Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will address a joint sitting of St Lucia’s House of Assembly and Senate on Monday, June 30, at 10 a.m., Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism Dr Ernest Hilaire announced in the House on Tuesday.
The session will take place at the William Jefferson Clinton Ballroom at Sandals Grande, Gros Islet.
President Tinubu is scheduled to undertake an official state visit to Saint Lucia from June 28 to July 4.
Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre first revealed the visit during a Cabinet press briefing on Monday, noting that discussions are expected to focus on economic development, education, infrastructure and diplomatic relations. Invitations have also been extended to all heads of government of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).
During his parliamentary remarks, Hilaire indicated that Tinubu’s itinerary will include additional official engagements. “Of course, he will also have a couple of other official activities, and further details will be shared with the public at a later date,” he said.
Acknowledging potential disruptions, Hilaire issued an early apology to the public, citing possible inconveniences due to enhanced security and traffic control measures during the visit.
“I wish, on behalf of the government, to first of all apologise to the public for any inconvenience that they will suffer because of the traffic arrangements and traffic management plans that will be put in place,” the minister said.
“I think the public can appreciate that the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is a person of considerable stature and standing. And to be our gracious guest during that period is an honour for us in Saint Lucia. As hosts, we have an equal responsibility to ensure that all the arrangements are put in place for his successful stay in Saint Lucia.”
The minister confirmed that police officers will be tasked with implementing traffic control measures, which, he noted, may cause “traffic backup and other necessary inconveniences”.
Hilaire appealed to the public’s sense of hospitality and the island’s cultural connections to Africa, encouraging Saint Lucians to extend a warm welcome to President Tinubu.
“We have a tremendous reputation, especially in the tourism industry, for hosting guests in Saint Lucia,” he said.
“For many years, Saint Lucians have called for stronger ties with Africa, given our heritage. And here we have an opportunity to host one of our more outstanding leaders of an African country, in this case, Nigeria. We want to appeal to the public and to everyone to show that graciousness that we’ve gotten accustomed to,” he added.
Concluding his address to the House, Hilaire urged members to support the resolution for a joint sitting and made a final plea to citizens:
“In moving this resolution for a joint sitting, we all look forward to the message that the president will convey to the people of Saint Lucia. Please accept in advance all our apologies for any inconvenience, and I ask that the public cooperate with all lawful directions given by the police.”
