Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre has expressed concern over the alarming spike in road accidents and road fatalities in Saint Lucia, declaring that ‘the sheer madness on Saint Lucia roads’ needs to be controlled.
In a statement on Thursday, Pierre expressed condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives due to the ‘unfortunate incidents’, particularly the individual who lost his life at Praslin on Wednesday.
Twenty-eight-year-old Greg Laurent of Laborie succumbed after a collision involving two vehicles.
According to the police, some twenty people have died as a result of road incidents so far this year.
Pierre urged the public of Saint Lucia to drive responsibly and more carefully.
“These unnecessary deaths caused most of the time by reckless and careless driving can be avoided. I know, and I am aware that some accidents are inevitable, but the sheer madness on Saint Lucia roads has to be brought under control,” the Prime Minister stated.
“I will be having discussions with the Commissioner of Police to look into the reasons why we have not got any speed guns, to measure the speed at which vehicles travel in this country,” Pierre, who is responsible for National Security, said.
The Prime Minister’s complete statement appears below:
Fellow Saint Lucians,
I am profoundly disturbed by the level of road accidents and road fatalities in the Lucia. First of all, I would like to express my condolences to the families of all those who have lost their lives because of these unfortunate incidents, particularly the gentleman who lost his life at Praslin yesterday. I would urge the public of Saint Lucia to drive responsibly and drive more carefully.
These unnecessary deaths caused most of the time by reckless and careless driving can be avoided. I know and I am aware that some accidents are inevitable, but the sheer madness on Saint Lucia roads has to be brought under control. I will be having discussions with the Commissioner of Police to look into the reasons why we have not got any speed guns, to measure the speed at which vehicles travel in this country.
There have been over 500 calls for accidents from the Saint Lucia Fire Service. This actually is a waste of resources and most of our health care problems and issues at the emergency ward are because of the wanton accidents that happen in this country. As a nation. We must take responsibility for our actions. This reckless driving is unacceptable and it must stop!
The police must ensure that they take measures to stop this recklessness and loss of lives on our roads. I urge all the people of Saint Lucia to take this warning seriously. Reckless driving is a crime and can be punishable by imprisonment, and the police must look into ways and means of enforcing the laws of this country.
We need to stop this recklessness. We need to stop this irresponsibility. I look forward to an improvement in the driving culture in this country, so that we can use our resources in better ways to help the people of Saint Lucia, and to improve their health care generally, and not to use resources of our healthcare system to deal with accidents that can be avoided.
I thank you.
PHOTO: Fatal accident at Praslin
ACTION is needed … not words!
For every collision, fatal, lethal and for inconveniences caused by reckless drivers, consequences should be DRASTIC!! It is also time for the police and judiciary to lay down the law thick on these “invinceable” drivers who have no care for anyone on the roads.
Put up billboards blasting the $/road crime committed. $500,000 for every death caused by a reckless driver: for texting, loud music, reckless driving, use of cell phones while driving, cursing … Everyrthing lawless!!
This just might rein them in for their lawless actions!! Speed guns are a laugh! Also archaic!
As my PM, I’m very disturbed by your statement,by all account, you’re the Minister of, National Security. Is it only now you know that there’s no radar guns.
Where are the legislation in place for that purpose.
Think critically before speaking.
The prime minister is not the one practising the reckless driving .He is only warning all drivers to be cautious on the road .Too often I have had to ask mini bus drivers to stop so I can get down from their buses .Passengers feel intimidated when they express their displeasure with the reckless ways they are being driven. The only time they express their displeasure is after they realize they are maimed for life . Speak up before you break up !!!!!!
Senior I agree. PM Pierre, it is best to leave your opinion and emotions out of public statements most times. It isn’t that you are incorrect, it just means that your statement is of “poor taste”. It is wise to be more tactful when dealing with the media. There you are acknowledging that there is “sheer madness on St Lucia’s roads” but offering no ideas on how to tackle this lawlessness as a government. This is 2024. We’ve got to up our game!
It is indeed madness. Overtaking anywhere. Bikers splitting lanes like they own the place. Pure madness in this place.
Pierre failed to recognize that the Ministry of Infrastructure ports and TRANSPORT is also a major player to combat road safety and not just the police. Nothing has been done on road safety under lazy King for decades. This place is too lawless….you can’t tell me that fellas are aggressive, wrong and insulting on our roads to everyone. I am pretty sure Pierre has been cursed by drivers on the roads for no reason atall.
Before I post, let me make this clear I am neither SLP or UWP. However, it is not the Prime Minister’s responsibility when drivers fail to follow the rules which govern effective driving in St. Lucia. All drivers need to —
Pay attention to your surroundings. Check your mirrors often and scan to see what’s happening ahead of you and behind you.
Keep your speed down and maintain control.
Follow the rule by setting a very safe following distance between yourself and other drivers
Cut out distractions – loud music, cell phone usage, eating/drinking, unnecessary talking etc. etc.
