St Vincent and the Grenadines celebrates Independence, October 27, 2023
By Joy Osiagwu, Editorial Associate
Friday 29 September 2023
St Vincent and the Grenadines, with its capital city in Kingstown is a southern Caribbean multi-island nation (chain of smaller islands) and home to the La Soufriere volcano that erupted in 1979. It has a population of 104,300, with English and Vincentian Creole as common languages.
The beautiful island has exotic beaches offering diving and yachting services, attracting hundreds of tourists annually. Argyle International Airport was opened in 2017 to boost the nation’s tourism potential. Some famous sailing destinations are Belguia Island and the white sand beaches such as Princess Margaret.
St Vincent and the Grenadines was originally a separate administration until the Federation of the West Indies, which led to autonomy in 1969. Britain granted independence to the nation on October 27, 1979, while remaining a member of the Commonwealth of Nations.
Current Governance Structure
The island nation is a constituted monarchy with a parliamentary government.
King Charles III is the Head of State, represented by a Governor-general, while a prime minister, the majority party’s leader, leads the government. Susan Dilys Dougan was appointed Governor-general in August 2019 and holds the title of the first woman to serve in the capacity.
Trending News
St. Vincent and the Grenadines is one of the seven Caribbean countries selected as co-hosts for the upcoming 2024 men’s T20 World Cup. A media statement by Geoff Allardice, the chief executive of the International Cricket Council (ICC), noted that the West Indies and the United States of America will jointly host the biennial tournament. The tournament has been slated for June 4-30, involving participants from twenty countries.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines -Ottawa Connection
St. Vincent and the Grenadines has an active community in Ottawa known as the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Association of Ottawa (SVAGAO). The entity was founded in 1979 by Vincentians in Ottawa as a non-profit organization to provide and take responsibility for a support system for members and the Ottawa community while supporting the home country.
The association has been very active in carrying out its objectives over the years.
Black Ottawa Scene has been active in the coverage of most of its events in the capital region. Click on the line to read about previous events.
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