Southern Quadrant

The Southern Quadrant is the largest in land area, with 17,459.27 acres, and a population of 40,441 people. Encompassing the areas of Laborie, Choiseul, Micoud, Praslin, and VieuxFort, Saint Lucia’s second largest town.

Ample natural resources exist in the Southern Quadrant, including several rare species of plants and animals, mangroves, seagrass beds, beaches, and rich agricultural lands. The quadrant also displays a wealth of cultural resources, including preserved historic forts, Amerindian archaeological sites, and the second highest lighthouse in the world -- the Cape Moule a Chique Lighthouse. Residents of the quadrant have a particular passion for their culture, as well as a particularly notable enthusiasm for sports.

Although the poverty rate is relatively high in this quadrant of the island, a wide range of
future projects are endeavoring to change that.  Among them is a master plan for Vieux Fort including cruise and marina port facility development, relocation spot for national cargo
port, new housing projects, national university campus, as well as conservation and tourism development.

Developments are underway like Westin Beach and Golf Resort, Paradis at Praslin Bay and the Ritz Residences Black Bay.  Proposed developments around the quadrant include
Troumassee Estate, Sapphire Estate, etc. A new dam at Troumassee is required to meet the current and projected water needs of this growing quadrant.

The proposed Internal National Ring Road would link secondary communities located on dead-end roads and along ridges and help to support traffic low needs, as congestion increases with growth in this area.

The objective for the Southern Quadrant as set forth by the 2007 Development Conference would be to generate new sources of wealth and employment opportunities in tourism,
information communication technology, and manufacturing.

VIEUX FORT REGION

Background

Dotted with several small communities surrounding Saint Lucia's second largest town, the region of Vieux Fort is amply gifted with a combination of historic sites, cultural offerings, and Saint Lucia's always-spectacular natural attractions. The former centre of Saint Lucia's sugar industry, the town of Vieux Fort, French for "Old Fort," is a curious juxtaposition of the industrially modern with the distinctly colonial. Saint Lucia's long-range airport is located here, the Hewanorra International Airport. Popular attractions in the area include Vieux Fort National Stadium, a multi-use facility currently being utilized for football matches, and Anse Sable, a popular spot for wind and kite surfing.

Overlooking the town's industrial port, Cape Moule à Chique rises majestically over Vieux Fort Bay. A short distance away, the Maria Islands interpretive centre offers an informative display of Saint Lucia's natural history and ecosystem, as well as daily excursions to the Maria Islands Nature Reserve. Outside of the Vieux Fort town, small rural communities such as Grace and La Resources line the landscape.
 
LABORIE

Laborie is known for its rich Creole heritage which includes its excellent cuisine and local performing arts. Formerly known as Rade et Anse de l'Ilet a Caret, meaning Turtle Island Anchorage and Beach, the village was renamed in honour of the Baron de Laborie, Governor of Saint Lucia from 1784 to 1789. Notable sights include the natural pools and waterfall of the Piaye River and the Balenbouche Rock Art Gallery. Located just outside the village of Laborie, this sixty acre site contains both Amerindian ceramics and several significant petroglyphs, all of which have undergone thorough examination by the Saint Lucia Archeological and Historic Society. These works of art by Saint Lucia's early Amerindian ancestors have been deemed among the most archeologically important on the island.

Other natural attractions include the Dou-Dou and McDiamed Falls. As a significant location for the sugar industry in Saint Lucia's colonial past, several historic plantations can be found within the region, many still operational. Among the most well-known are the Balenbouche and Sapphire Estates. The Balenbouche Estate is a popular vacation retreat featuring a 150 year old furnished plantation house, impressive botanical gardens, and a collection of Amerindian artifacts.
 
CHOISEUL REGION

Heritage and tradition have a strong presence in Choiseul, where the influence of Carib and Arawak Indian culture is still found in the distinctive crafts the region is famous for. Woven baskets, grass mats, coal pots and other clay objects can be purchased from Choiseul's many skilled artisans at the Choiseul Art and Craft Centre. Traces of the early Amerindian inhabitants are also evident in the carved petroglyphs also found in Choiseul; Pointe Carib itself was the place where the last known band of Carib Indians made their home, as the name suggests. Canoes carved out of gommier trees are still the key to the local fishing  trade and the village of Choiseul still heavily relies upon this industry. Agriculture also plays an important role in the social and economic life of communities outside of the Choiseul village, such as La Fargue, La Rich, Reunion, and La Pointe, famous for its plums and sweet potatoes.

