Senior public servant Percival McDonald has passed

Published on January 19, 2026

Former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism Percival “Percy” McDonald has died after a long illness. He lived at Diamond Estate in Soufriere.

Former colleague and former Permanent Secretary Cletus Springer described McDonald as a gentleman and a patriot.

McDonald worked in the public service for a long time before moving on to serve his community of Soufriere in various capacities. He was also on the board of the St. Jude Hospital.

St. Lucia Times reports that McDonald served on the board of the Soufriere Regional Development Foundation and the Soufriere Marine Management Association. The Times goes on to add that he was also a member of the Soufriere Parish Council.

Percival McDonald received national recognition at the inaugural GIMIES Awards in 2023, receiving a Special Recognition Award for his contribution to the early development of the tourism industry in Saint Lucia.

In 2000, McDonald was awarded an MBE (Member of Order of the British Empire), in recognition of “service to the public and community”. In 2022, he was upgraded to CBE for “his contribution to Community Services, Development and Outreach Programmes towards alleviating poverty”.

Click to view a tribute to Percival McDonald at the Gimmies in 2023