Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP) supporter, Mary Polius on Sunday called on voters in Castries South East to rally behind the party’s new hopeful, Lisa Jawahir, as the official campaign launch was held in Odsan before thousands of supporters from across the island.
“I am speaking, particularly to the people of Castries South East. Because we have a very important decision to make in the coming months,” Polius told supporters. “Please make sure that you throw your support behind Lisa Jawahir. Lisa is a young, motivated woman… and given the opportunity, I know Lisa will deliver for Castries South East.”
Polius paid tribute to outgoing MP Joachim Henry, who stepped aside after one term, thanking him for “building the foundation for Lisa to work on.” She assured constituents that Henry himself would want them to continue supporting the Labour Party by electing Jawahir.
Framing the upcoming election as a choice between “moving forward with progress” or “returning to misery,” Polius urged supporters not to “go back” to what she described as the hardships under the previous United Workers Party (UWP) administration which she once strongly supported.
She accused the former government of leaving the country “the laughing stock of the Caribbean” and credited the current SLP government under Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre with stabilising the economy.
“Lisa on her own is an outstanding choice. She’s hardworking. But even bigger than that, Lisa is part of the most progressive team that Saint Lucia has seen in decades, led by Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre,” Polius said.
She highlighted government initiatives since 2021, including:
* payment of facilities fees for all students
* a $500 allowance and laptop for every child entering secondary school
* partial university scholarships, with 75 awarded this year
* introduction of a minimum wage
* youth employment and training programmes; and
* grants for young people and creatives.
“These are the social interventions that this government has to ensure that young people are not idle,” she declared.
Polius urged Labour supporters to take the party’s record into the field when canvassing, stressing the importance of convincing undecided voters and countering the opposition’s narrative.
“Do you want to continue with this great government of the Saint Lucia Labour Party? Or do you want to revert to the time of name calling, when Saint Lucia was broke?” she asked. “We want people who can add value, who care, who can elevate us and improve our quality of life.”
The launch of Lisa Jawahir’s candidacy marks the SLP’s push to retain the Castries South East seat, which the party won in 2021 for the first time.
