Opposition leader Allen Chastanet has called out the Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP) administration on several issues in a New Year address, warning that Saint Lucia will become a failed state.
“The fact is that Saint Lucia Labour Party is a failed party and under its current leadership Saint Lucia will soon become a failed state both internally and internationally,” the former Prime Minister declared.
The Micoud South MP called attention to ‘out of control’ crime, the cost of fuel and other items, and what he described as the worst road conditions in Saint Lucia’s history as among the factors that demonstrated the Pierre administration’s shortcomings.
“Dark days are approaching,” he lamented.
Chastanet described the Pierre administration as being bereft of new ideas and clueless.
“Their incompetence can now be appropriately classified as criminal,” he declared.
“They are simply operating in ‘protecting the victory’ and the reality is that this survival mode is destroying our country economically, socially and culturally,” Chastanet lamented.
He said the government’s decision to enter into an agreement with a foreign entity for control of the Castries and Soufriere ports for thirty years with an option for a further ten-year renewal, was one of the more sordid deeds of the SLP in the last year.
“All for an investment of $47 million,” Chastanet told his audience, adding that the sum would be repaid in 40 years.
He asserted that for the next forty years, Saint Lucia would have no control over its ports and the millions the cruise sector would bring to Saint Lucia.
The former Tourism Minister explained that Saint Lucia currently earns $6:50 per cruise ship passenger and recorded one million passengers in 2019.
“We know that we can get the additional minimum of $5 per passenger because the cruise industry has collectively agreed to increase the head tax. This calculates to $11.5 million a year in revenue for thirty years, or about $345 million to get an investment of $47 million. Is this the craziest thing one could ever hear?” Chastanet said.
In this regard, he questioned whether someone was personally benefitting from ‘this lop-sided deal.’
“Why on earth do we need a middle-man in running our ports and collecting this kind of money when SLASPA and Invest Saint Lucia can do the same for us?” The UWP leader stated.
“We demand that the Prime Minister make public the MOU for this agreement,” Chastanet said.
“This Prime Minister has the gall to say that no decision has been taken to sell our ports. We suggest to him that leasing them for thirty or forty years is as bad as selling them outright,” he argued.
According to Chastanet, one of the conditions of the ports deal is there should be no development in Vieux Fort port while the agreement is in effect.
“It means that for the next forty years, no development can take place in the South of Saint Lucia. Truthfully, my heart is crying out for the people in the South,” Chastanet said.
“Where are the self-proclaimed patriots who should be standing up for Vieux Fort?” He asked.
“Saint Lucians, we must stand up to this government. If Kenny, Musa and Alva will not stand up for the people in the South, I will. Bradley (Felix) will and all of us must,” Chastanet stated.
And on the reconstruction of St. Jude Hospital, he said the public was interested in answers to when it would start, how long it would take to complete, the cost, and what type of medical facility it would be.
Chas transparency!!! How many passports did you sell during your reign as PM? How much money did you use on the PM credit card?
To be frank, you self serving infantile pillocks have all run St Lucia into the ground and it did not start yesterday…the entire fabric of Saint Lucia society has been damaged by all your gyrating prevarications and sadly the people – the majority – are pointless and clueless because they are ill informed, illiterate and can’t even express themselves without having to stammer to find the right words….this is a product of our school system, which for decades have ill prepared the nation to be self sufficient….not even the Prime Minister can express himself without sounding daft….a product of our society….not because he went to law school he is intelligent. It saddens me to see the state the country has become and it looks set to become worse…it’s an indictment on all your houses the shame you have brought to the name of Saint Lucia. You all have failed to develop the nation in a sustainable way and now you are about to sell the little piece of real estate left to the people…what a bunch of idiots we have running the country. History and the future generations will hold you all responsible for this blatant dereliction of duty..when will these animals for which there are no names come good by the name of our country…these politicians have no shame, no honour, no pride, no semblance of honesty as men and women of Saint Lucia yet they will sing the national anthem of Saint Lucia… Sons and daughters….love oh love, our island home…. clearly a bunch of hypocrites…the political class are the ones at risk of driving this nation into the ground and the clueless majority follow them like the pied Piper to the doom ..All parties are responsible for driving the nation on the brink of being a failed state …I am pissed every time I read the headlines…
It goes for both parties when you all are in power. Each critizing the other other when the are opposition and when they get in they do the same. It’s jobs for the boys. Only those who have in stlucia will continue to gain. Protecting which victory. Next election he will take his higher up ladies and men to come do the ground work for him. Next election will be one of suprizes in stlucia and I cannot wait to see what unfolds. My advice to my fellow stlucians please do not take your eyes off of god. Pray like you have never done before and trust in god not on leaders. Only god will allow us and take us to the next stage. I wish my people gods guidance, protection,mercy and strength in 2023. Peace and love
All of them are the same. They have no love for the country but for themselves. I once asked a young potential district representative why was he running in the general elections. The shut me up when he replied “that’s where the money at”. Fortunately he was not selected to run on the UWP ticket!
