Grenada Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell has come under for telling an audience at a ruling Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP) event to ensure they put Saint Lucians into office.
“I want all Saint Lucians to hear me. When the time come, make sure that is Saint Lucians who you putting into office,” he said to applause from the SLP delegates conference in Babonneau on Sunday.
But the remarks have angered opposition United Workers Party (UWP) Chairman, Therold Prudent.
Prudent described Mitchell’s comments as ‘a downright shame.’
“I think the Prime Minister of Grenada owes to the people of Saint Lucia an apology,” the UWP Chairman declared during a contribution to the radio call-in programme Newsspin on Monday.
Prudent described Mitchell’s statement as nonsense and rubbish.
He said it was a shame that the Grenada PM allowed the SLP to use him that way.
“This is what persons who are racist within the Saint Lucia Labour Party want them to hear,” he observed.
Prudent urged all Saint Lucians beyond the political divide to think beyond the racism injected into the country.
“Is this the kind of Saint Lucia that you want? Is this the kind of Saint Lucia that you want your children to grow up in?” He asked.
The UWP official disclosed that although his children were born in the United States, he and his wife taught them to be Saint Lucian, and the teenagers consciously decided to apply for citizenship of Saint Lucia, the country they love.
He declared that it would be an insult if one of the two children, majoring in politics, could not be allowed to become Prime Minister of Saint Lucia.
Prudent warned the Labour Party that it would never be able to turn Saint Lucia into a ‘hating’ society, thinking of people not in terms of character or what they can contribute, but the colour of their skin.
He hoped Saint Lucians would come out and rebuke the SLP and the Grenada Prime Minister.
Prudent described Mitchell as naive and lacking understanding of the Saint Lucia citizenship issue, family ties, and how much a particular family or families have contributed to the country.
The UWP has accused the government of planning to use its parliamentary majority to ensure only a Saint Lucia-born individual could become Prime Minister of this country.
Public Relations Officer, Lenard ‘Spider’ Montoute said at a party event on Sunday that the move was against UWP leader and former Prime Minister Allen Chastanet, born in Martinique for medical reasons.
Mitchell is too damn fast….and out of place.
UWP strives to stay relevant
Therold who?
Prudent go the US an run for president. Oh wait
What is the name of the PM of Grenada? Dickon?…the name says a lot..I leave it to your prudish imagination what such gyrating metaphors conjure up in the minds of the more erudite amongst us …and rightly so that he should be given a tongue lashing for the nonsense he was spewing to the Saint Lucian public…and right on queue, the not so intelligent SLP supporters were applauding that nonsense….that tell you everything you need to know about politics on this rock of sages….and the wider deplorable state of politics in the Caribbean….he does not sound too intelligent either… perhaps he is a politician by default…..
@Sure. You almost make me choke. 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
What’s so wrong in that so just now people can not talk an say what that want, put a st Lucian in office so black or white still Lucian smfh
That was in poor taste. Some politicians need to stop by the hardware store, and buy a portable screen door for their mouth, so that certain things down get outside their mouth. And while at the store, pick up a filter for their brain.
When I see supposedly intelligent men spew that kind of innuendos, I often wonder whether tgey literally attended school at all. Or was it purchased. Who paid his airfares to travel here to help protect your victory?
o boy politricks never end I am tired just a banch of power hungry half human half beast. all they care about is getting into power to big up themselves. while the poor remains poor
If you listen to Mr. Prudent carefully you will immediately notice how woefully ignorant he is about public affairs. Many countries, the United States and India included, allow only native-born to assume the presidency or the highest office of the land. It is engraved in their constitutions. What is wrong with St. Lucia having a constitutional amendment including a similar clause? Reactionaries like Mr. Prudent bring very little substance to the social discourse but all noise and baseless stupidity.
We shouldn’t repeat the mistakes of our forefathers by being too accommodating to foreigners and strangers. Yes, Mr. Prudent, your American-born children can become citizens of St. Lucia based on their parents’ pedigree but they should never be allowed to assume the title of prime minister. I applaud the Grenadian prime minister for speaking truth to power. So Mr. Prudent you are free to draw your backward interpretation and sophomoric conclusion on the prime minister’s pronouncement.
To be clear, there is nothing inherently wrong with Prime Minister Mitchell’s statement. If there is any naivete and a lack of understanding I think it lies with Mr. Prudent, the attention seeker.
