A Legacy of Controversy and Corruption

Dr. Ernest Hilaire, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Investment, Tourism, Culture, and Information of Saint Lucia, has a long history of controversy and corruption that makes him unfit for public office. From his tenure as CEO of the West Indies Cricket Board to his current role, Hilaire has consistently demonstrated a disregard for the law, due process and procedure, and a willingness to engage in dubious practices.

The latest revelations, including his naming as a co-conspirator in a federal RICO case in Florida, have made it clear that he is a threat to the integrity of the government and the people of Saint Lucia. One of the most egregious examples of Hilaire’s alleged corruption is the “Rovergate” scandal, in which he imported a tax-free Land Rover into Saint Lucia without proper documentation. According to Peter D. Chiquot, the former Acting Comptroller of Customs, Hilaire violated the Laws of St. Lucia, specifically Section 102 of the Customs (Control and Management Act), by refusing to produce the required documentation. Chiquot issued a warrant for the seizure and return of the vehicle, but Hilaire’s actions were only the tip of the iceberg. Chiquot’s statement reveals a pattern of corruption and retaliation, as he was subsequently removed from his position as Acting Comptroller of Customs after the 2021 election, allegedly at the behest of Prime Minister Philip Pierre and Hilaire. This raises serious questions about political interference and the government’s willingness to protect corrupt officials.

Hilaire’s involvement in the ‘Juffal Affair’, in which he allegedly sold diplomatic passports to an Arab billionaire, Dr. Walid Ahmed Juffali, is another example of his corrupt practices. Juffali, who was appointed as Saint Lucia’s Permanent Representative to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), used his diplomatic immunity to attempt to deny his divorced wife her share of his £4 billion fortune. This highly irregular arrangement raises serious questions about the true nature of Juffali’s appointment and Hilaire’s role in facilitating it.

Furthermore, an audit conducted by the Auditor General of the Government of St. Lucia of the unauthorized IMO bank account at the High Commission in the United Kingdom where Hilaire served as the High Commissioner revealed that Hilaire, as a co-signatory on the account, authorized checks totaling £7818.25 payable to himself (approximately EC$33,561.00) and transferred £23290.67 (approximately EC$99980.00) to a bank account “HCFSL IMO”. The audit also found that the cash book and general ledger were not maintained, and there were no bank reconciliations, with several blank check stubs. This is a clear indication of financial irregularities and a lack of transparency.

The RICO case in Florida, in which Hilaire is named as a co-conspirator, is a clear indication of his involvement in a large-scale fraud scheme. The CEO of St. Lucia’s CIP Unit

is also named as a co-defendant in the case, raising serious concerns about the program’s integrity and Hilaire’s oversight. Furthermore, Hilaire’s refusal to provide details on the number of files allocated to Caribbean Galaxy in the real estate and infrastructure programs of the CIP raises suspicions of wrongdoing. Philippe Martinez, CEO of MSR, has publicly claimed that Caribbean Galaxy was allocated a total of 13,000 files, which, if true, would amount to a staggering $3.7 billion in passport sales. The government’s silence on this matter and its refusal to refute Martinez’s claim is perplexing. The people of Saint Lucia deserve answers.

It is unconscionable that Hilaire continues to hold public office, given the gravity of these allegations. His continued presence in government undermines the integrity of the institution and erodes trust in the administration. The people of Saint Lucia deserve better than a leader who has consistently demonstrated a disregard for the law and a willingness to engage in corrupt practices.

It is time for Hilaire to step down and for the government to take swift action to restore integrity to the CIP program and the administration as a whole. The people of Saint Lucia deserve leaders who are transparent, accountable, and committed to upholding the law. Ernest Hilaire has consistently demonstrated that he is not that leader. It is time for him to go.