February 22, Independence Day of St. Lucia, the Heavenly Island for the Investors

Independence Day in St. Lucia is always celebrated on February 22nd. This public holiday honors the date in 1979 when St. Lucia became an independent state of the Commonwealth of Nations.

Why is it called St. Lucia?

The Windward Island now known as St. Lucia was first discovered by Europeans in the late 15th or early 16th century. Unlike most countries, Independence Day is not the National Day of Saint Lucia; that takes place on 13th December, the Feast Day of Saint Lucia, who became the patron saint of the island. The first settlers were French and they named the island after Lucy of Syracuse or Saint Lucia, a young Christian martyr who died during the persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire of 304 AD. St. Lucia and Ireland are the only two sovereign states in the world named after a woman (Ireland is named after the Celtic goddess of fertility Eire). However, St. Lucia is the only one named after an actual female historical figure. Legend states that French sailors were shipwrecked on the island on 13 of December, the feast day of St. Lucy, and therefore named the island in her honor. Because the rule of the island switched so often between British and French control, St. Lucia was also known as the “Helen of the West” after the Greek mythological character, Helen of Troy.

A Brief History of St. Lucia

• The French were the first Europeans to settle on the island. They signed a treaty with the native Island Caribs in 1660.
• The English first took control of the island in 1663, and the rule of the island changed 14 times, being dominated seven times by the French and seven times by the English.
• Eventually, the change in ownership stopped with English control in 1814 as part of the Treaty of Paris which ended the Napoleonic Wars with St. Lucia becoming a part of the British Windward Islands colony.
• Representative government came about in 1840.
• Universal suffrage was established in 1953.
• In 1958, St. Lucia joined the West Indies Federation when the Islands colony was dissolved.
• From 1958 to 1962, the island was a member of the West Indies Federation.
• In 1967, St. Lucia became a self-governing island as one of the six members of the West Indies Associated States.
• On February 22nd, 1979, it gained full independence under Sir John Compton of the conservative United Workers Party (UWP), who later served as prime minister.

St. Lucia is a mixed jurisdiction, meaning that it has a legal system based in part on both civil law and English common law. St. Lucia’s largest city is Castries, its current capital, and its second-largest is Soufrière, the first French colonial capital on the island.

The Flag of Saint Lucia

The flag of St. Lucia was adopted in 1967. The blue represents the sky and sea. The yellow is the sunshine and the black and white signify the harmony between the white and black races on the island. The triangles represent the Pitons, the famous volcanic cones located in the southwest part of the island, and the national symbol of Saint Lucia.

The 21st of February, the eve of independence is “National Colors Day”. It is not a public holiday, but everyone is encouraged to wear something reflective of the national colors.

Independence Day begins with the annual military parade followed by the Independence speech by the prime minister.

In the afternoon, a parade called “Annou Wey” takes place in Castries featuring various floats, characters, groups, organizations, and companies.

St. Lucia, the Nation of Happy Vibes

St. Lucia is the beauty queen of the Caribbean. St. Lucia is the epitome of heaven for those people who have a fascinating soft corner for small fishing villages, rainforests, crescent-shaped beaches, and lush mountains that look divine and serene. With a rich diversity of corals and rustling palms, St. Lucia is undoubtedly a popular destination for everyone who wants to make a career in the hospitality sector or something more fascinating.

St. Lucia Citizenship by Investment Program

If you have made up your mind about St. Lucia Citizenship, then you can go through the following alternatives.

• Contribution towards the National Economic Fund (NFF).
• Real Estate Investment.
• COVID-19 Relief Bond Investment (Valid till December 31th 2022).

St. Lucia Citizenship Investment Program benefits

• You do not need any sort of stay requirement as, by the investment program.
• You get the benefit of dual Citizenship that the St Lucian Law allows.
• There is no formality of age, education, or language for citizenship purposes, plus you also get the chance to live and work under St. Lucia Citizenship if you are a potential investor in the country’s economy.
• There is a stable environment in St Lucia about which most people just dream of. Fewer people know that St. Lucia is a part of prestigious communities such as CARICOM, OECS, and a huge member of commonwealth nations, which makes it a privilege for people to stay in the country.
• You get the chance of free traveling if you have investment citizenship for St. Lucia. You can travel visa-free with your family to 121 countries, including the Schengen area if you have the nationality of St. Lucia.

For more detailed information on the requirements for obtaining St. Lucia Citizenship by Investment, please contact one of our advisers in the UAE, Denmark, or Canada, we will accompany you and your family until you obtain St. Lucia Citizenship.

If you have any questions or comments about the Saint Lucia Citizenship by Investment, you can share them with us in the comments section.