Opposition ready for general election

CASTRIES, (CMC):

The main opposition St Lucia Labour Party (SLP) has officially opened its election campaign headquarters in the capital, saying it is ready for the general election that is constitutionally due by September 2021 but widely expected to be held before that date.

“We are ready for elections whenever they are called,” Opposition Leader Philip J. Pierre said, adding that the party is ready and equipped to accept the responsibility and take up the mantle of leading this country “out of the economic and social morass” into which it has descended under the ruling United Workers Party (UWP) administration of Prime Minister Allen Chastanet.

“Our party organisation is strong, as can be seen from the several successful constituency annual general meetings that have been held during the past month,” he said, adding “our campaign machinery is well oiled and I am alerting SLP supporters to be ready”.

In the June 2016 general election, the UWP unseated the SLP government headed by then prime minister Dr Kenny Anthony, winning 11 of the 17 seats in the Parliament.

But Pierre believes that St Lucians have had a rough time since the Chastanet administration came to power, and that the SLP’s theme for the general election campaign, ‘Putting You First’, underlines that fact.

“Instead with no shame, they have given away our prime land, some at one dollar (one EC dollar=US$0.37 cents) an acre to foreigners. They have failed to protect our patrimony, our sovereign interests and safeguard the future of our country,” Pierre said, accusing the ruling administration of being “vindictive and callous” and using state power to persecute political opponents and innocent citizens.

“Yet they parade around this country describing themselves as ‘workers’. But I am compelled to ask: ‘Working for whom?’ We all know that this government has failed to work for you the people of St Lucia,” Pierre said.