Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre has firmly dismissed recent opposition demands for early general elections, asserting that Saint Lucians will go to the polls only “when the time is right.” Addressing supporters at a town hall meeting in Micoud North on Tuesday, Pierre defended his administration’s record and expressed confidence in a resounding return to office by the ruling Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP).
Pierre, who also serves as political leader of the SLP, assured the public that his government’s policies are inclusive and geared toward improving the lives of all citizens, regardless of political affiliation. “When everybody goes to buy things in the supermarket, they don’t say, if you are Flambeau or if you are Labour the price is the same,” he remarked, in reference to the government’s decision to remove the service charge on controlled food items. “Instead of being happy and saying that the government has done something to reduce the cost of living, they are complaining and attacking me and the government. Do you think these people love Saint Lucia?”
Pierre also used the platform to highlight the SLP’s future leadership, championing Micoud North MP Jeremiah Norbert as a rising political figure and representative of the next generation of Labour politicians. “I have full faith and confidence in Jeremiah Norbert. And Jeremiah Norbert is one of the politicians of the future,” he said.
He hinted at a slate of fresh faces in the next election, promising a vibrant mix of candidates ready to build on the party’s achievements. “There are many more Jeremiah Norberts. And even though you don’t see them now, you’ll see them later. Because they are there. They are there in the wings. They are there waiting. They are there learning,” Pierre declared. “This Labour Party is like a stream. It flows. And when my time comes and I go, there are many who will take my place.”
Pierre’s remarks come amid intensified political rhetoric from the opposition United Workers Party (UWP), which has accused the government of using policy changes such as tax reductions on food items as political tools ahead of the next general election. However, Pierre insists that his administration is focused on good governance and alleviating hardship for ordinary Saint Lucians.
“This Labour Party has a cadre of men and women who will do Saint Lucia proud and will ensure that this country gets to a higher height,” he concluded.
