, 163 days
3 Sir Stanislaus A. James
(1919–2011)		 10 October
1988		 1 June
1996		 7 years, 235 days
4 Sir George Mallet
(1923–2010)		 1 June
1996		 17 September
1997		 1 year, 108 days
5 Dame Pearlette Louisy
(b. 1946)		 17 September
1997		 31 December
2017		 20 years, 105 days
Vacant (1 – 12 January 2018)
6 Sir Neville Cenac
(b. 1939)		 12 January
2018		 31 October
2021		 3 years, 292 days
Vacant (31 October – 11 November 2021)
– Errol Charles
(b. 1941)
Acting Governor-General		 11 November
2021		 Incumbent 2 years, 65 days

Charles III

(2022–present)

Constitutional powers, functions and duties

On my assuming office, I chose as my Mission Statement to truly and faithfully represent the Sovereign in Saint Lucia in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution, to foster national unity and identity at home and abroad, to promote our national economic, cultural and social interests and to encourage excellence in all fields of endeavours. Throughout the course of these past twenty years I have drawn inspiration from Her Majesty’s own steadfast and unwavering commitment to duty and service and from my own upbringing which taught me to look beyond the constraints of the moment to the promises of the future. I hope therefore that I have in some small measure been able to deliver on these my pledges and undertakings and that you have been pleased with my efforts.[2]

— Governor-General Dame Pearlette Louisy, 2017

The office of governor-general is provided for by Chapter II, Sections 19 to 22 of the Constitution.[3] These state:

19.- There shall be a Governor-General of Saint Lucia who shall be a citizen appointed by Her Majesty and shall hold office during Her Majesty's pleasure and who shall be Her Majesty's representative in Saint Lucia.
20.-
1. During any period when the office of Governor-General is vacant of the holder of the office of Governor-General is absent from Saint Lucia or is for any other reason unable to perform the functions of his office those functions shall be performed by such person as Her Majesty may appoint.
2. Any such person as aforesaid shall not continue to perform the function of the office of Governor-General if the holder of the office of Governor-General or some other person having a prior right to perform the functions of that office has notified him that he is about to assume or resume those functions.
3. The holder of the office of Governor-General shall not, for the purposes of this section, be regarded as absent from Saint Lucia or as unable to perform the function of his office-
a. by reason that he is in passage from one part of Saint Lucia to another; or
b. at any time when there is a subsisting appointment of a deputy under section 22 of this Constitution.
21.- A persons appointed to hold the office of Governor-General shall, before entering upon the duties of that office, take and subscribe the oath of allegiance and the oath of office.
22.-
1. Whenever the Governor-General-
a. has occasion to be absent from the seat of government by not from Saint Lucia;
b. has occasion to be absent from Saint Lucia for a period which he considers, acting in his own deliberate judgment, will be of short duration; or
c. is suffering from an illness which he considers, acting in his own deliberate judgment, will be of short duration,
he may, acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister, appoint any person in Saint Lucia to be his deputy during such absence or illness and in that capacity to perform on his behalf such of the function of the office of Governor-General as may be specified in the instrument by which he is appointed.
2. The power and authority of the Governor-General shall not be abridged, altered or in any way affected by the appointment of a deputy under this section, and, subject to the provisions of this Constitution, a deputy shall conform to and observe all instructions that the Governor-General, acting in his own deliberate judgment, may from time to time address to him:
provided that the question whether or not a deputy has conformed to and observed any such instructions shall not be enquired into by any court of law.
3. A person appointed as deputy under this section shall hold that appointment for such period as may be specified in the instrument by which he is appointed, and his appointment may be revoked at any time by the Governor-General, acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Government of Saint Lucia. "ESTIMATES OF REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE 2016-2017". www.finance.gov.lc.
  2. ↑ "Address to the Nation by Her Excellency Dame Calliopa Pearlette Louisy GCSL, GCMG, Governor General of Saint Lucia" (PDF). govt.lc. 21 December 2017.
  3. ↑ "Constitution of Saint Lucia". Georgetown University. 1978.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.