Apparently both parties UWP and SLP are unable to take the leadership to higher level reason for that is because neither party can speak for itself. The UWP bring in an invitee to speak on behalf of them who ain know shit about St. Lucia and never Contributed shit to its economy. Similar to this revelation here but the SLP was at it 1st by bring skerette and that lawyer name.
We are not moving forward we are moving backward forward.
PjP must have known this idiot before, because he spews the same nonsense you would hear in Marchand or on Waterworks road.
Was John Compton born in St Lucia? How about Mallet? De Papa was from the Grenadeens, while Mallet was from Panama, both were of St. Lucian parents; Mallet later became Governor of St. Lucia. This shows you the low depth of leaders of this present day SLP; my boyhood hero G.F.L. Charles must be turning in his grave. ONLY GOD CAN DO SOMETHING FOR YOU ALL.
I think that’s a good thing the Grenadian Prime minister said. Nothing wrong with that putting your people first. Who is Therold Prudent, this guy is singing for his supper. Your party couldn’t get off the ground. Now you settling.
…so only a Grenadan can be PM in Grenada?
Helen now has racism and misogynism running rife. Its almost laughable that some of the press and ‘writers’ are so openly racist too in their unrelenting assault on the truth to protect the victory. The hilarious heads of organisations supposedly ‘raising their voices’ and ‘rising ‘ to the occasion to protect social justice are more intersted in protecting the victory whilst being blatantly racist and ignoring the unfettered misogyny of their own cherished government. Their own supporters and leaders are incapable of being wrong such is the strength of the hyptnotic red cool aid.
So Ras Biko your St. Lucian mother, sister, daughter, cousin is 8 months pregnant and attending her St. Lucian father’s funeral in Barbados where he was living. She prematurely goes into labour and has her baby in Barbados. She spends 2 weeks in Barbados for the baby to get healthy then returns to St. Lucia. Both the baby’s parents are St. Lucian. So now justify why this baby who will spend his/her whole life in St. Lucia, being educated, working and raising a family, cannot become Prime Minister but someone born in St. Lucia but has never set foot there for 50 years is able to. So a pregnant woman starts to bleed heavily and is about to lose her baby. She is rushed to Martinique and her life and the baby’s life are saved but guess what the baby can never become PM in St. Lucia despite never living in Martinique and living in St. Lucia for their whole lives.
There is nothing to apologize for and UWP folks should not use the racism card. The majority of Lucians want a St.Lucian to head the government.
The people of St Lucia are being dupes again for listening to those snake -Oil salesmen talking to the 43% + They never mentioned employment nor wages in this time of our needs, They are all for themselves and their Families and not yours… Calypso time, Philip and his friend Mitchell.
……AND ?? SO WHERE IS THE LIE ?? YOU HAVE PUBLICLY (FACT) PLEDGE YOUR ALLEGIANCE TO ANOTHER COUNTRY, YOU DON’T SPEAK OUR NATIVE TOUNGE SO WHERE IS THE LIE ?? NO APOLOGY NEEDED…….TRUTH TO POWER REELECT ONE OF OUR OWN ST LUCIA NATIVE SON, A LOCAL BOY WHO WORKED HIS WAY TO THE TOP AND DID NOT BUY HIS CONSTITUENCY, ONE WHO SPEAKS OUR NATIVE TOUNGE WITH A LUCIAN ACCENT WHO UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE OUR CULTURE, TEMPERAMENT, AND THE ISSUES THAT ARE JERMAINE TO US. REALECT OUR SON OF THE SOIL WHO HAS PUT ST LUCIANS FIRST.
I don’t get the labour party. Do they hate democracy? If you are outraged by a person’s colour, creed or where they are born……YOU DON’T HAVE TO VOTE FOR THEM!!!!!!!Those that have no issue with colour or where a ST.LUCIAN was born….WILL VOTE THEIR CONSCIOUS. It is like the CCJ referendum……….The labour boys believe that they alone are entitled to an opinion and that the rest of the population must be dictated to. If you don’t like Chas colour then don’t vote for him! If you don’t like that Guy is an Indian Adventist then don’t vote for him! The SLP must get rid of their perceived attempts to create a dictatorship.
