As Uber continues preparations ahead of its anticipated launch in Saint Lucia, the global ride-hailing company still has yet to meet with Tourism Minister Ernest Hilaire.
Hilaire disclosed this at the January 19 pre-Cabinet briefing after reporters asked about the status of talks with the company. He confirmed that while he has received correspondence from Uber expressing a willingness to meet, no such engagement has occurred.
“I did receive a letter from Uber indicating that they had an interest in operating in Saint Lucia, and they wanted to have a meeting to discuss it, and I agreed that we shall have a meeting in the new year,” Hilaire said.
“No meeting has been held. At the appropriate time, I will hear from them what it is they want to say to me.”
The minister also revealed that he is in receipt of what he described as an “interesting” letter from the Saint Lucia National Taxi Union, reflecting concerns from local taxi operators about Uber’s potential entry into the market.
The union’s president, Terry Valcin, has previously voiced opposition to Uber’s rollout, describing it as “possibly detrimental” to the local taxi service. Valcin has also indicated that several taxi associations represented by the union are against the company’s entry into the sector.
That position contrasts with Uber’s own assessment of local sentiment. In a December 2025 interview with St. Lucia Times, the company said it was “encouraged by the positive response we have already seen, with numerous sign-ups from both taxi drivers and associations.”
Despite the differing views, Hilaire urged patience as the situation unfolds. He stressed that Uber’s launch does not currently form part of the administration’s priority agenda and encouraged stakeholders to “take it easy” as discussions progress.
He added that when formal talks do take place, open dialogue between the government, the taxi union, and Uber will be central to the process.
The minister also reiterated that under Saint Lucia’s existing laws, participation in any such transport service is limited to licensed taxi drivers, and that vehicles used must bear ‘TX’ licence plates.
Why not have the ministry of transportation have an app built exclusively for St.lucia Taxi and buses. we spent millions each year on canival but cannot administer the logistics of moving people on an Island.Why give all the profits to a foreign company?