St. Patrick

St. Patrick Parish occupies Saint Vincent's northwest leeward coast, historically favored for estate agriculture due to calmer Caribbean-facing waters compared to the Atlantic-exposed windward side. The parish maintained banana cultivation longer than windward areas but suffered the same collapse: national production fell from 80,000 tons annually (1990s) to under 31,000 tons after losing preferential EU market access, with the sector dropping from 2.6% of GDP (2000) to 0.3% (2010). St. Patrick's coastline offers tourism potential—calmer beaches and accessible dive sites—though development lags behind the Grenadines' luxury segment. Hurricane Beryl (July 2024) caused $230.6 million in national damages (22% of GDP), affecting the parish's small resorts and fishing infrastructure. The leeward position provides relative hurricane shelter compared to Charlotte parish, though no Vincentian community escapes entirely. Working-age residents increasingly commute to Kingstown or emigrate for Grenadines resort employment. With national tourism reaching 120% of pre-pandemic levels by 2024, St. Patrick may benefit from spillover if Grenadines capacity fills. By 2026, the parish's economy depends on whether boutique tourism development can diversify beyond declining agriculture and create local employment.