Mr. Prudent you thought it was relevant to mention that your children were born in the US in the article as well as their major — give me a break — whatever —- Let me share with you the following
– you must be US born (not naturalized) to run for President in the US
You politicians (I am neither SLP or UWP) need a serious awakening to the things which really matter for the island and it’s citizens – sometimes I wonder if it’s mere kids playing in a sandbox……put pride/ego/the need to be glorified and relevant out the window and at least have a meeting of the minds and start by at least fixing the deplorable roads. Don’t you all travel and drive on the same roads ??????- make that make sense.
This is in such poor taste. Stick to your country. A politician becoming entangled in another island politics. It started with Gonzales. Be professional. You not in your country. Stick to your own politics and be ready to work with government from any party in another island. These guys lack respect for themselves and have no professionalism. They govern their countries the same way. This way the countries they supposed to serve never develop. Grenada and st Lucia both look the same as it did 20 years ago. Zero development ideas. Zero growth. They just want to get into power to steal loan money and steal land and have access to passport money to deposit in personal accounts somewhere. That’s blatant theft! It’s not like u in business and made that money with your own sweat and tears and send it off to Panama, you took your risks and your reward. But these Lucian and Caribbean fellas have no business. they just finding ways to pocket money and steal land from the public that need those things. The result? Caribbean crime wave, unemployment and desperation. None of them interested in development just a cess and power to do what they want.
Careful what you wish for Lucians. Next it will affect inheritance. Maybe the government should stop accepting gifts, funds, loans from foreigners and strangers. Only accept from St Lucians and not foreigners. Maybe stop being friends with Taiwanese.
Boris Johnson was not born in England. He was born in New York City, yes
USA. Yet he has always been described as British.
Where you are born has nothing to do with belonging. It’s where your heart is that matters most not where you were born. Birth is just a legal certificate to prove where and when your birth took place. Legally everyone has to registered the birth details.
As long as you are capable of doing the job, live on the Island and share the love for the Island and its people
It matters not where you were born. The most important criteria should be, what you can bring to the table that matters. Not place of birth.
A list of 27 British politicians born in another country but welcomed as MP’s in the UK:
United States:
Boris Johnson Con Uxbridge & South Ruislip
Tobias Ellwood Con Bournemouth East
Greg Hands Con Chelsea & Fulham
Pakistan:
Rehman Chishti Con Gillingham & Rainham
Afzal Khan Lab Manchester Gorton
Khalid Mahmood Lab Birmingham Perry Barr
Yasmin Qureshi Lab Bolton South East
Australia:
Deidre Brock SNP Edinburgh North & Leith
Marcus Fysh Con Yeovil
Catherine West Lab Hornsey & Wood Green
(West) Germany:
Crispin Blunt Con Reigate
Mark Field Con Cities of London & Westminster
Wera Hobhouse Lib Bath
Kenya:
Peter Hain Lab Neath
Stephen Lloyd Lib Eastbourne
India:
Alok Sharma Con Reading West
Virendra Sharma Lab Ealing Southall
(Aden) Yemen:
Keith Vaz Lab Leicester East
Valerie Vaz Lab Walsall South
Ireland:
Nia Griffith Lab Llanelli
New Zealand:
Paul Beresford Con Mole Valley
Bangladesh:
Rushanara Ali Lab Bethnal Green & Bow
Egypt:
Margaret Hodge Lab Barking
Poland:
Daniel Kawczynski Con Shrewsbury & Atcham
(Hong Kong) China:
Rory Stewart Con Penrith & the Border
Uganda:
Shailesh Vara Con North West Cambridgeshire
Iraq:
Nadhim Zahawi Con Stratford-on-Avon
That is progressive. Not the rubbish that Richard and his twisted cohorts spewing from their mouths.
#Bayteeze you are a dysfunctional illiterate idiot in the people’s place. You cannot be a HEAD OF STATE of Great Britain if you were not born there. Your navel string must be cut there fool……..Segway into Dear Allan where was his cut ?? I rest my case.
Kings and Queens of England born overseas:
Of the 45 monarchs of England between 927 and 1707, 28 were born in England, six in France, three in Wales, three in Wessex, two in Scotland, two in Denmark, and one in the Dutch Republic.
