George Charles

Who was George Charles?

Sir George Frederick Lawrence Charles is a former trade unionist, politician, founder of the Saint Lucia Labour Party and Chief Minister of Saint Lucia. He is a recipient of Saint Lucia's second-highest honour, the St. Lucia Cross, and was knighted in 1988 by Queen Elizabeth II. George F. L. Charles Airport, in Castries, Saint Lucia, is named in his honour.

Born on 7 June 1916, George Charles had a privileged education at St. Mary’s College. But like many young West Indians of his time, he migrated to Aruba and worked there for a year with the Largo Oil and Transport Company. In Aruba, he was exposed to trade union activities and on his return to Saint Lucia, in 1945, he championed the cause of the workers at the Vigie Airport - now George F. L. Charles Airport - Renovation Project, where he was employed as a timekeeper. His solidarity on that occasion propelled him to the General Secretaryship of the Saint Lucia Workers Cooperative Union.

Sir George played an increasingly active role in trade unionism and by 1948 was elected to the Castries Town Board, as trade union representative.