Constitution of the Order of Saint Lucia
1. A Society of Honour,
for the purpose of according recognition to citizens of Saint Lucia and other
persons for achievement, for acts of bravery or for meritorious service is
established in Saint Lucia to be known as the Order of Saint Lucia.
2. The Order shall
consist of the Sovereign, the Governor-General as Chancellor, and the holders
of awards in the following Grades:
- Grand Cross
- Saint Lucia Cross
- Medal of Honour in classes Gold and Silver
- Medal of Merit in classes Gold and Silver
- Les Pitons Medal in classes of Gold, Silver & Bronze
- National Service Cross
- National Service Medal.
3. The Sovereign of Saint
Lucia shall be Head of the Order
OFFICERS AND
COMMITTEE OF THE ORDER
4.
1) The
Governor-General, who by virtue of his Office shall be charged with the
administration of the Order, and in his custody shall be confided the Seal
of the Order, which he shall affix to all Statutes, Ordinances and
Instruments according to the Regulations touching the issue of every of the
said instruments.
2) In the absence of
the Governor-General, the person for the time being performing the functions
of the office of Governor-General shall discharge the functions of
Chancellor of the Order.
3) The Private
Secretary to the Governor-General shall be Secretary of the Order and shall
maintain the records of the Order, arrange for investitures and perform such
other functions in respect of the Order as the Governor-General shall direct
from time to time.
5.
1) There shall be a
standing National Awards Committee for the Order hereinafter called "the
Committee" comprised of:
a) A citizen of Saint
Lucia appointed by the Governor-General after consultation with the Prime
Minister and the Leader of the Opposition who shall be Chairman of the
Committee.
b) The Chairman of
the Public Service Commission.
c) The Chairman of
the Teaching Service Commission.
d) The Commissioner
of Police.
e) Three persons representative of
the General Public appointed by the Governor-General of whom two shall be
appointed on the advice of the Prime Minister and one on the advice of the
Leader of the Opposition. Such appointment shall be for a period not
exceeding three years from the date of appointment but the persons shall
be eligible for reappointment.
f) A member of the Committee
appointed under sub-paragraph (a) of this section shall hold office for a
period not exceeding three years from the date of appointment but shall be
eligible for reappointment.
2) The Committee shall
have a Secretary who shall be appointed by the Prime Minister.
3) A vacancy in the
membership of the Committee shall not preclude the Committee from carrying
out its functions.
6. A person shall not be
a member or honorary member of the Order by reason only of his being a member
of the Committee or an official of the Order.
7. The Committee shall:
a) Consider nominations
of persons of merit who are citizens of Saint Lucia together with
recommendations and supporting material received by the Committee for awards
of the Saint Lucia Cross, the Medal of Honour, the Medal of Merit, Les
Pitons Medal, the National Service Cross, and the National Service Medal;
(b) compile separate
lists in respect of each grade, and where applicable each class in such
Grade, of those nominees to whom an award may be made;
(c) forward to the
Prime Minister the lists compiled pursuant to paragraph (b) with its
recommendations respecting awards;
(d) advise the
Governor-General in respect of any matters concerning the Order referred to
it by the Governor General for consideration.
On receipt of the
Committee’s recommendation, the Prime Minister shall advise the
Governor-General to make, on the Sovereign’s behalf, such awards as he
considers appropriate.
NOMINATIONS AND ELIGIBILITY
8.
1) Any person or
organisation may submit to the Committee for its consideration a nomination
of a citizen for the Saint Lucia Cross, the Medal of Honour, the Medal of
Merit and the Les Pitons Medal.
2) Submission of nominations for an
award of the National Service Cross shall only be received from the Chairman
of the Public Service Commission or a Commission responsible for
appointments and other matters affecting the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force
and the Saint Lucia Fire and Prison Services.
3) Submission of nominations for an
award of the National Service Medal shall only be received from the
Officer-in-Charge of the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force, the Saint Lucia
Fire Service, the Saint Lucia Prison Service, or the Principal of a school
to which is attached a Cadet Corps.
4) Only citizens of Saint Lucia are
eligible for an award in any Grade of the Order.
5) Awards in any grade of the Order may
be made on an honorary basis to persons other than citizens of Saint Lucia
but they shall not become members of the Order.
6) Any distinguished citizen of a
country other than Saint Lucia whom Saint Lucia desires to honour may be
awarded the Saint Lucia Cross, the Medal of Honour, or the Medal of Merit on
an honorary basis.
7) Awards in any Grade of the Order to
persons other than citizens of Saint Lucia shall be made with the approval
of the Sovereign on the advice of the Prime Minister.
8) Nothing in this Constitution limits
the right of the Governor-General to exercise all powers and authorities of
the Sovereign in respect of the Order.
