CASTRIES, St. Lucia, CMC -The St. Lucia government is undertaking a nationwide series of consultations aimed at shaping the country’s Medium-Term Development Strategy for 2026 to 2030 and the formulation of a National Development Plan extending to 2040.
The authorities say the process represents a deliberate shift toward a more people-centered approach, inviting contributions from civil society, the private sector, and communities to help define the island’s long-term development vision.
The Ministry of Economic Development is leading the consultations as part of a comprehensive situational and gap analysis designed to assess the country’s current development landscape and identify strategic priorities for the future.
“This time around, we have pursued a more participatory approach, ensuring that the Medium- Term Development Strategy is people-centric. We want to focus not only on line ministries but also on the communities and the country as a whole. We want to have a plan that is integrated and caters to the needs of the entire country,” said chief economist, Charlene Louisy-Regis, adding that the initiative reflects the government’s commitment to inclusive national planning.
She said that the development of an integrated national strategy begins with three fundamental questions: “ Where are we now? Where do we want to go? And how do we bridge the gap between the two?
Supporting the initiative is the CLEAR Center for Latin America and the Caribbean (CLEAR LAC), which is collaborating with the Barbados-based Caribbean Development Bank to strengthen monitoring and evaluation systems across the Caribbean.
CLEAR LAC executive director, Christian Crespo, says a key component of the process involves strengthening St. Lucia’s ability to track progress and assess the impact of development policies.
“With monitoring and evaluation we learn, and with learning we improve the action of the government. That is why the role of CLEAR LAC is important. We work to strengthen institutional capacities, build individual skills through training, and create an enabling environment for evidence-based policymaking across the government of St. Lucia.”
Crespo noted that a structured action plan is currently being developed to reinforce St. Lucia’s monitoring and evaluation framework.
The plan outlines five strategic goals and 10 priority initiatives aligned with the Medium-Term Development Strategy, ensuring that development programmes can be effectively monitored and evaluated to achieve measurable outcomes.
The Trinidad and Tobago-based Lèvè Global is also playing a pivotal role in the exercise and is leading the situational and gap analysis.
Chief operations officer Kevon Wilson says the consultancy team is examining 15 to 20 sectors across the economy, spanning both the productive and social sectors. The work involves extensive desk research, literature reviews, statistical analysis, and stakeholder consultations.
Wilson said that while previous development strategies are being reviewed for context, the primary focus is on positioning Saint Lucia for the future.
“Yes, we have reference to past documents, but we are operating in a new environment shaped by global trends such as climate change, digital disruption, artificial intelligence, and geopolitical uncertainty. The goal is to ensure Saint Lucia is prepared to respond to these challenges while seizing emerging opportunities.” Wilson noted.
The insights and recommendations emerging from the consultations will be consolidated into a comprehensive development framework designed to guide national policy, strategic investments, and development priorities through 2040.
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