In a fiery speech at a recent opposition United Workers Party (UWP) event, the party’s Mobilisation Officer launched a scathing attack on the Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP) government over the poor state of many of the country’s roads.
Addressing the UWP’s Sunday Live on Facebook, Charles disclosed that a female employee of a statutory body took to social media to highlight the poor state of roads in her constituency and the damage it was causing to vehicles.
However, the UWP official said the Chief Executive Officer of the entity ordered the woman to take down the post since it was causing embarrassment to Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre and Infrastructure Minister Stephenson King.
Nevertheless, Charles urged the woman to post her story again.
“Let the people talk. If they identify a problem, fix it,” Charles declared.
‘I am putting a challenge to all of you here – all of you who are listening. When you go home tomorrow, take pictures of the potholes in your constituency. Take pictures of the broken bridges in your constituency,” the UWP official urged.
Earlier this year, the Prime Minister had billed the 2024-2025 Budget as the Year of Infrastructure.
The government explained that it would usher in a wide range of investments in strategic capital projects and development programmes, modernising and revitalising public infrastructure and building capacity in the country’s human capital.
In this regard, Nancy Charles called on citizens to take photos of the infrastructure in their constituencies and post them on social media.
“Send a message to the traitor and tell him, ‘Fix it!'” She asserted.
The UWP has frequently accused its former leader and current Infrastructure Minister, Stephenson King, of being a traitor.
Just before the July 2021 general election, King contested the Castries North seat as an independent candidate.
After regaining the seat he had formerly won as a UWP candidate, he joined the Cabinet of the Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP) following its landslide victory.
Unfixed roads is a tactic used by the government to siphon more money out of the public. Bad roads means damaged suspension. Damaged suspension means imported components. Then the extra toll on your tyres getting ripped up and of course more brake consumption. Imported components means duties and taxes for the government. While in a normal civilised country struts, mounts bushings and links would last years, in St. Lucia it barely lasts one. Not only that you’re forced to drive at extremely slow speeds which is less efficient for the engine and increases fuel consumption. Once again more taxes for the government. We’re already the highest taxed country in the OECS. We pay both VAT and Income Tax. Philip Pierre’s regime just again another 2.5% Health and Security Levy. That’s in addition to all the road taxes and others you already pay. What do we have to show for all this taxation?
Some of you folk in St. Lucia (politicians) are hilarious on every level. I left St. Lucia many many many years ago and guess what – the ROADS were bad back then just like they are now.
Jay they are worse now. I think that the road in thd I_5 polling division is diliberately being ignored. Politicians are passing through dont tell me they cannot see it. The road is narrow plus the grass on the sides makes it impossible for drivers to see each other coming from opposite directions. Potholes in a particular area have both pedestrians and drivers complaining. Minibus drivers are finding it a hassel to commute on this road. Thank god we have one or two drivers who lives in this area so if we are fortunate enough to be ready the time that they leave the area we may get help. Now it looks like STEP is on its way. One of the things i recommend is this. While we all need a dollar make sure responsible supervisors that can work using their judgement to do the areas that needs to be done be sdlected. Let not supervisors that will do areas that can wait be done simply because the area is close to their home. If we are doing something lets do it right and not shortcuts as we know is happening now. I agree that 90 percent of our roads needs fixing and cleaning but there are areas that are worse than others so lets concentrate on this and dojng it to the best of our abilities. Lets choose honest supervisors and workers to do thd job. Lets stop assignig people for the job because they ate our friends and please lets give everyone a chance and not the same workers over and over. Everyone needs a loaf. Peace and love
I have had the opportunity recently to drive throughout our fair island from north to south, east and west. What Nancy Charles has said is so true. It is not that the roads are in a deplorable state but that there is no rhyme or reason to what is happening to this part of our community network. No planning and no cohesion in the work being done.
One road is in one hellish state , the next is partially repaired and it seems as though the contractor has walked off the job for 6 months, the next is repaired for a piece and the rest is just left to deteriorate.
This is the fundamental flaw with the SLP. They are so hell bent on filling their pockets… that they have no time to plan or manage. They think that going to Cabinet every Tuesday constitutes management and working.
That is why they do not care about the road network, or inflation, high prices , or crime or the health sector because all their energy is on cutting the next deal and travelling to get 10s of thousands in per diem.
I am glad it is Nancy Charles bring these points up. I have had the chance to listen to her on some of programs and is that lady not powerful, clear headed, lucid and on top of all issues. She cuts through all the nonsense of the SLP and she has more time and management skills than all of the Cabinet combined. In 10 minutes she can explain the most complex of issues and gets right to the bottom of most problems that the inept and clueless Ministers are fumbling around with from the beginning of their tenure.
She is also empathetic to the issues that women face in this country and her talks show that she is fully aware of what woman go through in trying to make ends meet in this hellish Lucian economic environment.
I asked around about her to find she is a wife and mother and I think farmer – where does she find the time to deal with SLP’s incompetence.
So kudos to Nancy – a very special woman so different than the useless, moribund SLP female Ministers, who have contributed nothing to Lucians in general and woman in particular.
@God is Love – I hear you loud and clear and you are correct. Blessings
Before me there was you are you ????
Everybody ?
Somebody ?
Anybody ?
Or Nobody ????
A little late to comment but I agree with most of what has been said.
The politicians just ignore you, hoping that you will go away.
Gais Bois Road has been in a dangerous condition for TWENTY YEARS.
Plus when it rains it becomes 10 wide river and scoures out even more of the road.
It is political negligence in the first degree.