While corruption related to foreign business and investment is not generally believed to be a major problem in St. Lucia, there were some widely publicized allegations against government officials. Access to information is legally guaranteed, and government officials are required by law to present their financial assets annually to the Integrity Commission. The Parliamentary Commissioner, Auditor General, and Public Services Commission are responsible for combating corruption. Parliament can also appoint a special committee to investigate specific allegations of corruption. The country is a party to the Inter-American Convention against Corruption and acceded to the United Nations Convention against Corruption in 2011. Saint Lucia is ranked 48 out of 180 countries in the 2017 Transparency International Corruption Index.

St. Lucia has laws, regulations, and penalties to combat corruption; notably the Integrity in Public Life Act of 2004. However, while the law provides criminal penalties for official corruption, enforcement is not always effective. The 2015 public procurement and asset disposal bill is designed to strengthen anti-corruption laws. Government agencies involved in enforcement of anti-corruption laws include the Royal St. Lucia Police Force, the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Integrity Commission and the Financial Intelligence Unit.

In June 2015, twelve Commonwealth Caribbean countries including St. Lucia established a new regional body to enhance transparency and to help fight corruption. The formation of the Association of Integrity Commissions and Anti-Corruption Bodies in the Commonwealth Caribbean was presented as a potentially important step forward in regional efforts to support integrity and address corruption. It is hoped that the new body will help to further strengthen public confidence in cross-border initiatives to enhance accountability, knowledge sharing and coordination.

Resources to Report Corruption

Contact at government agency responsible for combating corruption:

Pastor Sherwin Griffith
Chairman, Integrity Commission
2nd Floor Greaham Louisy Administrative Building, Waterfront Castries Saint Lucia
Tel: 1 758 468 2207
Email: icstlucia@gmail.com