National Trust concerned about future of Old Prison

A harbouring ground for vagrants, criminals, mosquitoes and rodents; a storage area for garbage, drugs, even stolen items—hardly worth retaining. This was Police Welfare Association president Travis Chicot’s assessment of the old Royal Gaol in Castries. Attorney Mary Francis recently called on the government to make haste with its announced plans to demolish the old prison and replace it with a much-needed courthouse and related structures. In September 2018 the Saint Lucia National Trust (SLNT) successfully petitioned the court to grant an injunction halting demolition works at the site. In October the injunction was discharged, the government and the Trust having agreed to hold consultations.

This issue was addressed by Prime Minister Allen Chastanet in his January 12 New Year’s address: “Despite attempts to derail plans to build a new police headquarters, we will move forward with the new structure at the old prison site in the first quarter of 2020.”  For some this may have been welcome news, but for others it was an eyebrow raiser.  

In a recent interview with Trust councillor Calixte George Jr, he recalled that at the time of the injunction the court had advised the parties to meet and hopefully arrive at a resolution. This, George said, was precisely what the Trust had been calling for. He said that around October 2018 the parties did meet. “There was an undertaking which was provided by the government,” he said, “that there would be no further demolition until such time that there was an opportunity to discuss and go through the entire project.”  

George indicated that the Trust was seeking a clear indication of what the proposed development will be. The organisation wants the two existing “historic structures” to be incorporated into the design plans. He said that around December 2018 they met with the Police Welfare Association to explain their position. They also met with representatives of the contractors and were shown conceptual renderings. A site visit was also made in April 2019. 

“That was the last we heard from the government and the company regarding any further design work for this project,” said George. “So, as of now, the National Trust still is not aware of what the plans are.” The councilor said that the latest they heard, there were plans to exhume the remains of long-ago executed prisoners. But, for the Trust, exhumation is a secondary concern. The Trust’s number one priority is the conservation of the structures, said George.  

Asked if the court would be petitioned for another injunction, George said that he could not speak for the entire Trust on that matter. However, he underscored that the organisation is very concerned about how the situation is progressing. “We heard a statement in the Prime Minister’s New Year’s speech, where he indicated that work would start on the new headquarters, but nothing has been told to the Trust. This was a legal undertaking by Attorney General Stephen Julien that the Trust would in fact be properly consulted in this process.

“We do believe, hope and expect that the AG will keep his word. We believe that this would be a very grave error on the part of the state to continue in that direction if, in fact, the intention is to continue with demolition.”