United Workers Party (UWP) candidate for Soufriere-Fond St. Jacques, Herod Stanislaus, has welcomed the announcement of December 1st, 2025 as the date for Saint Lucians to go to the polls.
Speaking to Saint Lucia Daily Post on Monday, Stanislaus said he is “very happy” that Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre has officially called the election, adding that both he and the party have been preparing for months. “I am very happy that the Prime Minister had the courage to announce the elections last evening. We’ve been preparing for this for a very long time now, and I can tell you that the United Workers Party is ready. As a candidate for Soufriere, I am ready for this election and I am extremely confident,” Stanislaus said.
Stanislaus, who previously served as the constituency’s parliamentary representative from 2016 to 2021, said his campaign will focus on what he describes as the failure of the current representative to deliver long-term development for Soufriere.
He said that several projects initiated under his tenure were either abandoned, stalled, or left incomplete. “There are certain projects which I started, which were already on the table. All she had to do was run with them. These projects were going to create major transformation for the constituency and opportunities for the people,” Stanislaus asserted.
He cited the New Development road network, the Esperance/Diamond Road drainage upgrades, and works at the Soufriere Mini Stadium among the unfinished projects.
He also pointed to delays with the Soufriere Administrative Building, which he said had been set to move forward in partnership with the National Insurance Corporation.
“Up to today, nothing has been done.
The Mini Stadium has been used mainly for fetes with no proper maintenance, and the playing field lands remain untouched except for dumping. The people of Soufriere deserve better than handouts. They deserve empowerment and opportunities,” he said.
Stanislaus also responded to criticism of the UWP’s cultural and youth development record, particularly regarding support for the Dennery Segment and grant-based youth initiatives.
He insisted the UWP has always invested in cultural industries and youth entrepreneurship. “We have always promoted our local culture. carnival under our administration received its highest levels of funding. We invested in spaces like Hummingbird Beach Park and Old Trafford to create opportunities for young people,” he said.
In his national address on Sunday, Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre defended his administration’s record, stating that the government had delivered on the promises made to the electorate. “We did not just promise change, we delivered it together,” Pierre said.
He highlighted reductions in national debt, increased investment in healthcare and social protection, economic recovery, job growth, and improvements in public infrastructure.
The Prime Minister said the upcoming election provides citizens the opportunity to “continue on a path of steady, people-centered progress.”
With the writ officially set and the campaign now fully underway, the constituency of Soufriere-Fond St. Jacques is expected to be one of the most closely watched electoral battles in the 2025 general elections.
