Claude Paul, former Comptroller of Customs, has been appointed General Secretary of the Saint Lucia Civil Service Association (CSA).
His appointment will take effect on May 15, 2017, the Times has learned.
Claude Paul served as Comptroller of Customs from 2000 to 2005 and as a member of the Customs and Excise Department for some 27 years.
He was the Permanent Secretary of the Caribbean Customs Law Enforcement Council for two years before being appointed as Director of Customs Reform in the Commonwealth of Dominica from June 2008 to July 2011, assisting with the transformation of the Customs and Excise Division there.
In Dominica, Paul is credited with assisting the successful migration to the Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA) World, a computerised customs management system which covers most foreign trade procedures.
In addition, he assisted with the introduction of a new Customs Act.
Paul served as Technical Adviser with the OECS on the Free Circulation of Goods Project, his contract ending in June 2016.
The former Customs boss graduated from the University of the West Indies (UWI) Cave Hill Campus with a Bachelor's Degree (Honours) in Public Sector Management and obtained a Master's Degree (Distinction) in International Trade Law from the Robert Gordon University (RGU) in Aberdeen, Scotland.
Paul once served as Vice President of the CSA and was also Chairman of the Education Committee of that trade union body.
A former footballer with the Spartans Football Club, Paul has served as Chairman of the Calypso Management Committee and is also a writer of calypso.
In addition, he is known to be an avid fan of cricket and carnival.