Allen Chastanet has told the Toronto Radio station Flow 98.7 that although he sometimes misses being Prime Minister, he is now playing a different role as opposition leader, doing things never done before in that post.
It includes urging people to understand the Saint Lucia constitution.
“Sometimes,” was his response when asked whether he misses being Prime Minister of Saint Lucia.
Chastanet’s United Workers Party (UWP) lost the July 26, 2021, general elections.
The Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP) won by a landslide.
“At the end of the day we have a democratic process and it’s there for a reason,” Chastanet stated.
“I am playing a very different role as the leader of the opposition, and I think that we are doing things that have never been done in that post before,” the former Prime Minister told Flow 98.7.
He said he was challenging many people in Saint Lucia, including civil society individuals, to understand the country’s constitution and some of the things written therein.
The UWP leader mentioned civil rights and democracy, which he said Canada practises well.
“If the Canadian government attempts to take away any of those things, there is a huge uproar. We have not reached that,” Chastanet observed.
He explained that there are positions, comments, and interviews he can do as opposition leader, that would be difficult as Prime Minister.
“I am grateful for both roles,” Chastanet stated.
Slow news day
Many of us in St. Lucia also share Mr. Chastanet’s admiration of the Canadian value for civil rights and democracy, however, Mr. Chastanet is fully aware that he thrives in our broken system.
If Mr. Chastanet were in Mr. Trudeau’s shoes (current PM of Canada), I am sure that he would have had to resign during the Covid pandemic when he brazenly broke the emergency laws (which he had put in place) by having a boat ride for his family and the rest of his clan (in-laws etc.) during that period. Everyone saw them when they arrived in the Rodney Bay Marina that evening. What is sad is that during that very same time some persons at the lower end of the economic and political bracket from Anse La Raye were paraded in the streets by armed officers from a waterfall/ river lime; the law needs to apply to everyone on the island.
And let us not forget Mr. Chastanet’s father who boldy walked into a Massy supermarket without a mask, knowing well that because of his son’s autocratic rule that he would not have been charged.
So let us adopt and practise the Canadian values at all times.
This needs to be taught in schools.
Slow day? Everyday is chastanet day for st.lucia times. We know everything chastanet want, everything what he think, not a day chastanet take a dump that st.lucia times don’t tell how many fingers slipped in butt when he wiped
Chasranet misses £2000 hotel per night.
@Micoud South I know right
@Madoo Grandson hahahahaha hahahahaha……yuh know and half the crap he chat about everybody just yawwwn at him oh well poor us when some of us have very little choice of current news on this rock they shove whatever they want. Secretly he owns the paper and that’s another reason they have to print his crap. Online publication is for Diasporans Lucians, here people hardly use their credit to read this crap or go in gas station to buy newspaper, a certain segment of the populace does that like myself. Mi ! I can’t do without the Times I just wish I could get the Sunday Edition hard copy even if it’s a week late, it takes me two days to read it.
On serious note St Lucians need read and understand the constitution at least the part that grants them their civil liberties and citizenship. Don’t let a FORIGNER tell you this
Chastanet, the constitution has been upheld as sacrosanct until you show utter disrespect to the letter or spirit of our constitution. You have just confirmed my suspicion that you are an opportunistic charlatan. You don’t give a damn about St. Lucia but the perks and privileges the office of the prime minister offers.
@Ras Biko
Chas can go where he wants when he wants. He does not need to be in government however,your bunch needs it ergently that’s why they needed to win by any means. Now they traveling the world for nothing. Dubai is like there second home. Lol lol even independence they brought there when we were forgotten. I wonder why you’ll Lucians not seeing?oh yer……SLP is like a football team to you’ll and you’ll will support no matter what even if it kills you’ll. Such a shame.
Allen has shown us that the constitution is useless also the laws of St. Lucia. The laws passed in parliament form 1979 to now are all null and void. The laws of parliament are also useless.
According to what I understood this is a country without laws. Anything we want to do we have to refer to England. We are slaves once again to the Whiteman.
Misses being Prime Minister? Chastanet has been diagnosed with a severe case of Prime Minesteritist. Poor jab!
Chastanet and the UWP claim a win when all that happened was the privy council saying that UK law will be used if a matter arises where there is no law governing it under our constitution. That’s why we need urgent constitutional change. Firstly, make it impossible for someone not born here to be PM, then all areas of law that we don’t have an Act governing, our parliament should make that law forthwith.
@Black Man:- Were John Compton and George Mallet born in St. Lucia? didn’t George mallet become Governor of St. Lucia and in your narrow crevice of your minds, the part that deals with Race, stigmatization, prejudice and fear its all trite and worn out by now, used so often and by so many by now. John and Mallet, were they white or black guys? do we consider ourselves white or black persons? in a Caribbean where we are so damn mixed, who the hell cares except when we wish to play on the ignorance of a sector of the population for political advantage. Be honest to yourselves after Sunday Church, look in the Mirror.