Vieux Fort South witnessed a political transition on Sunday as former Prime Minister and long-serving MP Dr. Kenny D. Anthony officially passed the mantle of leadership to Danny Butcher during a Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP) rally at the Vieux Fort Recreational Park.
After nearly three decades of representing the constituency, Dr. Anthony bid farewell to elective politics, framing his departure as part of the democratic cycle. Reflecting on his service, he praised the accomplishments of the Pierre Administration in economic growth, record tourism investment, job creation, and stronger public service protections.
“An incumbent holds a sacred baton in trust for one’s successors… A parliamentary representative is nothing more than a single runner in a never-ending relay. And as the Chief Justice said, the baton must be passed at some time. I am here to pass the baton to Danny Butcher,” Dr. Anthony declared to resounding applause.
Stepping forward as the endorsed SLP candidate, Butcher presented a bold vision for infrastructural and social transformation in Vieux Fort South. He announced plans for enhanced road connectivity linking communities such as Cantonment, Black Bay, Bruceville, La Ressource, La Tourney, and Cedar Heights, aimed at improving safety, mobility, and local commerce.
Butcher also unveiled designs for a Spanking Beach Park featuring picnic areas, art murals, jogging paths, water sports rentals, vendor booths, and lifeguard services. “I know you are ready for infrastructural transformation,” he told supporters, stressing the need for modern public spaces such as a children’s playground, family barbecue zones, and a world-class bus terminal.
In his address, Butcher placed strong emphasis on supporting vendors, promising modernized markets with partitioned sections for fresh produce, fish, poultry, and meats, along with price standardization, vendor training, and the formation of a vendors’ association to defend their interests.
Looking ahead, he outlined ambitious plans for a redeveloped seaport that would establish Vieux Fort as a hub for trade and tourism. His proposals include expanded yacht services for CARICOM visitors, a modern cargo shed, bonded warehouses, digital scheduling systems, and advanced navigation technology.
“The potential of the seaport cannot be denied,” Butcher said. “Together, we will expand the seaport services… This will be a breakthrough in the regional tourism market, creating jobs and uplifting the social climate in our community.”
The rally signaled both a farewell and a beginning, Dr. Kenny Anthony closing a storied chapter in Vieux Fort South’s political life, and Danny Butcher stepping forward with a vision to build on his legacy while ushering in a new era of renewal and development.
