these forces appeared off St Lucia, and after an obstinate and sanguinary contest, which lasted till 26th May, the Republican party, which had been aided by Victor Hugues and his guerilla band, laid down their arms and surrendered as prisoners of war. The British retained possession of St Lucia till 1802, when it was restored to France by the Treaty of Amiens; but on the renewal of hostilities it surrendered by capitulation to General Grinfield on 22nd June 1803, and was finally ceded to Britain in 1814 by the Treaty of Paris. CONSTITUTION Following decisions taken at a Conference in London in April and May 1966, subsequently endorsed by a resolution of the Legislative Council, provision was made in the West Indies Act, 1967, under which St Lucia assumed a status of association with the United Kingdom on 1st March 1967. The association is a free and voluntary one, terminable by either country at any time. St Lucia is fully self-governing in all its internal affairs. The United Kingdom is responsible for defence and external affairs. Agreement has been reached on close consultation over the discharge of these responsibilities and on the delegation of executive authority in a wide field of external relations. The British Government conduct their affairs with St Lucia and the rest of the West Indies Associated States through the British Government Representative, whose headquarters are at Castries. Under the Constitution the Governor is Her Majesty's Representative. Except where otherwise provided the Governor is required to act in accordance with the advice of the Cabinet or a Minister acting under the general authority of the Cabinet. The Cabinet is collectively responsible to the Legislature for the government of St Lucia. The Cabinet consists of the Premier and other Ministers and, so long as his office is a public office, the Attorney-General ex officio. The Governor appoints as Premier a member of the House of Assembly who appears to him likely to command a majority in that House. Other Ministers are appointed on the advice of the Premier. There is provision for the appointment of Parliamentary Secretaries. The Legislature consists of Her Majesty and a House of Assembly. (There is provision for a Senate if the House of Assembly should resolve in favour of establishing it.) The House of Assembly consists of a Speaker; members (for the present ten) elected in single member constituencies under universal adult suffrage (one of whom may be the Speaker); three nominated members appointed by the Governor, two on the advice of the Premier and one in his own deliberate judgment; and, so long as his office is a public office, the Attorney-General ex officio. The Constitution contains safeguards for fundamental rights and freedoms. Special provisions relate to a Bill to alter the Constitution or the law establishing the West Indies Associated States Supreme Court or the law relating to appeals to the Privy Council. A Puisne Judge of the West Indies Associated States Supreme Court (q.v.) established by Order in Council, is resident in St Lucia. The appointment, dismissal and disciplinary control of public officers is, with certain exceptions, vested in the Public Service Commission, appointed by the Governor in accordance with the advice of the Premier. There is provision for appeals to the Public Service Board of Appeal. GOVERNOR His Excellency Mr Ira Marcus Simmons, ISO, MBE MINISTRY Premier and Minister of Finance, Planning and Development: Minister of Education and Health: The Hon. J. R. A. Bousquet Minister of Trade, Industry, Agriculture and Tourism: The Hon. George W. Mallet Minister of Communications and Works: The Hon. Ignatius Felicien Cabinet Secretary: Dr Graham Louisy, MBE Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health: Fitz-Gerald Louisy, MBE Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Communications and Works: Darius Charlemagne Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Trade, Industry, Agriculture and Tourism: Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Housing, Community Development, Permanent Secretary, Establishment: Francis Ferdinand Permanent Secretary, Development Planning and Statistics: Charles Cadet, MBE BRITISH GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVE E. O. Laird, CMG, MBE T ST VINCENT HE island of St Vincent was discovered by Christopher Columbus on 22nd January 1498 (St Vincent's Day). The territory includes the northern Grenadines, some of the larger islands are: Bequia, Canouan, Mayreau, Mustique, Isle D'Quatre and Union Island. The island lies between latitudes 13° 6' and 14° 35′ N. and longitudes 61° 6′ and 61° 20′ W. at a distance of 21 miles to the south-west of St Lucia and 100 miles west of Barbados. Including the Grenadines the territory comprises 150-3 square miles, i.e. approximately 96,000 acres. The main island St Vincent is 18 miles by 11 miles at its extremities