SNP’s Kevin Lord believes Queen Elizabeth II should no longer be Saint Lucia’s Head of State

Statement by Kevin Lord, founder of the Saint Lucia National Party (SNP):

The recent announcement by the Governor General of Barbados that that country would become a republic within a year and would no longer recognize the Queen of the United Kingdom as the Head of State is a very positive one. Similar steps should be expedited in Saint Lucia to have a Saint Lucian as Head of State and follow in the direction of other Caribbean countries such as Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, and Dominica. This is one of the last vestiges of colonialism remaining in Saint Lucia and this needs to be cast aside.

At the same time, we need to instill a sense of pride in our people. We need to recognize and appreciate our history and patrimony. An important aspect of this can be the recognition and preservation of historical sites around the island. One such site is at Dauphin, in the North East. This area is of great historical interest as it contains a petroglyph and bowls hewn out of stone used by the early inhabitants of the country. One of the bowls shows sign of damage, and if the entire site is not preserved, more damage can be done.

It is being recommended that government negotiate with the landowners, (as the site is on private property), with the aim of securing the area and making it an officially administered historical landmark which can be run by a reputable organization such as the Saint Lucia Archaeological and Historical Society or National Trust.