Government of Saint Lucia Department of Commerce
(758) 468-4217mincommerce@govt.lcWaterfront, Castries
Department of Commerce
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Department of Commerce staff gathered together in matching orange shirts
About the Department

Serving commerce and enterprise in Saint Lucia.

The Department of Commerce leads, facilitates and supports a vibrant, competitive and inclusive business environment for a stronger Saint Lucia.

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Our Role and Services Meet Our Team

Responsive. Relevant. Resilient.

The Department of Commerce is the Government of Saint Lucia’s lead agency for business facilitation, serving as the strategic link between the public and private sectors. We are dedicated to creating an enabling business environment that supports entrepreneurship, stimulates investment, strengthens industry, drives innovation and enhances national competitiveness.

Our role is to make doing business in Saint Lucia simpler, smarter and more efficient. Through responsive services and relevant business support, we help entrepreneurs, manufacturers and service providers navigate opportunities for growth while adapting to an increasingly dynamic global trading environment.

Department leadership

Leadership.

The Ministers and the Permanent Secretary who lead the Department of Commerce.

Dr. Ernest Hilaire, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism, Commerce, Investment, Creative Industries, Culture and Heritage

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism, Commerce, Investment, Creative Industries, Culture and Heritage

Dr. Ernest Hilaire

Dr. Ernest Hilaire is Saint Lucia’s Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister responsible for Tourism, Commerce, Investment, Creative Industries, Culture and Heritage. He has represented Castries South in Parliament since 2016 and is First Deputy Political Leader of the Saint Lucia Labour Party.

Before entering elected office he served as Permanent Secretary for Youth and Sports, Chief Executive Officer of the West Indies Cricket Board, and Saint Lucia’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and Ambassador to France. He holds a degree from the University of the West Indies at Cave Hill, an MPhil in International Relations from the University of Cambridge and a PhD from the London School of Economics.

John Paul Estephane, Minister in the Ministry of Tourism, Commerce, Investment, Creative Industries, Culture and Heritage

Minister in the Ministry of Tourism, Commerce, Investment, Creative Industries, Culture and Heritage

John Paul Estephane

Hon. John Paul Estephane is the Minister in the Ministry of Tourism, Commerce, Investment, Creative Industries, Culture and Heritage and the Parliamentary Representative for Babonneau.

In his constituency he has backed the Community Business Revitalization Project, carried out with Taiwan’s support, to help young people take on roles in developing their own community. He has also worked on developing Fond Latisab as a cultural tourism site, as part of a plan to make Babonneau an eco-tourism destination.

Sophia Alfay-Henry, Permanent Secretary

Permanent Secretary

Sophia Alfay-Henry

Sophia Alfay-Henry is the Permanent Secretary. She is responsible for private sector growth and development, for an enabling environment for trade and doing business, and for the education and protection of consumers, and she chairs Saint Lucia’s National Trade Facilitation Committee.

Previously she spent 24½ years at the Inland Revenue Department, the last four and a half as its Comptroller. She is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (FCCA) and a Chartered Director.

Mission & vision

Our mission and vision.

The purpose behind every service the Department delivers.

Our mission

We will create a dynamic, enabling environment for business and trade facilitation, by enhancing capacity development, increasing global competitiveness and sustainability while ensuring compliance with ethical standards and good business practices.

Our vision

An economically resilient private sector which is globally competitive.

Where we began

“To actively promote and facilitate, in close collaboration with the Private Sector, the establishment of a dynamic investment and trading environment, which anticipates changes in global circumstances, whilst strengthening and enhancing the productive capacities and competitiveness of Industry and Commerce, encouraging good business practices and promoting consumer interest.”

Mission of the Ministry of Commerce, as published on the Department’s original website, commerce.gov.lc

How the Department supports enterprise.

We provide an integrated business support platform that connects enterprises with training, technical assistance, business advisory services, incentives, financing options, networking opportunities and market development initiatives. Our commitment extends beyond programme delivery: regular industry-specific site visits allow us to capture data, understand business needs and provide practical, tailored solutions to challenges as they arise.

Resilience

Equipping businesses with the knowledge, tools and exposure to best practices, quality standards and emerging market trends needed to remain competitive.

Digital transformation

Encouraging the adoption of e-commerce and technology-driven solutions that improve efficiency, productivity and access to new markets.

Access to finance

Grant programmes and blended financing initiatives that support the expansion and modernisation of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises.

Local and export markets

Locally, Love Saint Lucia encourages consumers to “Shop Smart. Shop Local.” Internationally, we help registered businesses identify export opportunities and build export readiness through a data-driven approach.

Whether you are starting a business, expanding your operations, entering new markets or seeking government support, the Department of Commerce is your trusted partner in building a stronger, more competitive enterprise.

Call (758) 468-4217 Email mincommerce@govt.lc

Affiliated agencies.

Export Saint Lucia

Spearheads Saint Lucia’s National Export Development Effort and is the gateway for taking products and services to regional and international markets, adding volume and value to the island’s exports.

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Saint Lucia Bureau of Standards

Develops, adopts, promotes and enforces conformity to standards for goods, services, processes and practices, and provides metrology services regulating weights and measures.

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Regulated Substances Authority

Established under the Regulated Substances Act No. 26 of 2023 as the national body overseeing the regulation of substances, including cannabis and radioactive materials.

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Free Zone Management Authority

Regulates all Free Zones and operates the Goods Distribution Free Zone in the south of the island, where goods may be held for transshipment, re-export or importation without payment of customs duties.

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