Saint Lucia has agreed to enter a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the United States of America to potentially accept certain “third country nationals” deported from the US by the Trump Administration.
This was revealed by Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre in his New Year’s address to the nation on Sunday, January 11. The stance echoes a similar one taken by a number of CARICOM nations.
A follow up “Fact Sheet” released by the Government of Saint Lucia emphasised that the agreement “does not create any legal obligations, commitments, or automatic actions”.
An MOU is essentially a formal agreement between two or more parties that outlines their intentions to cooperate or work together on a specific matter. Unlike contractual agreements, these agreements do not enforce changes in the relationship but rather open possibilities for dialogue on a specific subject.
“We believe that stability is best secured through dialogue, diplomacy and respect for established international norms,” Pierre said. “We’ll continue to work with our regional partners to safeguard the Caribbean as a zone of peace. Saint Lucia’s foreign policy remains rooted in diplomacy, cooperation and mutually beneficial shared interests.”
The Prime Minister also reaffirmed Saint Lucia’s commitment to peace and the principles of international law that protect all nations, large and small.
Pierre noted that Saint Lucia’s stance is in alignment with the wider stance of CARICOM on “recent geopolitical events”.
“I am under no illusion that the road ahead will be challenging,” he said. “Global uncertainty, climate threats, and economic pressures remain real. Recent developments in our wider hemisphere have underscored that reality. Events in Venezuela have reverberated across the Caribbean, disrupting air travel, affecting trade and tourism, and creating unsettling concerns for small open economies like ours,” he said.
Additionally, Pierre revealed that there has been no official correspondence indicating restrictions on Saint Lucians wishing to obtain a US visa. However, he cautioned Saint Lucians to behave responsibly to ensure that this remains a reality.
“Let me assure Saint Lucians that as of today, there has been no information given to the Government of Saint Lucia regarding any changes in the United States visa policy for Saint Lucia, and Saint Lucians wishing to travel to the United States. Our future prosperity cannot be secured by the government alone, but the shocking behaviour of a critical mass can bring about harm to all of us. I plead for the responsible use of social media.”
The Prime Minister underscored that his primary responsibility is to safeguard the interests of the people of Saint Lucia.
“I’ll always put you first and act in the best interest of the people of our beloved country, no matter how difficult the decisions may be,” he said.