The region is collectively referred to as the "Bread Basket of Saint Lucia." The community was originally named "Anse Citron," referring to the abundance of lime trees in the area, but was renamed "Anse Choiseul" in honour of the Duke of Choiseul, French Minister of Foreign Affairs. Popular attractions include dive sites at the Blue Hole and snorkeling areas at Anse L'Ivrongne. The spectacular Saltibus Waterfall and glistening River Doree ensure that Choiseul is not merely the embodiment of Saint Lucia's cultural riches, but of its natural assets as well.

SOUTHERN TOURISM

The Southern Tourism Development Corporation (STDC), formed in 1998, is a registered non-governmental, non-profit organization which co-ordinates the development and advancement of touristic activities in the south of Saint Lucia.

MISSION:

To stimulate and facilitate tourism development in Vieux Fort and its environs through mobilization and utilization of public and private sector resources for advocacy, product development and promotion of the south as an integral part of Saint Lucia's tourism product.

The STDC envisions that tourism, in its fullest sense, should embrace the available cultures, sites, and activities as well as the experiences and skills of the people. From a community-based standpoint, it should encourage local ownership and provide opportunities for small businesses, e.g. small hotels and guesthouses. From a sustainable-developmental standpoint, tourism should conserve and respect the assets; human and physical, on which it relies and provide facilities, e.g. recreational and educational that are accessible to all Saint Lucians. These elements combined should result in an improved sense of pride about Saint Lucia in general, and the south in particular. In essence the Vision mirrors a form of tourism which celebrates the people and places of the south.

The STDC has embarked on a short to mid-term strategy for the development of heritage tourism in the south in
collaboration with the Saint Lucia Heritage Tourism Programme. Through this collaborative approach the STDC will serve as an institutional medium through which Saint Lucia Heritage Tourism Programme (SLHTP) will channel development assistance to individuals, enterprises and community organizations in Vieux Fort and its environs.

Introducing Heritage tourism to the south will provide opportunities to strengthen and enhance the natural and cultural assets which currently exist there. With the participation of people at all levels in developing and implementing heritage tourism strategies, it can be assured that the benefits of increased tourism are distributed consistently throughout the community. The potential exists to encourage growth and development by capitalizing on the south and Vieux Fort's rich history and abundant natural attractions. It is important that these efforts begin on a local scale and are centralized to ensure that development is
efficiently implemented and sustainable.
 
SOUTHERN COMPOSITE DIAGRAM

The Southern Quadrant has a significant amount of valuable natural resources and historic gems. Around 400 AD, Amerindians coming from South America by canoe were thought to have first arrived on the islands southern shores; rich mangroves and coastal waters, stretches of fertile plains surrounded by rising mountains and clear rivers running down to the sea enticed them to stay.

Stretching along the south-east coast for example is the Point Sable Management Areas (PSMA, a narrow coastal strip of Crown Lands of approximately 1038 hectares which runs along the south-east coastline, possesses diverse and important natural and cultural resources, including dry forest, mangroves, sea grass beds, beaches, endemic reptiles, historic and archeological sites, traditional technologies, and oral traditions and also supports a range of social and economic activities).

  • Main attractions include: Maria Islands Nature Reserve, Mankato Mangrove, Savannas Bay Mangrove and Scorpion Island, a patch reef system, seaweed resources, recreational sites for bathing, snorkeling, wind and kite surfing, swimming, horseback riding, beach parties, and kayaking.
  • Historic Sites include: Amerindian sites at Point de Caille and Anse de Sable, ruins of factories and buildings associated with sugar cultivation, ruins and structures inherited from the U.S. military base established during the World War II and Cape Moule a Chique Lighthouse.

Evident in the adjacent composite diagram, the Southern Quadrant has many valuable resources that need to be preserved, including archeological sites, marine reserves, and fertile agricultural land. In the development of the south, the projection of these sensitive areas must be a top priority as they are the key to the sustainability of the island. Due to the wide expanses of l at land, the south is well suited and the most sought after part of the island for planning major developments in industry and manufacturing, as well as residential development. Proper zoning, master planning, and firm development guidelines will be critical to the careful development of these valuable lands, as many needs and priorities will need to be weighed in order to establish a strategic long term sustainable development plan.

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