The Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP) is standing firmly behind Gros Islet MP Kenson Casimir, as members of the party gathered on Tuesday night to reaffirm their support amid rising political tensions.
At the forefront of the discussion was the government’s recent overhaul of healthcare infrastructure in Gros Islet, particularly upgrades to the local polyclinic and the establishment of an ambulance service.
Health Minister Moses Jn Baptiste opened by sharply criticising the previous administration’s inaction on critical healthcare services in the north. “We came into government, and at Gros Islet we found a system where for years there was no ambulance service at the GIPC,” he said. “Can you imagine this? With all of the money they spent in government, there was no ambulance service at the Gros Islet Polyclinic. We came into government and rectified that situation.”
Jn Baptiste also credited the SLP and MP Casimir for the improvements made to the Gros Islet Polyclinic. “They stayed for five, went into six,” he added, referring to the previous government’s tenure. “Not one block, not one bag of cement towards our healthcare.”
Kenson Casimir, MP for Gros Islet, didn’t hold back in defending the Labour Party’s track record and taking a swipe at his political opponent. “They’re going into all houses and begging you to vote against a government that has established a minimum wage in this country,” he said. “They wake up 5 o’clock in the morning to go to the beach with heels in their feet, to tell you to vote against a government that pays the facilities fees of its students?”
Casimir highlighted the SLP’s social initiatives, including the government’s efforts to fund CXC examinations for students and remove barriers to education and opportunity.
Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre, who also serves as the SLP’s political leader, emphasised the volume of development underway in Gros Islet under Casimir’s stewardship.
“Look at Gros Islet and look at a one-mile radius around Gros Islet and let me tell you what is there,” said Pierre. “If you go to the left, you will see the Polyclinic. You go a little further up, you will see the Northern Divisional Police Headquarters costing $50 million. If you go into Cas en Bas, you will see a brand new hotel that’s going to be open shortly.”
He continued, “If you go on the other side, you will see that they have begun to break down three hotels to put four new ones in Reduit, costing over $200 million US dollars.”
Pierre says he is confident in a reelection for Casimir, who defeated his prior opponent Lenard ‘Spider’ Montoute by more than two thousand votes.
