July
Over $36 million was injected into the Saint Lucia Fire Service when Prime Minister Pierre handed over two state-of-the-art fire appliances. It was the largest single investment in fire service equipment in over three decades, according to Chief Fire Officer Ditney Downes.
The Police Training School enrolled 80 recruits selected from a pool of 1 000 applicants who are scheduled to complete their training in January 2026.
The second season of the Saint Lucia Semi-Professional Football League got underway, whilst the men’s national team, the Piton Boyz, crashed out of contention for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, after a 4-0 reversal to Curaçao in Willemstad. Saint Lucia defeated Barbados to close out their qualifying campaign at Stadion Ergilio Hato.
August
For the first time in Saint Lucia’s Emancipation celebration history, the La Rose Festival was included in the festivities. The move was welcomed by some cultural activists, who argued that the festival’s roots in resistance and identity made it relevant to emancipation themes, but criticised by others who felt it distracted from the solemnity of Emancipation Day. Supporters such as CDF creative producer Drenia Frederick highlighted La Rose’s 150‑year history of role‑playing and community support, linking it to freedom and cultural expression. Opponents, including ICAR president Aaron Ras Iron Alexander, insisted that Emancipation Day should have remained focused on reparations and historical reflection. He argued that overlapping celebrations, including carnival events, diluted the seriousness of the month and created confusion during observances.
Saint Lucia’s Shyne Savory made cultural history on August 27, when she won the Wapax! Poetry Slam, the inaugural regional slam competition at CARIFESTA XV in Barbados. The event featured 12 poets from seven Caribbean nations, each given 30 minutes to write and two to three minutes to perform an original piece on the theme The Answer Is In The Trees. Without props, costumes, or music, the competition demanded pure talent and creativity. The judges’ scores revealed a razor‑thin margin, with Savory edging out her closest competitor by just one point.
September
Saint Lucia mourned the loss of veteran media personality Tony Paul in September. Paul, co-founder of Rev Up SLU, died suddenly on September 7. His passing shocked the island’s media fraternity and left a deep void among listeners who had long considered him part of their daily lives.
The United Workers Party presented a list of fully endorsed candidates for the upcoming election during this period as well. The list of candidates featured several new faces, with older ones such as Guy Joseph and political leader Allen Chastanet also seeking to return Flambeau to office.
October
October marked Mwa Ewitaj Kwéyòl, celebrated this year under the theme “Kwéyòl Sé Fòs Nou.” Throughout the month, the focus remained firmly on language, food, music, and traditional practices, with organisers and cultural practitioners emphasising the importance of preserving Kwéyòl heritage as a living, evolving part of Saint Lucian identity.
The official calendar featured signature events including the Woulelaba Festival, the La Wenn Kwéyòl Pageant, Jounen Kwéyòl, and the international observance of Creole Day. Activities were hosted in Belle Vue, Vieux Fort and Babonneau, alongside fringe events held in communities across the island. As the month progressed, organisers noted a renewed sense of public engagement, particularly among younger Saint Lucians.
The month also saw several port workers charged in a series of high-profile arrests linked to drug trafficking at Saint Lucia’s ports of entry. The cases, reported by St. Lucia Times, emerged amid an intensified law-enforcement crackdown targeting drugs, firearms and ammunition moving through the island’s maritime gateways. The arrests included multiple employees of the Saint Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority (SLASPA), a port police officer, and a customs porter, with seizures tied to large quantities of illicit drugs valued in the hundreds of thousands and in some cases more than a million dollars. Authorities said the investigations reflected a broader effort to disrupt organised criminal activity, signalling a more aggressive posture by police and customs officials during the latter part of the year.
November
November was marked by heightened political activity and a major development in one of the country’s longest-running public projects, the St Jude Hospital reconstruction. After 16 years of delays, controversy, and shifting timelines, the reconstruction reached a critical milestone as the facility was officially handed over to the Ministry of Health and commissioning began.
On November 9, after months of sustained pressure from the opposition, Prime Minister Pierre officially “rang the bell” calling for a general election to be held on December 1. The announcement triggered an intense 21-day campaign period with political rallies, press conferences, and motorcades taking place throughout the island.
December
The general election delivered another decisive victory for SLP political leader Philip J. Pierre, with the party securing 14 seats at the polls. With two independents backing the government, the result gave rise to what some observers described as a “16-1” outcome.
In the weeks that followed, attention shifted from campaigning to governing, with the swearing-in of both the Parliament and the Cabinet. Among the notable changes were former education minister Shawn Edward assuming responsibility for infrastructure, and political newcomer Lisa Jawahir replacing Alfred Prospere as Minister of Agriculture.
The election’s aftermath also saw UWP political leader Allen Chastanet submit his resignation, a move that was formally rejected by the party’s National Executive for the second time.
In tourism, Saint Lucia was named the World’s Leading Honeymoon Destination for the eighth consecutive year and 17th time overall, an accolade that followed the island’s best-performing November on record. Stay-over arrivals reached 36 255, representing a 7 per cent increase over November 2024 and the highest November total in the country’s history.
A long-promised policy initiative was approved by Parliament on December 16 with the VAT‑free day officially set for December 22, though some uncertainty remains over its rollout.
