St Lucia Governor-General to step down

The Governor-General of St Lucia has announced plans to leave the role on 31 December.

Dame Pearlette Louisy, who was sworn into office on 19 September 1997, announced the decision in a televised address last night.

“Ladies and gentlemen I wish to announce that I will be demitting office as St Lucia’s Governor-General on December 31st, 2017,” she said.

“It has been indeed both a privilege and a pleasant duty to have served you and my country in this capacity. May God richly bless you all.”

She said that the job has been “the most singular honour of my life and I will forever hold the most cherished memories of this incredible journey.”

“I still remain awed by the realisation that I was called from among so many deserving persons in a land that has borne so many distinguished sons and daughters.”

Louisy, who was the first woman to serve as St Lucia’s Governor-General, did not give a reason for her resignation.

Sources have said that she was forced out of office after clashing with Prime Minister Allen Chastanet – who appeared to question how long she had been in the position.

There has been no comment from the prime minister’s office on her resignation.

Louisy was appointed Dame Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1999.

“Throughout the course of these past twenty years I have drawn inspiration from Her Majesty’s own steadfast and unwavering commitment to duty and service and from my own upbringing which taught me to look beyond the constraints of the moment to the promises of the future,” she said in her address.

“I hope therefore that I have in some small measure been able to deliver on these my pledges and undertakings and that you have been pleased with my efforts.”