In a stirring 90-minute address before a packed crowd in Vieux Fort town, Vieux Fort South MP and former Prime Minister Dr Kenny D. Anthony announced his retirement from elective politics, bringing an end to a storied career spanning decades in Saint Lucia’s political landscape.
“I have therefore decided that I will no longer offer myself to be your candidate at the next general election,” Dr Anthony declared. “Some of you will be sad and disappointed. Some will gladly see my back. I’m also aware that some of you believe that it is time for Vieux Fort South to be represented by a Vieux Fortian.”
While acknowledging the differing opinions on his departure, Anthony stood by his record and the principles that defined his leadership. “Even though I respect those who openly profess such views, I do not accept their logic,” he said. “But they, too, will get their wish. I hope I will continue to be an example of a politician who demonstrated that place of birth and of bringing are not impediments, that what matters are commitment, dedication, truth, love, and respect.”
Anthony, who led the Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP) to a historic supermajority victory in 1997 and served three terms as Prime Minister, took the opportunity to reflect on the party’s legacy and his role in shaping it. “The Saint Lucia Labour Party that I had led between 1997 and 2016 had reformed itself, had become so entrenched that I had made this Labour Party into a formidable political organisation, into an unmatched political organisation,” he said. “It was strong, resilient enough to cope with my resignation, because there was a mechanism created inside the party to allow someone else to manage the transition that would flow from my resignation.”
Dr Anthony recalled the difficult decision to resign as SLP leader following the party’s defeat in the 2016 general election. “I knew then and there that I had to resign,” he stated. “There were those who criticized me within my own party, who said I abandoned the Saint Lucia Labour Party… forgetting that these are normal precedents that occur on election night.”
In his farewell remarks, Dr Anthony made clear that he was not departing politics in search of accolades or honors. “I want no more. I want nothing. It is enough that you trusted me to represent you,” he said, his voice carrying emotion. “So, when I leave you, I simply want you to remember me as a good and decent human being who understood love, compassion, mercy, integrity, commitment and humility.”
Dr Anthony also addressed what he considers flawed logic in modern political expectations, referencing calls for an oversized cabinet. “I said to you that this thinking is myopic, it is simplistic, and it is archaic,” he argued. “Just look at the United Kingdom! The Parliament… has a membership of over 650 elected members. But they have a cabinet of 30 to 40 members.”
The former prime minister concluded his remarks with a vision of peace and reflection in his post-political life. “Next in importance to my political accomplishments is simple. I want to proceed peacefully, carrying with me only the academic title by which you have known me all of these years.”
As the crowd applauded, many with tears in their eyes, it was clear that the moment marked not just the end of a political career, but the closing chapter of a legacy that helped shape modern Saint Lucia.
