The United Workers Party (UWP) has launched a scathing criticism against Housing Minister Richard Frederick, accusing him of perpetuating racism and launching sustained verbal attacks on women through his weekly talk show.
In a statement issued this week, the opposition party pointed to what it described as “racist and deeply offensive” comments directed at Gros Islet candidate Marcella Johnson — a Saint Lucian entrepreneur who the party says is committed to youth and female empowerment. According to the UWP, Minister Frederick’s comments were not only derogatory but laced with racial undertones, allegedly targeting Johnson based on her mixed-race heritage.
“This behaviour is unbecoming of a sitting Minister of Government,” the party stated, adding that the remarks serve only to “divide our people and undermine the dignity of our political discourse.”
The UWP further accused Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre and Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Ernest Hilaire of turning a blind eye to what it characterizes as Frederick’s “bullying, degrading and intimidating” rhetoric. The party expressed alarm over what it called the “deafening silence” from the two senior government figures, claiming that their continued public alignment with Frederick amounts to tacit approval.
“There is no place in our society for leaders who perpetuate racism or gender-based verbal abuse,” the UWP said. “These actions are an affront to every woman and every citizen who believes in respect, equity and national unity.”
The party has called on the Prime Minister and Cabinet to publicly distance themselves from Frederick’s conduct, warning that failure to do so would be interpreted as “cowardice and complicity.”
As political tensions rise ahead of the next election cycle, the UWP reaffirmed its commitment to promoting a society built on respect, inclusivity, and dignity for all Saint Lucians — regardless of gender, race, or political allegiance.
