TORONTO — Saint Lucia has appointed Dr. Ernest Hilaire as its new Minister for Tourism, Investment, Creative Industries, Culture, and Information. 

Minister Hilaire, who was sworn into Saint Lucia’s Cabinet of Ministers on Aug. 5, is a former Saint Lucian Diplomat who represented the Castries South constituency in the House of Assembly for the Saint Lucia Labour Party.

Since his appointment, Hilaire has met with the Ministry of Tourism, Saint Lucia Tourism Authority and private sector organizations to reaffirm the importance of tourism. The strategy set forth to promote the destination will be a phased approach to full recovery under his leadership.

“Tourism is one of the main economic drivers of the Saint Lucian economy, which strengthens our supply chain, promotes economic development and creates significant employment,” he said. “Therefore, given my experience, coupled with the amalgamation of my portfolios, which function interconnectedly with our tourism product, I look forward to serving wholeheartedly, with focus on further bolstering the tourism sector and placing people at the center of the sector.”

Hilaire previously served Saint Lucia as High Commissioner to the United Kingdom from 2012-2016. Prior to that, he held the position of Chief Executive Officer for the West Indies Cricket Board. In addition to holding a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of the West Indies in Political Science and Sociology, Hilaire also earned his Master of Philosophy degree with a distinction in International Relations before pursuing his Ph.D. from the London School of Economics. He also holds an Executive Diploma in Negotiations and Conflict Resolution from Notre Dame University.