TIME: Almanac 1990s

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<text id=93CT1838> <title> St. Lucia--History </title> <history> Compact ALMANAC--CIA Factbook Caribbean St. Lucia </history> <article> <source>CIA World Factbook</source> <hdr> History </hdr> <body> St. Lucia's first known inhabitants were the Arawaks, believed to have come from northern South America to settle in St. Lucia around A.D. 200-400. Numerous archaeological sites on the island have produced evidence of the Arawaks' well-developed ceramics. The Arawaks were replaced by the Caribs, who followed the same general northward migration during the period A.D. 800-1000 and gradually drove out their predecessors. European discovery of the island is thought to be either 1492 or 1502, during one of the New World voyages of navigator and cartographer Juan de la Cosa, who explored the Windward Islands south to the South American mainland. The Dutch, English, and French all tried to establish trading outposts on St. Lucia in the 17th century but faced opposition from hostile Caribs. Small English groups were massacred by the Indians in 1605 and 1640. The French, who had claimed the island, established a successful settlement in 1651 as an offshoot of the colony in neighboring Martinique. For the next century and a half, ownership was disputed hotly between France and England, with the Caribs receding gradually into obscurity and eventual extinction. The island changed hands 14 times up to 1814, when the English finally gained supremacy in the Treaty of Paris. The French, who had controlled the island during most of those years, left a strong patina of French culture still apparent in the Roman Catholic Church, the system of law, and the Creole patois spoken by the majority. The English, with their headquarters in Barbados, and the French, centered on Martinique, found St. Lucia even more attractive when the sugar industry developed in 1765. Declared neutral by the Treaty of Paris in 1763, the island was annexed to Martinique in 1765. By 1780, almost 50 sugarcane estates were established on the island, and although most were severely damaged in a devastating hurricane that year, they were quickly reestablished. Heavy labor needs of the estates led to largescale importation of slaves from West Africa, a trade that ended in the early 19th century as a prelude to complete emancipation in 1838. British influence gradually spread once it was clear that St. Lucia was under its control. English commercial law was introduced in 1827, criminal procedures in 1833, and in 1838, the French language was officially abolished. In that year, St. Lucia was incorporated into the British Windward Islands administration, with its headquarters in Barbados. The system lasted until 1885, when the Windwards capital was shifted to Grenada. The coal industry proved an economic boon to St. Lucia in the late 19th century. As a convenient location for coal bunkering, the Castries Harbor was the major such port in the West Indies until the industry declined with the opening of the Panama Canal and finally with the increased use of oil and diesel fuels. With increased labor demands from the bunkering operations and the expanding sugar estates, Indians, used as indentured servants, were imported from 1882 until about the turn of the century. St. Lucia's 20th century history has been marked by increasing self-government. A 1924 constitution gave the island its first form of representative government, with a minority of elected members provided for the previously all-nominated Legislative Council. That system, although modified, continued until 1951 when universal adult suffrage was introduced and elected members became a majority of the Legislative Council. Ministerial government was introduced in 1956, and in 1958, St. Lucia joined the short-lived West Indies Federation, a semiautonomous dependency of the United Kingdom. When that collapsed in 1962 following Jamaica's withdrawal, a smaller federation was briefly attempted. After the second failure, the United Kingdom and the six Windward and Leeward Islands--Grenada, St. Vincent, Dominica, Antigua, St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla, and St. Lucia--developed a novel form of cooperation called associated statehood. As an associated state of the United Kingdom from 1967 to 1979, St. Lucia had full responsibility for internal self-government but left its external affairs and defense responsibilities to Great Britain. This interim arrangement ended on February 22, 1979, when St. Lucia achieved full independence. Ties to Britain remain, as the nation recognizes Queen Elizabeth II as titular head of state and is an active member of the Commonwealth. The island continues to cooperate with its neighbors through the Caribbean Community, the East Caribbean Common Market, and the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS). Political Conditions The St. Lucia Labor Party (SLP) won the first post- independence elections in July 1979, taking 12 of the 17 seats in Parliament. However, almost 2 1/2 years later, internal squabbling caused the downfall of the government, resulting in elections in May 1982. These elections saw that emergence of a new political party, the Progressive Labor Party (PLP)--a splinter group of the St. Lucia Labor Party--headed by former Minister of Foreign Affairs George Odlum. In May 1982, the United Workers Party (UWP), headed by John Compton, won a resounding victory, claiming 14 of 17 seats. Compton was Premier of St. Lucia from 1964 until its independence in February 1979 and, subsequently prime minister until the election in July 1979. The UWP was elected for a second time on April 16, 1987, but with only 9 of 17 seats. The SLP received 8 seats and the PLP none. Seeking to increase his slim one-seat majority, Prime Minister Compton immediately prorogued the Parliament and called for new elections on April 30. This unprecedented snap election gave Prime Minister Compton exactly the same results as before with the UWP receiving 9 seats, the SLP, 8, and the PLP none. Although the UWP has a reputation for being the more conservative of the two major parties, neither has deviated sharply from the general political creed of social democracy. The SLP, the official opposition party, has more elected representatives in Parliament than the PLP. Trade unions, though divided into several competing national organizations, have played a significant role in the nation's politics because of their ability to organize mass turnouts for political meetings. They have also provided aspiring politicians with the political base necessary to win elections. An active and outspoken press contributes to a well-informed but often violently partisan voting public. Past elections have been marked by occasional interparty name-calling and violence, but the elections themselves are generally conceded to the scrupulously fair. St. Lucia has enjoyed a relatively calm political climate compared to many Third World countries in the past two decades. For most of this period, it has been ruled by the UWP, except for 2 1/2 years by the SLP (1979-82). After a period of some political instability, the country has settled down. However, the level of youth unemployment causes some concern, and stability could depend on the government's ability to provide jobs, housing, and other facilities. Source: U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Public Affairs, June 1987. </body> </article> </text>