BUILDING A GREAT CITY

For 182 years before being declared a city, the town of Castries was under the supervision of either Town Wardens appointed by the Colonial Office or under the Colonial Treasurer, who was responsible for collection of taxes.  The first Mayor, elected in 1851, was H H. Breen, an Irishman who became one of St. Lucia’s first historians and who also served also as Registrar, Colonial Secretary and still later as Colonial Administrator.

When the first Town Board was elected in 1851, only those who owned property over a certain value were allowed to vote. The first list of electors contained only 126 names of tenants and householders of premises of an annual rental value of £10. To be elected as a member of the town board one had to be ‘in possession of real or personal property of the clear value of £300.

ABOVE - CASTRIES TOWN COUNCIL 1956

In the decades preceding 1967, the main function of the town wardens was to collect taxes; whether on spirits, guns, boats, hucksters, horses, dogs, houses, properly or water. They decided who would assemble where within the city limits. If animals strayed onto the streets they were impounded. Any pigs caught astray were slaughtered and the meat fed to prisoners at the Royal jail.

By 1967  taxes were no longer collected on horses and dogs except in rare circumstances, stray pigs weren’t being shot on sight anymore. People could assemble freely and taxes were by then being collected on properties within the city limits. No longer was the Council solely responsible for electricity or water, but it still had to keep the city clean, maintain order at the Castries Market, take care of Choc Cemetery and George V Park, ensure drains around the city were not blocked and ensure garbage collection and disposal.

There have been five mayors since 1967, each heading a ten member council. In addition, since the abolition of City Council elections in 1980, there have been a number of council chairmen appointed by the minister responsible for local government.

Mayors, chairmen and councilors have taken care of business as the legislative authority giving central direction to the council’s employees, through the administrative and managerial command of the Town Clerk.

Joseph Desir - First Mayor of Castries City - 1967

The Municipal Police Constables keep watch day and  night within the limits of the city. In 1850 this force comprised one Sergeant paid at three shillings per day and six Constables at two shillings per day. By 1966 Town Council Estimates show the staff as consisting of a Head Constable and a complement of 12 Constables.

As to the duties of the Municipal Constabulary, in earlier times these were defined as follows:—

• To watch over the conduct of persons frequenting the Grog-shops (rum shops) in the town, to prevent quarrelling and disorder in them and to cause the shops to close at eight o’clock at night.

• To prevent the beating of Negro Drums without permission in writing from the Mayor.

• To prevent at all hours of the Sabbath the advertising or exposure on the streets of any sugar cakes, bois Manioc, cakes, provisions, or other commodities for sale.

• To prevent the blowing of shells and trumpets, and the discharging of firearms in the Town,

• To prevent gambling in the streets and public places,

• To prevent servants or other persons galloping horses or mules in the streets,

• To prevent persons indecently exposing themselves in public or loitering or lying about the streets by night;

• To prevent the exposure of chamber utensils in the streets between the hours of seven in the morning and eight in the evening, except in covered boxes,

• To prevent all persons casting rubbish in any other place than those which shall be appointed

• To take up and impound all horses, mules, cattle or other animals which shall be found tethered or loose in the streets;

• To prevent damage to the fountain and pipes or other materials of the Water Works within the limits of the Town;

• To prevent the exposure of any clothing, bedding or blankets in the streets;

• To kill all swine found loose about the town and to report to the Mayor any person found harboring swine

When the new Castries Town Board was established in 1890 the fire protection of the town was handed to the Board. The Constables served as fire fighters but had very little training in this connection and their equipment consisted of a few lengths of hose, a push cart, and a dozen buckets. After the fire of 1927 they were maintained as an auxiliary fire fighting unit to the Police Force and after the 1948 fire they were relieved entirely from Fire Service.

By the 1960s, their duties focused mainly on the Castries Market, Columbus Square, Victoria Park, Choc Cemetery the Fish Market and other areas under the council’s supervision. They also checked on street side vendors for taxes due and assisted the police force in maintaining the peace around town.

A central role of the constables then and now was to be present at the council’s office to receive and note reports from citizens with complaints about happenings around the city. But this long-standing duty has become lost on today’s citizens, who prefer to lodge serious reports with the police.