The committee consists of members of civil society, former and present Parliamentarians, and legal professionals.

Member of the Constitutional Reform Committee:

Claudius Francis

Earl Huntley

Ignatius Jean

Allen Chastanet

Bradley Felix

Catherine Sealys

Maurice Compton

Cynthia Barrow-Giles

Nicholas John

Mary Francis

Everistus Jn Marie

Lenard Montoute

Constitutional Reform began in Saint Lucia in 2004 with the appointment of a 25-person committee chaired by the late Justice Suzie d’auvergne. As stated in the submitted report in 2011 report, “The Resolution stated that the Commission was required, through broad-based consultations with Saint Lucians both at home and abroad, to “review and reform the Constitution of Saint Lucia in order to encourage effective governance, to ensure that the institutions of State remain strong and responsive and that the rights and freedoms guaranteed to all persons are respected.”

It noted further, that the major objectives of the exercise were principally to: “(a) promote a meaningful expansion and widening of democratic participation by citizens in Government; (b) address possible weaknesses in the constitutional framework which political practice had highlighted over the years; (c) re-fashion the Constitution so that it better accorded with our changing social and political circumstances; and (d) promote better governance and greater equity in the constitutional framework generally”.

Debates amongst the public have once again been rife, calling for any holder of the office of Prime Minister to be born in Saint Lucia following remarks by Leader of the Opposition, Allen Chastanet on being a “Product of Canada” and being born in Martinique. It should be noted that one of the submissions by the public was recommendation #59 which stated “The President [ The Governor-General should be replaced by a ceremonial President with similar powers and responsibilities, save and except as otherwise recommended in this report. ] should be a Saint Lucian by birth who has been resident in Saint Lucia for a minimum of ten years immediately prior to being nominated”.

Other submissions by the public include the retention of Capital Punishment; The personal authority of the British Monarch over Saint Lucia should be terminated;  No person should be appointed to the office of Prime Minister for more than three (3) consecutive five (5) year terms. Where a Prime Minister has served for three (3) consecutive terms, he/she may return after a hiatus of five years.

190 recommendations were compiled by the committee from public consultation and a review of the existing constitution.