KING

CASTRIES, St. Lucia (CMC):

Stephenson King has been sworn in as St. Lucia's Prime Minister following the death of Sir John Compton on Friday, a government spokesperson confirmed yesterday.

King, who has acted as Prime Minister since April this year after Sir John fell ill, took the oath of office at about 11:00 a.m. yesterday during a low-key swearing-in ceremony at Government House.

The swearing-in was presidedover by Governor-General Dame Pearlette Louisy and was attended by some members of the Cabinet, representatives of the Government, and King's family.

The decision to go with King as head of the Government was agreed to by all 10 elected members of the ruling United Workers Party (UWP) who had been meeting since Friday to discuss choosing a successor to Sir John who died after an extended illness.

However, the discussions were not without discord. Inside sources indicate that King initially only received the support of seven MPs. This was one short of the eight needed to give him majority support in the House of Representatives which comprises 17 members, but has now fallen to 16 with Sir John's death.

Sir john praised

Jamaica's Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller called Sir John the Caribbean Community's elder statesman.

"His was a voice of reasoned experience and sobering tranquillity and the region is poorer for losing such a courageous soul," a release from the Office of the Prime Minister said. "Amid the cloud of sadness, however, we can take comfort in the fact that Sir John was a man of firm convictions and a guiding light and inspiration not only to his country but the region on which he has left a huge and lasting impact."

Prime Minister-designate Bruce Golding also hailed Compton as "my friend" and the "last surviving leader of that exciting era which saw several small Caribbean islands make the transition from colonialism to independence".