Philip J. Pierre
Pierre in 2020
9th Prime Minister of Saint Lucia
Assumed office
28 July 2021[1]
MonarchsElizabeth II
Charles III
GovernorsGeneralNeville Cenac
Errol Charles (acting)
DeputyErnest Hilaire[2]
Preceded byAllen Chastanet
Leader of the Opposition of Saint Lucia
In office
18 June 2016  28 July 2021
Preceded byKenny Anthony
Succeeded byAllen Chastanet
Member of Parliament
for Castries East
Assumed office
24 May 1997
Preceded byRomanus Lansiquot[3]
Minister for Finance, Economic Development and the Youth Economy
Assumed office
5 August 2021 [4]
Personal details
Born
Philip Joseph Pierre

(1954-09-18) 18 September 1954
Saint Lucia, British Windward Islands
Political partySaint Lucia Labour Party
Alma materUniversity of the West Indies

Philip Joseph Pierre[5] (born 18 September[6] 1954)[7] is a Saint Lucian politician currently serving as the Prime Minister of Saint Lucia since 28 July 2021. Pierre serves as the Minister for Finance, Economic Development and the Youth Economy.[8] He is the Leader of the Saint Lucia Labour Party since 18 June 2016. He has represented the Castries East constituency in the House of Assembly since 1997.[9][10][11]

Pierre previously served as Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation and International Financial Services from 1997 to 2000; Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Port Services and Transport from 2011 to 2016; and as Leader of the Opposition from 2016 to 2021.

Early life

Pierre's mother Evelyn was a schoolteacher, and his father Auguste[12] was a policeman.[13] He studied at Saint Mary's College, then completed a BA (hons) in economics and a Master of Business Administration from the University of the West Indies. After graduation, he taught at Saint Mary's College[13] and worked as a trainee manager at J.Q. Charles Ltd. Pierre then entered the finance industry: he worked as an audit clerk at Coopers & Lybrand and Pannell Kerr Forster, and as a financial controller at Stanthur Co. Ltd.[12]

From 1985 to 1994, Pierre was the Director of the National Research and Development Corporation.[13] He was also Chief Executive of his own management consultancy firm, Philip J. Pierre Business Services Ltd.,[12] from 1990 to 1997.[13]

Politics

Pierre joined the Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP) in 1985, and served as the party treasurer from 1986 to 1992.[12] In 1992, he contested the general elections for the first time in Castries East, but did not win.[13][3] After serving as the SLP chairman from 1992 to 1996,[12] Pierre ran again in 1997 and won. In the resulting SLP government led by Kenny Anthony,[13] Pierre served as Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation and International Financial Services from 1997 to 2000.[12]

Pierre was re-elected to the House of Assembly from Castries East in the general elections of 2001, 2006, and 2011.[3] In December 2011, he was sworn in as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Port Services, and Transportation.[14] Pierre retained his seat in the 2016 general election,[3] but the SLP lost the election. Kenny Anthony resigned as party leader; Pierre was then elected as his successor on 18 June 2016. He also became the Leader of the Parliamentary Opposition.[9][15]

Pierre is a member of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA). He also joined the Assembly of Caribbean Community Parliamentarians, attending its inaugural 1996 meeting in Barbados.[12]

Pierre led the SLP in the 2021 general election, where the party won a majority of seats. He was sworn in as Prime Minister of Saint Lucia on 28 July 2021.[7][5]

References

  1. "Philip J Pierre to take oath as Prime Minister of St Lucia today". WIC NEWS. 28 July 2021. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
  2. "Dr. Ernest Hilaire appointed Deputy Prime Minister for St Lucia". CNW Network. 9 January 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Constituency: Castries East – D" (PDF). Elections 40 Years and Beyond. Castries: Saint Lucia Electoral Department. 2021.
  4. "Cabinet of Ministers revealed at swearing-in ceremony". St. Lucia Times. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  5. 1 2 "Swearing In Ceremony of Prime Minister Philip Joseph Pierre (July 28, 2021)". Saint Lucia Government. 28 July 2021. Archived from the original on 22 December 2021 via YouTube.
  6. "Wishing our Prime Minister and Political Leader Hon. Philip J. Pierre a happy birthday!". Saint Lucia Labour Party. 18 September 2022. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
  7. 1 2 CMC (28 July 2021). "Pierre to be sworn in as new St Lucia Prime Minister". Jamaica Observer. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
  8. "Cabinet of Ministers revealed at swearing-in ceremony | Loop St. Lucia". Loop News. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  9. 1 2 "Hon. Philip J Pierre is leader of the SLP". Loop News. 20 June 2016. Archived from the original on 6 August 2016. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
  10. "Castries East – Electoral District D". Archived from the original on 14 June 2011. Retrieved 27 October 2010.
  11. "List of Elected Representatives". Archived from the original on 14 June 2011. Retrieved 27 October 2010.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Hon. Philip J. Pierre". archive.stlucia.gov.lc. 2012. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Philip J Pierre- Building a New St. Lucia, One Person at a Time". International Magazine Kreol. 8 August 2014. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
  14. Springer, Winston (2 December 2011). "Deputy PM sworn in". HTS Channel 4. Archived from the original on 5 December 2011. Retrieved 3 December 2011.
  15. "Pierre confirmed as SLP Leader" (Press release). Saint Lucia Labour Party. 21 June 2016. Archived from the original on 22 June 2016.
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