Member Biography

Ernest Hilarie is a Saint Lucian politician who represents Castries South constituency in the House of Assembly for the Saint Lucia Labour Party. He is a former Saint Lucia’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.

Early life and education

In the early 1990s Hilaire completed his Bachelor of Science degree at the Cave Hill campus of the University of the West Indies, after switching from a strict Sociology major to a double major in Political Science and Sociology. Hilaire’s aspiration to become involved in international politics and help address and provide solutions to global problems sprang from the same fertile ideological soil that would motivate him to join the Foreign Service upon his graduation in 1993.

After serving one year as a Foreign Service cadet, Hilaire earned his Master of Philosophy degree in 1995, with a distinction in International Relations, from Darwin College, Cambridge University, England. Hilaire later earned his PhD at the London School of Economics. He also holds an Executive Diploma in Negotiations and Conflict Resolution from Notre Dame University.

Career

Dr. Hilaire has a wide range of experiences that span politics, sports, management and diplomacy. He served as Personal Assistant to Prime Minister Dr. Kenny Anthony in 1997 and in 1999 became Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Youth and Sports.  In 2005, he was given the responsibility of managing Saint Lucia’s hosting of ICC World Cup 2007.  His success in that endeavour led to his appointment as the Tournament Director for the ICC World Twenty20 2010. He also served as the Chief Executive Officer of the West Indies Cricket Board.

Hilaire was appointed Saint Lucia’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom in November 2012. He is also a former chairman of the Citizenship Investment Programme (CIP).

Hilaire successfully contested the Castries South constituency for the Saint Lucia Labour Party on 6 June 2016, narrowly defeating Mary Isaac of the United Workers Party.