The Parliament of Saint Lucia

Population 161,557 (est2011)
Seat of Parliament Castries
Date of Independence 22/2/1979
Constitution Constitutional Monarchy
CPA Branch Formed Jan 1 1946
Voting Age 18
First Parliament
Local Information
Branch Profile St. Lucia was a British Crown Colony in 1814 and by 1838 was incorporated into the British Windward Islands administration. In 1924 the constitution gave the island its first form of Representative Government, with a small number of elected members in what was once an all nominated legislative council. Universal adult suffrage was introduced in 1951 making elected members the majority of the council. Ministerial government was effective in 1956, and in 1958 St. Lucia became a part of the West Indies Federation. Between 1967 and 1979 St. Lucia was a part of the Associate Statehood taking full responsibility for its internal government, with the UK overseeing the island?s external affairs and defense. Associate Statehood ended in 1979 when St. Lucia achieved full Independence. St. Lucia is a Constitutional Monarchy with Queen Elizabeth II as the head of state. The parliament is made up of the Queen, a Senate and a House of Assembly. The Prime Minister is the Head of Government while the Governor General is the Head of State. The House of Assembly consists of the number of members that correspond to the number of constituencies at the time being established. The Parliament of St. Lucia is bicameral having two chambers. The Senate has 11 members; six are nominated by the government, three by the opposition and two by the Governor General. The House of Assembly has 17 directly elected Members and one Speaker.
Website www.stlucia.gov.lc/

Chamber 1
Chamber House of Assembly
No of Seats 17
No of Women 2
Date of Last Election 11 Dec 2006
Term 5 years
No of Parties 2

Chamber 2
Chamber Senate
No of Seats 11
No of Women 4
Date of Last Election 12 Nov 2006
Term 5 years
No of Parties 2

Committees
Number of Departmental/Ministry Oversight Committees: None
Number of Joint Committees (if bicameral): None
Names of House Management (such as Privileges or Procedure) Committees: Three

Reports
Are reports or recommendations from committees debated in the Chamber: Yes
Must Ministers provide substantive responses to committee reports/recommendations and, if so, what is the time limit for providing responses? Yes, but within a practicable time period from the date of the report or recommendation.

Budgets
Does Parliament or a committee have formal input into the formulation of the budget? Yes
What is the normal time between the presentation of the budget to Members and its passage by Parliament?

Committee staffing
How much Chamber and committee time is normally spent in scrutinizing the budget prior to passage? Two days
Number of Clerks to service committees: Two
Do committees have access to subject specialist researchers from parliamentary staff? No
Do committees have access to funds to hire external subject specialist advisors? No

Members of Parliament/Legislature
Name Position Address Title Contact Info
Ms. Lindell Gustave Branch Secretary Old Government Buildings
Laborie Street
Castries
ST. LUCIA		 Clerk of Parliament P: (+1-758) 453-6650, 468-39
F: (+1-758) 452-5451
E: parliamentslu@yahoo.co.uk
Peter Foster, MP Joint Branch President Old Government Buildings
Laborie Street
Castries
ST. LUCIA		 Speaker of the House of Assembly P: (+1-758) 453-6650, 468-39
F: (+1-758) 452-5451
E: parliamentslu@yahoo.co.uk
Hon. Claudius J. Francis, MP Joint Branch President Old Government Buildings
Laborie Street
Castries
ST. LUCIA		 President of the Senate P: (+1-758) 453-6650, 468-39
F: (+1-758) 452-5451
E: parliamentslu@yahoo.co.uk