Deputy Prime Minister Dr Ernest Hilaire and the United Workers Party (UWP) have both reacted to the Caribbean Court of Justice’s (CCJ) recent dismissal of Opposition Leader Allen Chastanet’s appeal in the long-running customs case linked to the importation of a Land Rover Discovery vehicle.
The CCJ’s ruling, delivered on October 15, 2025, upheld earlier decisions by the High Court and the Court of Appeal, concluding that the Comptroller of Customs lawfully withdrew the charges and that “judicial review of the Comptroller’s decision was legally misconceived.”
Following the judgment, Dr Hilaire took to social media, describing the outcome as vindication after nearly a decade of scrutiny. “The road taken by those who seek to destroy you will be long, winding, but ultimately trod in vain,” he wrote. “Allen Chastanet, for almost ten years, has spared no effort in trying to destroy my reputation. He has failed at every turn. He has failed again today.”
Hilaire added despite years of legal and political challenges, he remains focused on his parliamentary duties. “I am undeterred. He will try again and again. He will fail again and again. And I will continue serving my people of Castries South, and Saint Lucia, with all my might and with all my strength.”
The UWP also issued a statement in response to the CCJ’s ruling, describing it as “a setback for accountability and good governance in Saint Lucia.” The party noted that the judgment addressed only whether the case could proceed and not the facts themselves. “This wasn’t a full hearing on the facts, it was only about whether the case could move forward,” the release stated. “When a court refuses leave, deciding a case can’t go forward without evidence being tested, without witnesses being heard and with no explanations required, the public never learns what really happened.”
The statement said the outcome “represents a deeper setback for transparency and public trust,” adding that “no ordinary Saint Lucian could expect such leniency or quiet exemptions.”
While political reactions have been divided, the Caribbean Court of Justice’s decision stands as the final word on the matter. The ruling brings the long-running case to a definitive close, with no further avenue for appeal. In its written judgment, the court also noted the extensive time spent on the case, describing it as “an unnecessary consumption of judicial resources.”