We’re already a dysfunctional state thanks to both yourself and SLP. We’re one step away from the failed state designation. I advise everyone to have a plan to exit here when it hits the fan. You can see the signs all around. Crumbling infrastructure, impotent judiciary, ineffective police system, failed health care system, unproductive education system with dim economic prospects while mired in debt. Lawlessness is the law of the land and soon we will have a narcostate with various factions controlling large swaths of the country. Compounded by utterly inept leaders in all political corners with an electorate largely stupid and ignorant.
How idiotic can Chastanet be? What is a failed state, Chastanet? A failed state is one without functioning institutions. Chasatnet, are the institutions in St. Lucia not functional? Stop using words and phrases loosely because you diliute their meanings. Two examples of failed states are Haiti and Somalia because their governmental institutions are not functional, in short, they are equivalent to Hobbesian environment ( a cutthroat, selfish, unrestrained and uncivilized environment.)
Chastanet, you are blinded by your hunger and insatiable greed for power. Stop spewing venomous rhetoric. You brought St. Lucia close to the precipice of economic collapse, now the SLP is steering the country back in the right direction.
You are right ex Pm,there was foul play involved im the election campaign,just listen to the tone of the hyenas laughing at the round table, our country has fallen in the hands of a pack of malicious beings, all hail PJP the “Lord Of The Flies”…
Why did he not enact a minimum wage when he was in power
The little black boy sure fooled me…he I was thinking one of us, humble down to earthson of the soil. More fool me. The most deceptive of the lot. The man is arrogant, pompous, used Marchand’s poorest and disenfranchised pretending to relate, used the loyalist friends to soar to victory meanwhile deep down scorning them only to reject and forget them for his elite fff. Peep the closet bouji had us all fooled. I regret voting SLP
THE BIGGEST SCAM IN THE HISTORY OF ST. LUCIA, IN BROAD DAY LIGHT, IN CAMERA, NOT EVEN HIDDEN FROM SIGHT, NO ONE ELSE TO ASK QUESTIONS. THAT’S WHEN AND WHERE THE MOST PRIZED AND BEAUTIFUL NATURAL SEA PORTS IN THE CARIBBEAN WAS UNINATURALLY SOLD OUT TO AN UNKNOWN ENTITY FOR 30 YEARS, WITH AN OPTION FOR A FURTHER 10 YEARS FOR $47 MILLION, TO BE REDEEMED IN 40 YEARS.
Will any of the actors be around in 40 years? who got what for signing that deal? does that not smell rotten? I see why Kenny was not invited to sign on that deal, he’s too smart for that. Any Scam-Bag can get millions plus from any international Bank by showing signed up papers by government members, and the Prime Minister; for property attained which is the Patrimony from the ancestors of the Island of St. Lucia.
It is not too late to get this man back with these papers, and squash this deal which is a scam. THE PEOPLE OF ST.LUCIA MUST ARISE AND MAKE THEIR VOICES HEARD
Chas guy is no longer there. Please take my advise and balls up. Seating of the house this week on St. Judes status said a lot.
You have refused to seat and listen to Richard Fedrick deliverables. And this is how you want lucians to elect you next elections.
You abondond them after last election leaving poor Bradely alone in the house. It has become your norm.
Demonstrate leadership please. Lucian do not want you. Smell the coffee…
SMH
C-WIZ BRO YOU HIT THAT NAIL SO HARD ON THE HEAD I THINK IT GOT ME IN THE FOOT ALL WHERE I AM. THEY ALL POINT FINGERS OF BLAME AT ONE ANOTHER AND OUR POOR POPULACE IS STILL SO JADED BY CHICKEN AND RUM POLITICS AND BLIND LOYALTY. HARDLY REALISING THAT THEY ARE BEING EXPLOITED, RAPED, PILLAGED AND SADLY THEY CHEER THEM ON. THANKFULLY THERE ARE POWERFUL ENTITIES IN ST LUCIA THAT PROBABLY WONT ALLOW THE STATE TO FAIL BUT THE SCARIER PART IS WHEN THEY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT “OPPORTUNITY “