Six born in France:
William the Conqueror – Falaise, Normandy
William II – Normandy
Stephen – Blois
Henry II – Le Mans, Maine
Richard II – Bordeaux, Aquitaine
Edward IV – Rouen, Normandy
Three born in Wales:
Edward II – Caernarfon, Gwynedd
Henry V – Monmouth
Henry VII – Pembroke
Three born in Wessex (prior to the formation of the Kingdom of England):
Æthelstan – Wessex
Edmund I – Wessex
Eadred – Wessex
Two born in Scotland:
James I: Edinburgh
Charles I: Dunfermline
Two born in Denmark (exact location unknown):
Sweyn Forkbeard
Cnut
One born in the Netherlands:
William III – The Hague, Holland
Of the twelve monarchs of Great Britain and the United Kingdom since 1707, ten were born in England and two in Brunswick-Lüneburg in the Holy Roman Empire.
Two born in the Holy Roman Empire:
George I – Hanover
George II – Hanover
British prime ministers born overseas:
Arthur Wellesley
Andrew Bonar Law
Boris Johnson
We have to shake our head at the hatred the labour party is peddling in this country. I think it is time for election. Kenson I voted you but I will vote a mouton with a yellow shirt against you if the party doesn’t stop the bullying, hatred and maypwee. You guys are only listening to the sansi that surround you looking for the crumbs that Seebo, OB, Ray…..and other direct awardees don’t want. Listen to the man in the street who is fed up.
@ Mweh Pah Cohwuhn, based on your assertion that person wouldn’t be allowed to assume the title of prime minister of St. Lucia if the SLP should ratify a constitution amendment. It is crystal clear with no ambiguities. It doesn’t mean that a naturalized St. Lucian can’t hold public office, it simply means that a non-native cannot be prime minister. Many countries reserve the title of president or prime minister only for native born and St. Lucia should be no exception.
More interesting … what does the SLU Constitution say regarding the birth status of who can be Prime Minister? I should find out for myself, so I could:
1. Put the Grenada PM in his place.
2. EDUCATE the SLU PM and his cabinet.
3. EDUCATE “Joe Public” on WHO can be allowed (through election) to be PM in SLU,
Then … this debate can be put to rest.
Easy-Peasy!
https://www.govt.lc/media.govt.lc/www/resources/legislation/ConstitutionOfSaintLucia.pdf
Everyone should read this, and be aware of what can be done, and what cannot be done. Seems the GG is in charge, and not a political party.
The Land of murderous shootings, a man with head severed from his body, the head later found wrapped up in Cabban clothing, the drowning bodies missing, frequent robberies – and now Witchcraft, Voodoo, Obeah – never Christ nor the Church but you allow the forces of evil Spirits to dominate the weaker minds of the masses, the less educated & unemployed lack of any basic skills – so what do you expect them to do?
Now you see fit to bring in some idiot from Grenada whom you brain washed to say to your crowd, one of the worse insults ever spoken of in the history of St. Lucian politics; something relating to race. Now that you have injected that Poison in the minds of your people, my St. Lucia will never be the same.
Father in the name of Jesus, forgive them for they know not what they do.
We see democracy at work on this forum, with everyone expressing his/her opinion. This debate did not start today. The legitimacy on x pm Compton and also Mallet had been questioned back in the seventies and beyond. If anyone thinks there is malice in the PM of Grenada’s suggestions, I suggest that we seek public opinion by putting the idea in a referendum ! I suspect that racism has been maliciously inject into the conversation. The PM of Grenada has the same right of expression like the rest of us here on this forum.
And what is wrong with the statement?????…looks like some people believe that only outsiders can push our country forward…..
Tell me…..how is it racist to legislate that our PM should be born here?
So is it because Chastenet would fall “victim” it is racist? The great USA has that in their constitution.
Didnt Chastenet proudly pronounce that he is a product of Canada?
What is St.Lucian about Chastenet?
How dare you PM Dickon coming to our shores and getting involved in our personal politics, please tell us where was the late Former Grenadian PM Maurice Bishop born. For a young seemingly smart recently elected PM, your immaturity and lack of diplomacy were on full display for the whole world to see, and you seem/felt right at home with your classless, boorish, uncouth and stupid comrades. Please note we will not be bullied to reelect this gang of misfits to run our affairs again, as they’re clearly not fit to run a herd of sheep.
The PM said it well!
Grenada constitution allows for commonwealth citizens to become prime minister of Grenada pm feels that way he should change the law at home
During the 1974 campaign for Governor of the USVI, a politician in St. Thomas USVI said that when he became Governor, after the 1974 Election, he was going to send home all the aliens living in the Virgin Islands. But he lost the election and was the first one on a plane the next day, leaving the Virgin Islands. Just because the mouth is in front, it doesn’t mean that the mouth should not consult the brain before broadcasting.