- Saint Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority issues temporary airport closures
- Prime minister Philip J. Pierre apologises for the temporary road closures, delays and inconvenience
- The cost of president Tinubu visit – not a factor – relative to road repair, beautification, and security concerns
By Caribbean News Global 
CASTRIES, St Lucia – Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre on Monday announced that the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu, will be visiting Saint Lucia from June 28 – July 4, 2025.
Consequently, two of these days – June 30 and July 1 – will be an official visit, while the remainder of the days will be a personal vacation for the president.
“The engagement with president Tinubu represents a valuable occasion for heads of government, and I have invited all the heads of government from the OECS countries to visit Saint Lucia at this time so we can have a formal engagement with the president of Nigeria,” prime minister Pierre added.
“ As the chairman of the OECS Authority, I believe that the visit of the president of Nigeria represents a historic and unique opportunity to deepen the bonds between Africa and the Caribbean. As descendants of shared heritage, the people of the Caribbean trace deep links to the African continent. These longstanding cultural and historical connections compel us to continue nurturing and strengthening our bonds in ways that are meaningful, strategic and sustainable.”
Meanwhile, details of president Tinubu visit to Saint Lucia will be provided in due course by the ministry of external affairs, Saint Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority issued a temporary airport closure notice at both Hewanorra International Airport and George F.L.Charles Airport for June 28, due to presidential state visit from 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm and 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm respectively.
“The late notice, lack of contingency planning, and absence of a clear explanation reflect poor coordination and disregard for public interest,” says the opposition United Workers Party (UWP) in a statement Thursday.
SLASP’s temporary closures are having a ripple effect on airlines and travellers to Saint Lucia, [Saturday], with cancellations, delays, and loss of revenue for the government of Saint Lucia, at a time of declining key markets. April 2025 reports stayover arrival down 3 percent. Canada and the UK have experienced steep declines of 19 and 15 percent, respectively.
The particular circumstance of the African visitor, his reported large entourage, and an outline of the visit remain irrelevant details to the Saint Lucian public, reflecting an enhanced approach to audience engagement, national participation and the democratic rights to transparency and accountability.
In advance of president Tinubu and heads of government from the OECS countries arriving in Saint Lucia, prime minister Pierre apologised to Saint Lucians for temporary closures and delays.
The infrastructure network of Saint Lucia will be impacted by the singular major road network and security parameters, thus significantly inconveniencing social activity and the normal day-to-day life of Saint Lucians and visitors.
Beach lovers may find it irritating, in particular, Vigie Beach, located in extremely close proximity to George F.L. Charles Airport. Meanwhile, the swiftness of road repairs, pothole repair, beautification, preparation for foreign media, joint seating of parliament, state dinners and side events, security and other related costs – is not a factor – for the government of Saint Lucia.
And if influenced by well-endowed special interests, diplomats and the political left, it reflects on indicators, as stated in the budget address 2025: “The Saint Lucian economy has done exceptionally well and is heading in a very different direction … three consecutive years of economic growth and recorded the lowest level of unemployment on record.”
Strengthen strategic partnership
The economic impact and productivity cost are matters of consideration. However, most Saint Lucians expect Nigeria, the largest oil and gas producer in Africa, will find it convenient to expand manufacturing, financial, service, communications, and technology sectors to Saint Lucia.
In these challenging times, the Saint Lucian landscape can do well with the urgent need for collaboration, adaptability, and forward-thinking solutions to the social and economic viability of the country.
A visit of this magnitude by African visitors is perhaps a defining moment for transparency, accountability, and progress, to optimise business models that equate to market realities and to develop a shared perspective on long-term sustainability for development and growth.
Nigeria has essential and rare earth minerals that the world craves: Is Saint Lucia positioning itself for gold bars, oil and gas, tantalite and uranium?
Security alert
The visit of Nigerian president Tinubu must also be viewed in the context of geopolitical events, Saint Lucia’s Citizenship by Investment (CIP) and as widely reported, Saint Lucia is on a proposed list of countries slated for a travel ban by the US, including other OECS countries of Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis.
Nigeria is also on the list of president Donald Trump proposed travel ban. And more recently, the US issued a heightened security advisory on Nigeria, citing increased global security concerns.
“The conflict between Israel and Iran has resulted in disruptions to travel and periodic closure of airspace across the Middle East. There is the potential for demonstrations against US citizens and interests abroad. The Department of State advises US citizens worldwide to exercise increased caution.”
According to the UWP, in support of “the deepening of strategic ties with international partners, we affirm, that such relationships must be anchored in shared values, including respect for transparency, good governance, and accountability.”
Nation-building
With Nigeria’s natural resources comprising a growing market, and a talented population:
Is Saint Lucia gearing up for trade and commercial agreements, knowledge transfer and migration in rebuilding the country?
The UWP and many Saint Lucians have taken note of the impending general election in Saint Lucia, and using various mediums have questioned the timing and visit of the African visitors.
Enquiries are levelled at matters of elections with integrity, general election disqualifiers using institutional mechanisms, engineering of civil society, and the paradox of democracy. Notably, these are all too real, at a time when trust in politics and politicians to “putting people first” is equivalent to an elephant trampling on grass.
Flawed slogans and sham elections have thus far not changed people’s lives for the better, but expectedly, erased trust and confidence in political leaders. The mechanism to hold them accountable has likewise become a prejudiced legal channel, with norms enshrined in huddles too difficult for the common denominator to exercise equal rights and justice.
Whereas the UWP has “called on the government to provide full transparency on the nature and scope of any bilateral agreements or commitments expected to be signed or announced during this visit,” it is beneficial that such are mutually expected as norms in governance and the democratic process.
Recognising the challenges, president Tinubu’s visit to Saint Lucia is perhaps worth the investment, awkwardness and association with like-minded individuals in political philosophy, economic strategy and wealth in the name of nation building. And for that, Saint Lucia and certain OECS heads of government may have found an alternative to reposition their future, political, social and economic survival and success.
