While there has been a recent pause in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business rankings, Saint Lucia is pressing ahead to ensure that no effort is spared in removing some of the barriers impeding the island’s positioning as an attractive economic space.
In December, Prime Minister Philip J Pierre added Commerce to Dr Ernest Hilaire’s existing portfolio as Minister of Tourism and Investment. This was seen by many as a way of creating greater synergies between the two as the country seeks to transpose some of the best practices and gains made by tourism onto the areas of business, commerce, and investment.
In the past the country has ranked in the 90’s in the ease of doing business World Bank annual ratings. Ease of Doing Business in Saint Lucia averaged 67.25 from 2008 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 93.00 in 2018 and a record low of 34.00 in 2008.
This week, Hilaire, along with his senior administrative and technical officers, convened a series of focused engagements with relevant business associations.
According to a statement from the department, these exploratory meetings will provide an avenue for open and constructive dialogue on current challenges, emerging opportunities, and potential pitfalls confronting the business community in an increasingly dynamic global trading environment.
“Minister Hilaire is eager to advance this outreach, having clearly signaled his intention to prioritise the ease of doing business, while fostering a more inclusive and enabling environment for local manufacturers and entrepreneurs,” the statement read in part.
Hilaire announced on January 19 that he would be meeting with the various stakeholders this week with a view to meaningful reforms informed by real-world experiences and practical, actionable solutions.
According to the department, the discussions are expected to further strengthen public-private partnerships, enhance institutional support mechanisms, and better position Saint Lucia’s business sector to be more competitive.
Based on 2025 data, Saint Lucia has been recognised for its stable and relatively business-friendly environment in the Caribbean. Saint Lucia is ranked 8th out of 32 countries in the Americas on the 2025 Economic Freedom Index.
“One of the big ticket items for me is to position Saint Lucia globally. We want as many people all over the world to be able to recognise Saint Lucia and for us to be front-of-mind. So we have to think of how we can position Saint Lucia at the forefront of the minds of people who are thinking about traveling or even investing,” he added.