CLASS OF AWARDS
THE GRAND CROSS
9.
1) The Grand Cross of
the Order of Saint Lucia herein called the "Grand Cross" shall be awarded in
connection with the Order only to a person appointed to the office of
Governor-General of Saint Lucia.
2) The Grand Cross
shall be awarded only in Gold and the recipient shall be invested with a
Star, and a Collar to which will be affixed the Badge of the Order.
3) A person to whom an
award of the Grand Cross has been made shall on retirement, resignation or
on relinquishment of the office of Governor-General be entitled to wear only
the Star with which he was invested, and the Badge of the Order suspended
from the Riband of the Order and worn round the neck.
THE SAINT LUCIA
CROSS
10.
1) The Saint Lucia
Cross of the Order of Saint Lucia herein called the "Saint Lucia Cross" may
be awarded in connection with the Order to any person who has rendered
distinguished and outstanding service of national importance to Saint
Lucia.
2) The Saint Lucia
Cross may be awarded posthumously but a deceased recipient will not become a
member of the Order.
3) The Saint Lucia Cross will only be
awarded in Gold.
4) The Governor-General may award the
Saint Lucia Cross to no more than two persons on the institution of the
Order; and no more than three persons shall be appointed to this Grade in
any two successive years.
5) The number of persons awarded the
Saint Lucia Cross shall not exceed twenty-five at any time.
THE MEDAL OF HONOUR
11.
1) The Medal of Honour of the Order of
Saint Lucia herein called the "Medal of Honour" may be awarded in connection
with the Order to any person who:
a) has rendered eminent service of
national importance to Saint Lucia, or
b) has performed an outstanding brave
or humane act to a national of Saint Lucia or other country.
2)
(a) The Medal of Honour may be
awarded in Gold or Silver.
(b) The Medal of Honour when awarded
under sub-paragraph 1(b) of this Article shall be awarded in Gold only for
acts of conspicuous courage in circumstances of extreme peril; and shall
be awarded in Silver only for acts of bravery in hazardous circumstances.
Awards in any of these categories
shall not be limited in any year nor included in the determination of any
quota set by this Constitution.
c) The Medal of Honour may be awarded
posthumously when awarded under sub-clause 1(b) of this Article but a
deceased recipient does not become a member of the Order.
3) Subject to the provisions of 2(b)
The Governor General may award the Saint Lucia Medal of Honour to no more
than three persons in any one class on the institution of the Order; and not
more than two in either-of the Classes in any one year.
MEDAL OF MERIT
12.
1) The Medal of Merit of the Order of
Saint Lucia herein called the "Medal of Merit" may be awarded in connection
with the Order to any person who has performed long and meritorious service
in the Arts, Sciences, Literature or other such fields to Saint Lucia.
2) The Medal of Merit may be awarded in
Gold or Silver.
3) The Governor-General may award the
Saint Lucia Medal of Merit to no more than five persons on the institution
of the Order and not more than three in either of the Classes in any one
year.
LES PITONS MEDAL
13.
1) The Les Pitons Medal
of the Order of Saint Lucia herein called the "Les Pitons Medal" may be
awarded in connection with the Order to any person who has performed long
and meritorious services to Saint Lucia tending to promote loyal public
service, national welfare or inculcate and strengthen community spirit.
2) The Les Pitons Medal
may be awarded in Gold, Silver or Bronze in accordance with the Committee’s
assessment of the level of the recipient’s service to Saint Lucia.
3) The Governor-General
may award the Les Pitons Medal to a maximum of six persons in any one Class
on the institution of the- Order; and not more than three in any one Class
in any one year.
THE NATIONAL SERVICE CROSS
14.
1) The National Service
Cross of the Order of Saint Lucia herein called the "National Service Cross"
may be awarded in connection with the Order only to an Officer of the Royal
Saint Lucia Police Force not below the rank of Assistant Superintendent, an
Officer of the Fire Service not below the rank of Deputy Fire Chief, or an
Officer of the Prison Service not below the rank of Deputy Chief Prisons
Officer who has rendered loyal and devoted service beneficial to Saint
Lucia.
2) The National Service
Cross may be awarded posthumously but a deceased recipient does not become a
member of the Order.
3) The Governor-General
may award the National Service Cross to no more than one person in any year.
THE NATIONAL SERVICE MEDAL
15.
1) The National Service
Medal of the Order of Saint Lucia herein called the "National Service Medal"
may be awarded for outstanding and meritorious service to members of the
Royal Saint Lucia Police Force, the Saint Lucia Fire Service, the Saint
Lucia Prison Services, and Commissioned officers of a Cadet Corps.
