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The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court struck down a colonial-era law in St. Lucia that criminalized gay sex in a ruling Tuesday celebrated by activists in the largely conservative region.

The court found that the island’s so-called buggery and gross indecency laws were unconstitutional.

Raise Your Voice St. Lucia, a nonprofit organization, called it a “monumental step for human rights in the Eastern Caribbean.”

“It comes as a beacon of hope amid recent setbacks, such as disappointments in St. Vincent and the Grenadines as well as Trinidad and Tobago, that have tested our region’s commitment to equality,” the group said.

St. Lucia’s colonial-era law penalized gay sex with up to 10 years in prison. While the government didn’t enforce the law, activists and legal experts say it remained a threat to the island’s LGBTQ+ community.

“The mere existence of this provision is itself a violation of human rights and underpins further acts of discrimination,” according to Human Dignity Trust, a U.K.-based legal organization that helped work on the case.

In 2019, the Eastern Caribbean Alliance for Diversity and Equality filed five legal challenges against such laws in Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Lucia.

In 2022, courts in Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, and Saint Kitts and Nevis struck down those laws.

Last year, a court in Dominica did the same.

“Today’s ruling is not just a win in the courts, it also represents a step towards justice for the many lives lost to violence simply for being themselves,” said Kenita Placide, the alliance’s executive director. “It signals that our Caribbean can and must be a place where all people are free and equal under the law.”

Only five Caribbean nations still penalize gay sex: Jamaica, Grenada, Guyana, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago, where an appeals court earlier this year overturned a ruling that decriminalized gay sex.

Members of the LGBTQ+ community have fled those islands following violent attacks.

The UNAIDS Caribbean office celebrated Tuesday’s ruling, as did J’Moul Francis, foreign affairs minister for Antigua and Barbuda.

“Human rights in the Eastern Caribbean continue to advance as the colonial legacies of these unconstitutional provisions continue to fall,” he wrote on X. “However, more still needs to be done across the region to ensure that progress is real, practical, and effective for LGBTQ+ individuals.”

Antigua and Barbuda’s passport has secured the 26th spot in the latest Henley Passport Index for July 2025, allowing visa-free access to 152 destinations worldwide. This ranking positions the twin-island nation among the top Caribbean passports, just below Barbados, which leads the region at 20th place with access to 163 destinations.

The Henley Passport Index, which evaluates 199 passports and 227 travel destinations globally, is recognized as an authoritative reference for global mobility and policy-making. It highlights the strength of passports based on visa-free travel capabilities.

In the wider Caribbean context, the Bahamas follows closely behind Barbados at 21st place, enabling visa-free travel to 159 countries. Other notable Caribbean nations include St. Vincent and the Grenadines ranked 24th with 156 destinations, and St. Kitts and Nevis at 25th place, offering access to 154 countries.

Within the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), Antigua and Barbuda ranks above several counterparts including St. Lucia, positioned at 30th with access to 146 destinations, Grenada at 29th (147 destinations), and Dominica at 32nd place with visa-free access to 143 destinations. This places Antigua and Barbuda in a favorable position in comparison to its OECS neighbors, highlighting its relative strength in regional passport power.

Regionally, Antigua and Barbuda has also surpassed Trinidad and Tobago (28th place, 148 destinations). Jamaica ranks significantly lower at 56th with visa-free access to only 88 countries.

This index, updated regularly with expert analysis, underscores the Caribbean’s varied passport strengths and highlights Antigua and Barbuda’s continuing attractiveness as a destination for global travelers and investors.

Crews were out in full force today as road improvement works progressed in several communities. Here’s a look at today’s activity on the ground.

Roadworks (photo Credit- Maria Browne) Roadworks (photo Credit- Maria Browne) Roadworks (photo Credit- Maria Browne) Roadworks (photo Credit- Maria Browne) Roadworks (photo Credit- Maria Browne) Roadworks (photo Credit- Maria Browne)