and has an area of 133 square miles (85,120 acres) of which 39,800 acres are forested. The most striking natural feature of St Vincent is the Soufrière, a volcano, situated at the northernmost extremity of the island and rising to 4,048 feet above sea level. After a violent eruption in 1812, it remained dormant for a period of ninety years and then broke into violent eruption again on 7th May 1902, when the entire northern half of the island was devastated and nearly 2,000 lives were lost. The eruption synchronised with that of Mont Pélée in Martinique which destroyed the town of St Pierre. The Soufrière was intermittently active throughout 1902 and there was a further eruption in 1903. The volcano again became active during October 1971 to April 1972. This eruption was a mild one and involved the growth of a volcanic dome which gradually rose in the Crater Lake forming an island. The whole island is of volcanic origin. A backbone of densely wooded and almost impassable mountains traverses it from the Soufrière at its northern end to Mount St Andrew (2,500 feet) dominating the Kingstown valley in the south. The range sends off spurs on each side, cutting up the island into a series of valleys trending east and west from the central range to the coast. There is a somewhat level tract called the Carib Country at the north-east of the island between the Soufrière and the sea. The second highest point in the range is Richmond Peak (3,539 feet). The streams are numerous but, except after heavy rains, small. None of them is navigable. Average temperatures range from 18-32°C (64-90°F) and the maximum rarely exceeds 93°F in the shade. At Kingstown station (60 feet above sea level) the mean temperature in 1967 was 82-8°F and the total rainfall 109.51 inches. From January to May there is a pronounced dry season. From May or June the rains start in earnest and continue to the end of the year. Annual rainfall ranges from 60 inches in the extreme south to 150 inches in the interior of the island. The Census of 1970 recorded a population of 89,129 of whom 56,393 were under 21 years old. English is the only language in general use. The main religious denominations are Methodist, Anglican and Roman Catholic. The crude death rate in 1972 was 9.6 per thousand and the birth rate was 37.7. Health measures and health education continue to be directed at the control of infantile malnutrition and gastro-enteritis. Insect-borne diseases are not prevalent. There are 33 Government clinics and dispensaries throughout the State and over 350 hospital beds of which 211 are located in the Central General Hospital, where in-patients numbered 6,000 in 1972. Total expenditure on Government medical and health services in 1971 was EC$2,188,279, representing some 16 per cent of Government expenditure. The island is divided into five parishes, Charlotte, St George, St Andrew, St David and St Patrick. The nine political divisions are South Leeward, North Leeward, Kingstown, East St George, West St George, South Windward, Central Windward, North Windward and the Grenadines. Kingstown, the capital, has a population of 23,645 including the suburbs. The other principal towns are Georgetown, Calliaqua, Layou, Barrouallie and Chateaubelair. The working population is estimated to be 32,000, about 50 per cent of whom are engaged in agriculture, forestry and fishing. The main crops in order of importance are bananas, arrowroot, copra, coconuts, sweet potatoes, carrots, nutmegs and mace, peanuts, cocoa, and cassava. A rough estimate of the livestock population is: cattle 7,500; goats, 4,500; sheep 5,500; asses 1,000; horses and mules 60; pigs 6,000; poultry 100,000 (all types). Sales of timber on Crown Lands are restricted to a minimum so as to avoid excessive exploitation at the expense of soil and water conservation. Extensive in-shore fishing is carried on, but little off-shore. Recorded fish landings for 1971 was 552,000 pounds valued at EC$154,360 and 404,000 pounds valued at EC$122,154. This represents only about 50 per cent of total catch, as much fish is sold outside established fish markets. An ice-making and cold storage plant has been installed in the Kingstown Market and commenced operations in 1969. The Marketing Board took over the marketing of fish in Kingstown in 1969. An F.A.O.