Preamble
WHEREAS the People of Saint Lucia-
- affirm their faith in the supremacy of the Almighty God;
- believe that all persons have been endowed equally by God with inalienable rights and dignity;
- recognise that the enjoyment of these rights depends upon certain fundamental freedoms namely, freedom of the person, of thought, of expression, of communication, of conscience and of association;
- maintain that these freedoms can only be safeguarded by the rule of law;
- realise that human dignity requires respect for spiritual values; for private family life and property; and the enjoyment of an adequate standard of economic and social wellbeing dependent upon the resources of the State;
- respect the principles of social justice and therefore believe that the operation of the economic system should result in the material resources of the community being so distributed as to subserve the common good, that there should be adequate means of livelihood for all, that labour should not be exploited or forced by economic necessity to operate in inhumane conditions but that there should be opportunity for advancement on the basis of recognition of merit, ability and integrity;
- express their commitment to democracy, in particular the principle of a government freely elected on the basis of universal adult suffrage.
- consider that individually, each person has duties towards every other and to the community and is under obligation to observe and promote the rights, freedoms and values recognised in this Constitution;
- pledge their support for international peace and security, for friendly relations among nations and the promotion of universal respect for human rights and freedoms; and their co-operation in solving by peaceful means international problems of an economic, social or political character;
- desire that this Constitution shall reflect and make provision for ensuring and protecting these rights, freedoms and values.
NOW, THEREFORE, the following provisions shall have effect as the Constitution of Saint Lucia:
