One of the decisions taken by the Cabinet of Ministers to be presented to the local media on Tuesday the twenty seventh of January 2004, for discussion is the policy guidelines and procedures for state and official funerals.

Cabinet Secretary Dr. James Fletcher will explain the government's obligations where a family elects to put a personal stamp on the final send-off.

According to the Cabinet Secretary consideration for the offer of a state or official funeral or memorial service is given only to those former office holders who at the time of the death were residents of Saint Lucia. It also applies to the governor general, former governors general, the prime minister and former prime ministers who have served for a minimum of one year.

A state funeral will normally include full military honours, a military parade, gun salute, coffin draped in the national flag, flying of flags at half mast, wreath laying by designated officials, public viewing with body lying in state in the Parliament Chambers, the Supreme Court or other appropriate venue, signing of official condolence book and sounding of the last post.

While there is no specific ceiling placed on the costs to be incurred by government for state funerals, such costs are to be contained within reasonable levels.

Persons entitled to an official funeral include Ministers of government; former ministers who have served for a minimum of one year; elected Parliamentarians who die whilst in office; former elected Parliamentarians who have served a minimum of one term of four or more years; Speaker of the House, President of the Senate or Leader of the opposition who die whilst holding office, a Chief Justice or former Chief Justice, who is a citizen of Saint Lucia.

An official funeral will not include full military honours, but may include flying of the flag at half mast, wreath laying by designated officials, and public viewing with the body lying in State in the Parliament Chambers, the Supreme Court or other appropriate venue and signing of the officials condolence book.

A ceiling of fifteen thousand dollars will be placed on government's contribution towards the cost of official funerals.

Whenever the Cabinet of Ministers approves the offer of a State or official funeral, or memorial service, appropriate arrangements are to be made by the Protocol Division of the Ministry of External Affairs, International Trade and Civil Aviation.