Senator the Honourable Keisal Melissa Peters is the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of St. Vincent & the Grenadines.
In her early years, Senator Peters, a native of Campden Park, attended the Lowmans Leeward Anglican School and thereafter attended the St. Vincent Girls’ High School where she actively participated in student government among other things.
Throughout her formative years, Senator Peters held membership in various organizations such as the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Red Cross Society and the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Girl Guides Association which are geared towards personal development through service to community and country. Senator Peters went on to the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Community College and while there, she was elected President of the College’s Heritage Club.
In 2006 Senator Peters enrolled at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Cave Hill Campus, Barbados, to pursue her Bachelor of Laws Degree, which she completed in 2009. While pursuing her studies she was elected President of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Students Association and served from 2007-2008.
In 2011 Senator Peters completed her legal professional training at the Hugh Wooding Law School, Trinidad and Tobago, having successfully attained her Legal Education Certificate on the Principal’s Roll of Honour and she was the first Vincentian to be awarded the Principal’s Award for Trial Advocacy as well as the Robert Mathieu Sellier Award for the best performance in Trial Advocacy.
In that same year, she was admitted to practice as a Barrister-at-Law and Solicitor and for almost decade, Senator Peters specialized in various areas of law including but not limited to family law, property law, intellectual property law, company law, personal injury law, insurance law and the law of succession.
In November 2020, Senator Peters joined the House of Assembly as a Government Senator and the Minister of State with responsibility for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. In August 2022, she was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, becoming the first woman in Vincentian history to hold that portfolio.
Quite notably, Minister Peters attended the Twelfth Ministerial Conference (MC12) of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and was appointed as the Minister-Facilitator for the negotiations on the Work Programme on Electronic Commerce and Moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions.
Through her leadership and guidance, WTO Members were able to reach consensus on extending the Work Programme and Moratorium. During MC12, Minister Peters also served as the Chair of the Council of Ministers of Trade of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and the lead Ministerial Spokesperson for the OECS Trade Ministers.
Minister Peters also played a pivotal role in securing St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ Pro Tempore Presidency of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) for the period 2023 and served as Chair of the CELAC Foreign Ministers.
In June 2023, Minister Peters assumed the Chair of the Ministerial Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and has been one of the youngest CARICOM Ministers to serve in this capacity.
Following the passage of Hurricane Beryl in July 2024, Minister Peters was appointed as Minister of National Mobilisation, Social Development, Family, Gender Affairs and Persons with disabilities.
Senator Peters is an avid music lover who loves to sing, write and compose songs. In 2003 she won an award for Best Soloist. She also has a passion for fashion and utilizes her platform to showcase and promote Vincentian designers when she travels across the world.
In January 2023, Senator Peters delivered remarks at the launch of the book “A Time of Respair: Beyond COVID, Volcanic Eruptions, Hurricane Elsa and Global Turmoil: Fresh Hope of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.” written by our esteemed Prime Minister Dr. The Honourable Dr. Ralph E. Gonsalves.
During her remarks Senator Peters reflected on her role as a Minister in the Unity Labour Party’s Administration and noted that: “As the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, my responsibility is not merely to represent St. Vincent and the Grenadines, my responsibility is to
represent its people, our hopes, fears, vulnerabilities and most importantly our quest to build a modern competitive many sided post-colonial economy.”
In August 2023, Senator Peters, in her remarks at the launch of the Institute of Governance and Politics of Latin America and the Caribbean, noted the following on the issue of Youth Empowerment:
“The opposition leader questions the relevance of the education revolution but the Prime Minister encourages young people to soar like eagles with their wings unclipped. While some leaders tell their young ones to “know your place and wait for your time”, my Prime Minister says, “take your place and the time is now!”
Delivering for West Kingstown
- Education Revolution: Expanded access through tuition support and scholarships.
- Housing: Delivered homes for low- and no-income families.
- Sports Facilities: Upgraded facilities at Ottley Hall, Lowmans Leeward, and Edinborough.
- Infrastructure: Advanced major road repairs, including the Edinborough road project.
- Energy: Enhanced the VINLEC power plant in Lowmans Village, reducing nationwide outages.
Vision for West Kingstown
- Stronger Infrastructure: Upgrade roads, bridges, footpaths, and drainage systems.
- Safer Communities: Install more street lights and improve public safety.
- Sports & Youth: Upgrade facilities and bring sports back to West Kingstown.
- Food Security: Launch initiatives with the Ministry of Agriculture to boost local food production.
- Community Support: Regularize informal settlements and provide tailored outreach so residents know about opportunities and programs.