The government of Saint Lucia has appointed Ernest Hilaire as the country's newest Tourism Minister following a change of government. The appointment, which took place in the first week of AUG, sees Hilaire installed as the new Minister for Tourism, Investment, Creative Industries, Culture and Information.
Hilaire was previously a diplomat for the country, and served as Saint Lucia’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom from 2012 to 2016. He replaces Dominic Fedee, who held the same role from 2016 until earlier this year.
As minister, Hilaire said he would bring together meetings with those in Saint Lucia's tourism sector, including the ministry, Saint Lucia Tourism Authority and private sector organizations to develop a plan for the industry to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. These meetings are intended to gain insight and strategy to position the country for recovery and future growth.
“Tourism is one of the main economic drivers of the Saint Lucian economy which strengthens our supply chain, promotes economic development, and creates significant employment," Hilaire said. “Therefore, given my experience, coupled with the amalgamation of my portfolios which function interconnectedly with our tourism product, I look forward to serving wholeheartedly, with focus on further bolstering the tourism sector and placing people at the centre of the sector.”
He also commented to reporters regarding future strategy, "“I think you will see a certain direction in keeping with our approach of always putting people first and causing people-centred development, so in tourism we will take a new look at tourism. We will want to promote community participation, people participation – ensuring that tourism is more than just figures, but is also about the earnings for the people of Saint Lucia."
