Leader of the Opposition and Parliamentary Representative for Micoud South, Hon. Allen Chastanet, has called on Saint Lucians to choose what he described as “renewal, action and results” as the country prepares for a general election on December 1, nearly one year earlier than constitutionally required.
In a national address on Monday night, Chastanet said the United Workers Party (UWP) is ready to return to office, stating that the past four years under the Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP) administration have been “marked by rising costs, delays in major projects and public dissatisfaction.”
Chastanet opened his address by referencing James 2:18, saying: “Show me your faith by your works.” He noted that in his four years in Opposition, he has “listened more, learned more and grown more,” adding that, “I am not the same man I was in 2021. I am firm, fearless and focused.”
The Opposition Leader questioned the government’s decision to call the election months ahead of schedule, stating that it raises concerns that “the administration may be attempting to get ahead of public scrutiny.”
He asked:
“Are we really better off today than we were in 2019, before the pandemic?” He asserted that responses from citizens have been “a simple no.”
Chastanet highlighted issues he says continue to affect citizens daily, including the cost of living, access to healthcare, crime, and the delayed completion of St. Jude Hospital. He questioned the impact of government spending and the status of the Citizenship by Investment Programme (CIP) funds, calling for clarity and audits.
Chastanet recounted several initiatives undertaken under the last UWP administration, including:
Opening Owen King EU Hospital (OKEU)
Reducing VAT by 2.5%
Providing ebooks to schools
Expanding public assistance programs
Investments in roads, schools, community centers and health facilities
He said these projects were examples of “caring in action.”
Chastanet outlined the party’s immediate priorities should the UWP return to office:
1. Remove the 2.5% levy to ease cost of living pressures
2. Implement a comprehensive national crime reduction plan
3. Provide universal health insurance with annual coverage of up to $75,000
4. Complete and open St. Jude Hospital “once and for all”
5. Introduce free tuition at Sir Arthur Lewis Community College
6. Establish a Digital Learning Academy offering training in AI, cybersecurity, programming and robotics
7. Launch a $25,000 youth startup business grant
8. Implement a Mortgage Guarantee Program to support first-time home ownership
9. Engage in dialogue to ensure annual bonuses for public servants
Chastanet said the UWP has undergone its own internal transformation:
“We have changed. We have improved. Because you deserve better from us.”
Chastanet appealed to those who did not vote in the last election, saying:
“Choose truth. Choose renewal. Choose action. Choose results.”
He closed by reaffirming his and the party’s commitment to public service: “Caring is more than what you say on the stage. It is what you do when the microphones are off and the decisions are hard.”
Prime Minister Hon. Philip J. Pierre announced earlier this week that Saint Lucians will go to the polls on December 1. Nomination Day and campaign timelines will be confirmed in the coming days.
Saint Lucia Daily Post will continue to provide balanced election coverage, including policy analysis, constituency profiles, debates and reaction from the public.
