Opposition United Workers Party (UWP) Public Relations Officer Lenard ‘Spider’ Montoute has urged the government to show leadership in addressing escalating crime.
“I have heard nothing after five Saint Lucians met their demise over the weekend,” Montoute told a news conference on Thursday.
“Have we heard from the Minister of National Security? Have we heard from the Minister of Home Affairs? Have we heard from the Prime Minister?” The former Gros Islet MP stated.
Montoute observed that halfway through the year, Saint Lucia was approaching 50 homicides.
“At this rate, we can easily record 100 or more Saint Lucians losing their lives as a result of violent crime for this year,” the UWP spokesman stated.
Montoute said the least Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre, also responsible for National Security, could do is show he is serious as a leader.
He said if Pierre does not have the answers and is unwilling or unable to do something, he should dismiss himself from the National Security portfolio.
“He has been an abject failure as far as that is concerned,” Montoute asserted.
He also called for the dismissal of Home Affairs Minister Dr. Virginia Albert-Poyotte over allegations of sexual harassment against a senior male police officer.
“What have we heard from the Minister of Home Affairs? What have we heard from the Prime Minister? What have we heard from the government?” Montoute asked.
He noted that another woman, Soufriere MP Emma Hippolyte, also sits in Cabinet.
“Has Honourable Emma Hippolyte come out and made a statement in condemnation of such behaviour given the allegations?” The former Gros Islet MP told the news conference.
Montoute declared that the female police officers who have made the sexual harassment allegations deserve to have their complaints taken seriously, investigated and a resolution effected.
“What message are you sending to would-be perpetrators of crime when they get the impression that even within the primary law-enforcement agency of our country, indiscipline, criminal behaviour and violence, especially against women is being brushed aside or being tolerated? What message are we sending to the rest of the society?” He said.
Headline photo: File image of Lenard ‘Spider’ Montoute
What message was it by selling thousands of acres to Cabot and DSH for 1$ for 99 years! SMFH
Wasn’t it under the former administration homicides exacerbated with the highest annual percentage increase ever in 2017? Why should anyone give you the time of day when everything went haywire right before your very eyes and you said absolutely nothing? If this isn’t proof that you guys are self serving and does not represent the interests of the nation then what is? Clearly you are relying on the fact that St lucians forget all too quickly. Disappear already dude…you are just another failed politician.
The Prime Minister should be held accountable for shootings. This is stupidity. The Prime Minister has been addressing the escalation of crime. There is no quick fix. On the allegation of sexual harassment. This matter is supposed to be first handle internally by the police force using their established protocol and if there is evidence to support the allegation the recommendation is made for disciplinary action. There is a legal system with due process to deal with sexual harassment.
This country was way better under chas construction had lots of us occupied what allu expect from the youths let’s BBC because it’s a struggle under this slp administration
So why did you and Allan did not show leadership by enacting a minimum wage
First start with spider and the pig pen
Ok pig farmer
For St Lucia Not everyone can work construction and most of those construction jobs are not for a long period of time.
For St. Lucia, you are correct, the island had more corruption under Chas than now. What did he do with the 863 million dollars he borrowed? How many passports did he sell? Why was no Deputy Speaker for 5 years? With these and more, St. Lucia was better.
The 15 thousand dollars on the 25 of every month from the taxes of the working poor is not coming in anymore so they are upset but then again they never enacted a minimum wage for the working poor and slave workers in the private sector