-sponsored regional investigational and training scheme for the Caribbean area is expected to bring improvements to fishing. Barbados is the headquarters for the operation of the scheme. Industry is based mainly on agriculture. There is now a renewed market for arrowroot starch. The Central Arrowroot Factory at Belle Vue is not operating, but there are four other factories-Colonarie, Sans Souci, Biabou and Wallilabou-providing starch. Two privately-owned plants for processing copra were in operation during 1968. There is a small cigarette factory, which in 1969 produced 1,760,000 packets of 10 cigarettes. All tobacco is imported. Other small industries include a rum distillery based on molasses imported from St Kitts, two plants producing aerated drinks, two tyre-recapping plants and several furniture-making concerns. Exports include bananas, arrowroot, cocoa, and various root crops and spices. Carrot production is booming and carrots are exported to Trinidad and Barbados. There is also a good trade in plantains with Barbados. The main imports are foodstuffs, cotton piecegoods, cement, timber, motor spirit, fertilisers and motor vehicles. A statutory Marketing Board mainly handles sweet potatoes but a substantial trade has also been built up in other starchy roots, mainly with the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Trinidad. The Board assists in the marketing of pasteurised milk. Apart from agriculture, tourism is the main field in which the economy is expanding. The number of short-stay visitors arriving in the State in 1971 was 16,902 as compared with 15,701 in 1972. It has been estimated that tourism brought over $5.5 million to the island in 1970, as compared with $4.6 million in 1969. The principal port is Kingstown. The airstrip is located at Arnos Vale, two miles south-east of the capital, Kingstown. The runway is 4,650 feet long by 150 feet wide, lying in a strip 500 feet wide. Scheduled daily services are operated by Leeward Islands Air Transport Antigua. There are also two airstrips in the Grenadines, viz. on Prune Island and Mustique. The present schedules and services provide daily flights to all Caribbean islands stretching from Jamaica to Trinidad, and connections are possible the same day to Europe and North America. There are 178 miles of all-weather roads, 235 miles of rough roads, and 240 miles of tracks and by-ways. The main shipping lines calling at St. Vincent are the Royal Netherlands Steamship Co., Booth American Shipping Co., Harrison Line, Atlantic Line, West Indies Shipping Co., Saguenay Shipping, the Geest Line, Fratelli Grimaldi and Canadian Pacific, James Nourse Line, Blue Ribbon Line and Booker Seaway. A fully automatic internal telephone system serving St Vincent, Union Island, Bequia, Mustique, Prune Island and Petit St Vincent is operated by Cable and Wireless (W.I.) Ltd., with the main exchange building at Kingstown. Public call boxes have been installed at strategic points throughout the island. International telephone, telegraph and Telex Services are also provided by Cable and Wireless (W.I.) Ltd. International Aeradio (Caribbean) Ltd. provide radio facilities for the Air Service. There is a broadcasting station on St. Vincent, which at midday relays regional news from Grenada, St. Lucia and Dominica. The station at present provides local programming on a limited scale, but is expected to expand to full time programming in the future. Television reception of the Trinidad and Barbados programmes is possible in some localities. It is recognised that tourism is the sector with the greatest growth potential in the future and accordingly investment is devoted to the development of the infrastructure, especially in the Grenadines. Expenditure in agriculture is aimed at both the diversification and increase in yeilds of agricultural products. An Agricultural and Co-operative Bank to facilitate credit to farmers commenced operation on 15th February 1969. While it is recognised that the economy will still remain largely dependent on agriculture in the foreseeable future, provision has been made for establishing light industries to utilise local produce through the Development Corporation of St. Vincent, which was established in 1970. A graduated income tax is imposed on individuals, ranging from 3 cents to 65 cents on every dollar of chargeable income. The present scale of allowances is a 10 per cent reduction of earned income up to a maximum of $500, personal allowance for a single man of $800 and for a married man of $1,400, for each child $300, for a widower or widow a housekeeper allowance of $200 and a similar allowance for a dependent relative. There is also relief for life assurance. A simplified non-cumulative PAYE system is in operation for employees. Companies pay at a flat rate of 40 per cent. Primary Education is free (except in the case of the Kingstown Preparatory School) but not compulsory. Secondary education is offered in two Government Senior Secondary Schools, four Junior Secondary Schools, and in ten Assisted Secondary Schools. These are fee paying schools, but Government's contribution to the expenses of the two Government schools exceeds the amount of fees collected. There are several primary schools which are conducted under private ownership but their number is not known. The literacy rate is estimated at 85 per cent. HISTORY St Vincent was included in a patent given by Charles I to the Earl of Carlisle in 1627. In 1660 England and France agreed that the island should be neutral, but in |