2) The Governor-General
may award the National Service Medal to no more than four persons in any
year.
16.
1) Subject to the provisions of
Articles 10(4), 11 (2b), 11(3), 12(3), 13(3), and of this Article
appointments to the Order, other than honorary appointments, shall be made
only once a year in respect of Independence Day.
2) On the institution of the Order the
person holding the office of Governor-General shall become the first holder
of the Grand Cross.
TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP IN THE ORDER
17. A person ceases to be a member or
honorary member of the Order upon -
a) death;
b) resignation from the Order which
shall have effect on the date on which a resignation in writing is accepted
by the Governor-General;
c) the revocation of his or her award
by the Governor-General provided that an award of the Medal of Honour for
gallantry or humane action shall not be revoked.
DESIGNATIONS
18.
1) A person to whom the Grand Cross is
awarded is entitled to:
a) have the letters "GCSL" placed
after his or her name on all occasions when the use of such letters is
customary; and
b) wear as a decoration the insignia
prescribed for recipients of the Grand Cross;
c) the use of the title "His (or Her)
Excellency before his or her name.
2) A person to whom the Saint Lucia
Cross is award is entitled to:
a) have the letters "SLC" placed
after his or her name on all occasions when the use of such letters is
customary;
b) wear as a decoration the insignia
prescribed for recipients of the Saint Lucia Cross in the Ordinance of the
Order;
c) when a citizen of Saint Lucia be
entitled to the use of the title "The Honourable" before his or her name
immediately on publication of the award.
3) A person to whom the Medal of Honour
is awarded is entitled to:
a) have the letter "SLMH" placed
after his or her name on all occasions when the use of such letters is
customary; and
b) wear as a decoration the insignia
prescribed for recipients of the Medal of Honour in the Class in which the
award has been made in the Ordinances of the Order.
4) A person to whom the Medal of Merit
is awarded is entitled to:
a) have the letter ‘SLMM" placed
after his or her name on all occasions when the use of such letters is
customary; and
b) wear as a decoration the insignia
prescribed for recipients of the Medal of Merit in the Class in which the
Award has been made in the Ordinances of the Order.
5) A person to whom the
Les Pitons Medal is awarded is entitled to:
a) have the letters "SLMP"
placed after his or her name on all occasions when the use of such letters
is customary; and
b) wear as a
decoration the insignia prescribed for recipients of the Les Piton Medal
in the Class in which the award has been made in the Ordinances of the
Order.
6) A person to whom the
National Service Cross is awarded is entitled to:
a) have the letters "NSC"
placed after his or her name on all occasions when the use of such letters
is customary; and
b) wear as a
decoration the insignia prescribed for recipients of the National Service
Medal in the Ordinances of the Order.
19.
1) When worn in Saint
Lucia by a citizen of Saint Lucia the Saint Lucia Cross shall be worn
suspended from a riband around the neck and takes precedence of all other
decorations except the Victoria Cross and the George Cross.
2) When worn in Saint
Lucia by a citizen of Saint Lucia the Medal of Honour shall be worn pendant
from riband attached to the left breast -&f the outer gannent in front of
all other decorations except the Victoria Cross and the George Cross.
3) When worn in Saint
Lucia by a citizen of Saint Lucia the Medal of Merit shall be worn pendant
from a riband attached to the left breast of the outer garment immediately
after the Medal of Honour in front of all other decorations.
4) When worn in Saint
Lucia the Les Pitons Medal shall be worn pendant from a riband attached to
the left breast of the outer garment immediately after the Medal of Merit
and in front of all other decorations.
5) When worn in Saint
Lucia the National Service Cross shall be worn pendant from a riband
attached to the left breast of the outer garment immediately after the Les
Pitons Medal and in front of all other decorations except the Victoria
Cross, the George Cross and the Military Cross.
6) When worn in Saint
Lucia the National Service Medal shall be worn pendant from a riband
attached to the left breast of the outer garment inunediately after the
National Service Cross, and in front of all other decorations.
RIBAND
20. The riband of the
Order shall be composed of vertical stripes of the colours blue, gold, black,
and white arranged in the prescribed manner. When worn with the insignia of
the Grand Cross of Saint Lucia or the Saint Lucia Cross, it shall be of the
width of two inches; and when worn with the insignia of the other Grades of
the Order, it shall be of the width of one and a half inches.
REGULATIONS OF THE ORDER
21. The Governor-General
may make regulations, not inconsistent with this Constitution, prescribing all
matters that are required or permitted by this Constitution to be prescribed
or are necessary or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out or giving
effect to this Constitution and in particular prescribing matters for or in
relation to:
a. the government of
the Order;
b. the insignia of the
Order; and
c. investitures.
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