Don’t rely on other drivers – but be very mindful for yourself and others at all cost
I am always amazed at how the sheeple respond to such pronouncements by our leader and chief. Mr Prime Minister you are in a position to do something about this very grave issue. But doing or saying the same things over and over and expecting different results is more madness. Make the traffic department with all their New Vehicles patrol the highways (not really highways more like horse tracks). The traffic officers only come out when there is an accident or when they themselves are racing in front of Government officials or airline (tourist) crew.
Traffic Police need also to handle accident scenes, especially what are known as fender benders, minor collisions, better, moreso on the dual lanes from Vigie playing field to Choc Roundabout. Many minor accidents happen there daily for whatever reason, and the police make no effort to clear the road quickly. The damage caused by these accidents don’t even make it to the insurance because it is below the excess. The police have to learn to clear the roads as quickly as possible to prevent traffic build up, that should be priority number one in these situations!
Lol. So if the statement made by the PM doesn’t highlight how clueless he is and how much trouble we are in then awah weee.
1. Road Safety is the responsibility of the Dept. of Transport
2. PJP was Minister of Transport and he did not sanction the procurement of Speed Guns
3. The sheer madness is PJP hvn a Chief Transport Officer who has no dirvers license nor any degree or
formal training in transport or road safety
4. Buying vehicles for the police to do escort service (escort dead ppl and dignitaries)
5. PJP has had 2 or 3 budgets and 5 as minister of transport and once did he sanction or approve or
request monies for road safety
6. Sheer madness is hvn King as your minister of transport.
Next year 2025 we will continue to hv high accident and road fatality rates, cause we will hv the same PM, MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND CHIEF TRANSPORT. Btw the Officer in Chardge of Traffic also has no formal trainaing in transport or road safety Soooooo…..
@ La VErdad– thanks for posting these straight ” truths” on this topic at hand. I have no proof that all are correct but some of what you listed are ” UNDISPUTABLE” por ejemplo:
– i heard there is a square peg running the transport dept? An admin person?
– speed guns will work just as much as breathalizers- the latter will never be sanctioned cause police and politicians drink more rum than jombies.
– something like road safety should attract well qualified persons at the helm of such departments, its time administrations do away with helping friends out–afterall, hire a friend who is atleast well qualified.
– I dont know who has more vehicles on the road- the competition is between Rayneau and Aimless SLG’s-atleast Rayneau’s vehciles on a mission and not going to pick up school children at 3 pm
– Year of Infrastructure they call it; thats just a fancy name for ” doing nothing” – no money for road safety campaigns
– King mem– is like a derelict car, not going anyway, not doing anything- just there
– Traffic dept has some humble and good mannered officers, sadly they erect signs in dangerous places at collision scenes, take forever to produce a 3 page report that has a standard structure in the age of AI and chatgpt.
At the rate, its only a matter of time when accidents will hit home to politicians, ministers, judges, lawyers, high ranking police officials- all the people who can make a positive change!
–
Pierre is asking the commissioner of police why are there no speed guns. The answer is he, Pierre did not provide the speed guns for the police commissioner. I mean, a PM who is a lawyer by profession asking a question that is quite frankly stupid to say the least. And even if the commissioner had speed guns that would not stop road traffic accidents in any significant way. It is the culture of driving and road safety in Saint Lucia that needs to change. Speed guns are an added tool in the fight for road safety but it’s not the cure all. Offering meager platitudes to a dire situation in the country. Crime, road traffic accidents, motor vehicle law infringements, drivers playing loud music at illegal decibel levels, parking anywhere, insurance avoiders, and a whole list of misdemeanors tells you a lot about a nation’s attitude to life in general. Yet the PM offers nothing in terms of instituting drastic measures in the wake of pointless road traffic accidents and death..I say pointless because these road traffic accidents and deaths could be avoided if people took care and drove with concern for themselves and others. When a society is infantile in its development, sometimes for its own good you need to implement a stick or the lash even, as a corrective tool. One would hope that society regulates itself through the notion that we should be each others keeper but as history shows, this is not really the case. Pierre, the response to this dire state of affairs is to enforce traffic laws, use technology to capture then harshly penalize offenders, including harshly punishing minor traffic offences, vigorous traffic safety campaign, making dangerous road infrastructure safer by using road markings, signage, traffic calming measures, fixing damaged road surfaces, road barriers where roads are near precipices since Saint Lucia is a mountainous country, make it mandatory by law that vehicles should be professionally checked for road worthiness. There is much that can be done Pierre, don’t just offer mere condolences and platitudes.
You at the helm for another five years would be ‘sheer madness’.
I agree with the points raised above. I mean maybe there are some nuances we cannot see why ‘basic’ things are taking decades and 100s of lives at this point. Anyway, I digress. Can we start a gofundme to get them to at least mark our major roads? How much would that cost? Because at a minimum! the roads should be marked. Or I propose we all stop paying licence fees for one year (they cannot impound us all) only the roads are driveable!
PIERRE :
Save yourself from this coming age”
I am in pain and distress ;may your SALVATION, O God protect me-