ST LUCIA - Gay attack puts government on edge

CASTRIES (CMC):

As St Lucia braces for the possible fallout from an attack on three gay men from the United States, as they showered together in a cottage in the west-coast town of Soufriere, tourism officials are this week arranging meetings with the visitors to do some damage control.

"One of the sensitive issues in this regard is that ... there were some discriminatory remarks which were made to them, and which obviously offended them tremendously," Tourism Minister Allen Chastanet said.

"Given the fact that homo-sexuality is against the law in St Lucia, the visitors harboured concerns about going to the police."

Chastanet said one of the men, who had become very attached to St Lucia, was in the process of raising funds to help slow learners in the various schools on the island.