On Wednesday, former Transport Minister Guy Joseph strongly criticised Infrastructure Minister Stephenson King’s response to complaints regarding the poor condition of Saint Lucia roads.
Joseph spoke at an opposition United Workers Party (UWP) press conference.
He urged King, also responsible for Transport, to do his job because the road network was in terrible condition.
Recently, King welcomed National Council on Public Transportation (NCOPT) concerns regarding the state of the roads.
But he also had his concerns.
“I also would like the National Transportation Council to address the issues pertaining to minibus operators who are violating the laws, the laws which govern the operation of public transportation in Saint Lucia and others who are violating the rights of other people – the rights of young women and other people,” King told reporters.
The NCOPT Public Relations Officer Spencer Mc Phee said this week that minibus operators were ‘taken aback’ and ‘disgusted’ by what King said.
Guy Joseph told Wednesday’s UWP news conference what started as a conversation about road conditions became one about relations between minibus drivers and young women or young girls.
The former Minister described the development as shameful and a diversion from the real issue.
According to Joseph, King should know the law.
n the “If a minibus driver is convicted of a sexual offence, not even against a minor, a sexual offence is general, he is banned from operating a public transport in Saint Lucia. That is in the law,” the former Castries South East MP explained.
“If he knew the bus drivers who are having relations with young girls under the age or for whatever reason and it was an illegal activity, it had to be reported to the relevant authorities,” Joseph told reporters.
“This is not your response to bad roads,” the UWP Deputy Political Leader asserted.
Joseph, former Economic Development Minister, said the bad roads have negatively affected the economy.
He explained that people would not venture out to patronise business places once they got home, reducing consumption at a time when the economy was performing poorly.
King said Chastenet and Guy were interfering in his Ministry.. What’s his excuse now! This man is terrible. Anywhere except the St. Lucia public service and he would have been terminated immediately. But no, we love to reward mediocrity!
My opinion on all of this nonsense, is that certain individuals want to make sure they stay in government so they can control the narrative and continue sweeping their crimes under the rug.
Stephenson King has been an obese burden on the pockets of the St. Lucian taxpayers for years. You have to give him that he has a gift for deflecting from his incompetence with nice well worn words and a benign face that is non offensive, Yet it is all a facade and from the time he was the useless Prime Minister, we were aware that he had NOTHING to contribute to the welfare of St. Lucians.
He sits in Cabinet , drawing a mssive salary, even as Lucians suffer life destroying inflation, food, gas, school, rent prices and a general deterioration of our social fabric. As his PM and other colleagues wreck havoc in the country he says nothing just plotting his next move to advance himself in any way possible.
This is not a joke! The reason we put politicians in place is we give them the authority and tools, to improve our lives as leaders in the country.
Not all of us are expecting handouts (as with the SLP hacks) but we want the environment to be such that we can advance with hard and smart work. Instead he and his cohorts are wasting taxpayers money, have done nothing about internal security, or increased tourist arrivals or keeping our road network up to a standard, or kept out cities and towns clean.
They have done NOTHING to make us proud of the state of our nation and have made vulgarity + verbal and physical violence common, have embarassed us on the world stage, disrespected our friends (USA and Canada) and even made us scared sometimes to leave our yards because of gunfire and mayhem,
This is just more deflection by that buffoon and as expected the SLP have gone from debacle to wastage to being political imbeciles in 2 1/2 years.
So “Protect the Victory” ! Hold a march against yourselves (a first in the world of politics!)!
Fight among yourselves to fill your pockets and keep travelling and taking. The longest rope has an end!
Please refer to Guy as the Rejected member for Castries South East.
Now Guy you are a seven day just like me, stop telling lies to the nation. Because of you St. Lucia is in crisis today. Will you return the monies given to CHTTI?
How much money did you get from Fresh Start, your company?
Guy just keep quiet.
@John Cepal if Guy is guilty of any crime and you can proof if he has to be brought to justice.
I am sure there is some people who has similar comments about Mr. King so long story short they are all the same I have heard many rumors about SK honestly he is not my cup of tea but I will not post it on the social media because I have no proof that these things did happen
Guy Joseph is one of the REJECTED VESSELS IN THIS LAND OF ST LUCIA.
PPl like John Cepal are exactly why we are stuck in the rut we are. Accusation with no proof. Same thing King has done and is doing. If Guy did something wrong, King was in cabinet with him so shed some light and stop all this TALK. Btw is it a crime to give someone something? As a 7 days u know the bible said it is more blessed to give. So if Fresh Start felt the need to be blessed and gv Guy Y u don’t want Guy to allow the guys to receive their blessings. Now Guy is not the issue here. THE ROADS and THE RESPONSE FROM KING ARE THE 2 ISSUES HERE. Let the Special Prosecutor deal with Guy. He has 3 years remaining.
He has all his reasons to hate King after King rejected his low bribe; please the level of this man and his SYMPATHIZER (they know themselves) the ‘proof” is infinite you fool
@John Cepal, I am no fan of Guy but I really hope we don’t have too many seven days like you in St. Lucia. You mean seven days cannot even stay on issue. I guess seven day like too much bacchanal – once it’s not on sabbath. JOHN CEPAL THE ISSUE IS THE ROADS. These roads on the east cost with them deep holes really, really really bad.
All the minibus drivers supported SLP
The Vfort to Castries bus drivers were they main supporters as well. They thought things would have been better. Take it now. Up to this day the dispatcher still clads in his red cap. When will they learn. King is now making their nasty business public
hmmm look the new bridge in cul d sac already starting to make holes but vehicles not yet drive on it eh