Opposition leader Allen Chastanet has declared that Saint Lucia’s crime situation is ‘out of control’, and has questioned Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre’s seriousness in tackling the problem.
Chastanet posted his remarks Friday on Facebook, hours after Saint Lucia recorded its 20th homicide in 2024.
A 42-year-old man was shot dead, and another male sustained leg injuries at Bagatelle, Castries, Thursday night.
Chastanet recalled that this week, Pierre’s office stated that the Prime Minister would return to Saint Lucia on Wednesday from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) summit in Guyana to address ‘pressing issues’ at home.
“Putting a stop to the senseless shootings remains a high-priority area of focus for the police and the government,” Pierre’s office declared in a Facebook post.
The Prime Minister, who met the Attorney General and senior police officials, received a progress report on ongoing efforts by law enforcement officers ‘in pursuit of the individuals and their accomplices implicated in a series of shooting incidents’.
However, the opposition leader noted that Pierre’s office said the PM would not attend Friday’s CELAC meeting in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
“Given the out-of-control crime situation, especially given that the latest homicide occurred within his constituency, you would think that this would be one of the pressing issues that the PM would be attending to,” the United Workers Party (UWP) leader observed.
Chastanet declared that, instead, the Office of the Prime Minister issued another Press Release on Friday morning.
He said the new release indicated Pierre was heading to the CELAC meeting in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the same meeting his office initially said he would not attend.
“When will Prime Minister Philip J Pierre, who is also the Minister for National Security, take the out-of-control crime situation seriously?’ Chastanet asked.
When management is incompetent they either do NOTHING or do something EXTREME.
Our leaders in the police force and government are incompetent and that resulted in Operation Restore Confidence which was rife with corruption.
Due to Operation Restore Confidence we have the IMPACS report hanging over the police force and I bet this report implicates local politicians and past leadership in the police force, this is why it will go nowhere.
For the sake of the police force the IMPACS matter has to go to court as hard as that reality may be, it needs to happen.
For the sake of the police force, crooked cops need to be prosecuted.
Then we will have more confidence and trust in our leaders.
Then we will offer more information to the police.
Oh really keep you information to yourself if that’s your belief.
Isn’t this the same honkey who said “Kenny can’t but he will”!
You won but through out your tenure the stats show that you did nothing or whatever your plan was it had no effect.
@ Oh Really: last three lines in your comment; ARE YOU DREAMING?
Pierre is useless and incompetent…..full stop. It’s because he doesn’t have a clue how to execute the portfolio of national security. You are the leader of the nation lead from the front.. show the people you mean business when it comes to tackling crime…come up with some innovative ideas, create a new task force to fight crime….do something meaningful and show you can do the job… Pierre has no ideas…those around him are just as lost and clueless…. heavy lies the head that wears the crown….
Yes FOX I am dreaming.
@Lucian, keep your comment to yourself.
Some of you all ready to eat chas alive that is the gospel truth we are losing st Lucia
What do you expect when the police force and government have persons accused of committing serious crimes in high positions. High ranking members at that, shameless as they are, trying to address matters of crime when they themselves are no different to the guys on the streets.
Now Chas stop politicizing crime. The two parties along with civil society need to come together in good faith to find and present meaningful and workable solutions to put an end or control this crime scourge.
The situation will not change to many of us St Lucian are two face. A number of us benefiting from crime and will hide and support because of hand outs.
What exactly makes Chas and the UWP by extention crime management gurus? Didn’t he inherit a downward spiral from Kenny which turned into an upward trajectory under his watch? With numbers escalating despite the covid19 lockdown common sense would have dictated the need for contingencies the minute people were given carte blanche to roam again. Zero perspicacity! Can’t trust them to find sand on the beach.
Why the hell does Lucians keep recycling the same clueless dinosaurs to deal with issues which are clearly out of their league? How much more must they exacerbate our ills before you guys say enough is enough and raise the bar?
There are lots of bar/line graphs available online for all to peruse so willful ignorance won’t cut it. No doubt the problem mushroomed in 2017 so it’s disingenuous to pin it on PJP’s administration. Indeed it is the SLP’s responsibility to do something about it but it’s asinine to expect an overnight solution. Lots of scores need to be settled till those miscreants stop fancying their chances of getting away. Such is the life of a gangster. The RSLPF honchos seem busy trying to put M&Ms in alphabetical order. Moin mem! Nou pwee en sah! Time to outsource proven professionals.
Chas has no moral authority to talk about crime period! Lot cotay! San Hont!
Yea but if you and the Flambou party was at the helm and in office, what would you have done to stop or curb the Crime Issue? nothing. Everybody in opposition must run their mouths otherwise they’d be forgotten, their must fool the already foolish people into believing the garbage their spew otherwise they wont be voted in. Everybody in opposition have all the answers when they’re in opposition but can’t do a thing when they form the government. GOOD LUCK
This isn’t political. UWP, SLP. Its education. And lack of it. These bozos can’t get water pumping let alone fix a road. All jokers but the latest crew are even worse!! Ban guns, then less people will get shot
The youth want to succeed. They see the examples. Drug barons and money launderers can easily rise to the highest political office through money and elimination of their opponents. They have no confidence in the police as the very same politicians publicly state that they own them. Money launderers can get massive direct awards. The youth don’t see success in being honest and working hard.
When our leaders are indiscipline, what will one expect of the masses? This indiscipline starts in the house of parliament leaders don’t obey the speaker as the principal but challenged him instead, what will we expect from the followers. Chas be an example to us.
Why is Frederick not harping about that on Thursday nights? It’s always Chastanet Chastanet Chastanet!!!! Crazy!!!!
All because we do not put on rigtheousness as breastplate and wear the helmet of Salvation…
So ⚖️ justice (God)is far from us,and Rigtheousness does not reach us.
We look for light, but all is 😈 darkness ; for brightness, but we walk in deep shadows (death)
Like the blind we grope along the wall,feeling our way like men without eyes…
At miday we stumble as if it were Twilight;among the strong,we are like the dead. We
……….
We all growl like bears ;we mournfully 😭 like doves.
We look for ⚖️ justice, but find none ; for deliverence,(Jesus)is very far away..
For our offenses are many in his sight,and our sins testify against us..
Our offenses are ever with us and we acknowledge our iniquities :
Rébellion and treachy against the LORD,turning our backs on our LORD,formenting oppression, oppressor and revolts
Uttering lies our hearts have conceived.
So ⚖️ justice is driven back and Rigtheousness stands at a distance ; truth has stumble in the streets, honesty cannot enter ……
Chas states the obvious and everybody gets their feelings hurt.
Let opposition politicians do what they do
Let the government attempt to solve the issue.
Let the police do what they are paid to do
And then we judge.
All the name calling at this point is just petty and insignificant while the real issues are being ignored