PEOPLE meet me and say ‘ha…..ah Peter, if those were the days of Brother George and yourself demfellars out already’. I take this to mean that Odlum and I would have mobilized public protests against these tough economic times and the political misfits who brought ‘bitter-vatisation’ bitter days. The people would rightly be demanding a change of government and not just the Minister of Finance. I accept such talk for what it is and I add the rejoinder that John Compton at age eighty-something had returned in 2006 to mobilize the discontented electorate and take power from the SLP after their dirty campaign following their poor management.
Since Allen Chastanet became political leader of the UWP he has had to establish himself as the preferred choice of the rank and file. His mandate was recently renewed by an equally wide margin at the party’s Gros-Islet convention. In his first year as leader Chastanet focussed on training, firming–up constituency groups, revising the constitution of the party and most importantly developing a vision, mission and values for the party. The latter should become the guiding ideological principles and credo of the reformed UWP.
During the challenging process of change Chastanet has had some disgruntled and failed party members snapping at his heels even as he attempted to defend himself against the vicious attacks of the SLP opposition. His willingness to build a more inclusive and national democratic political party and to welcome those who do not support him is reason for his opponents to like and admire him.
His determination to modernize the UWP and prepare it for office means that he has not had the time which a George Odlum or a John Compton would have devoted to dismantle this lost and corrupt SLP government. It is another reason the SLP should like Chastanet. He has not focussed on attacking the SLP. Instead he is preparing to give every citizen, including his SLP opponents; a better social and economic deal using tried and tested business principles. The man is clearly focussed on the long term good of his party and country knowing well that a government can only change Saint Lucia for better if it is surrounded by better trained and practical personnel who are ready to put country before self.
It is unfortunate that the SLP has demonstrated a propensity for attacking a man who has made hardly a negative comment about them. Many persons are aware that the SLP attacks Chastanet and other perceived opponents out of fear. Why they should fear him rather than like him says more about their state of mind than about the man. It reminds one of criminals who have not been caught and in their hearts know of their wrong doing. Perhaps his opponents don’t feel adequate to speak to him man-to-man even when they are quick to remind us that they are humans too.
Those who have willfully mismanaged the economy are fearful that Prime Minister Chastanet will expose the lies and corruption, once he assumes office. The SLP finds itself in a situation where it fears Chastanet not for anything he has done to them but because of the hardships they have inflicted on the people of Saint Lucia. Why should those who have squandered Taiwanese aid funds and the peoples’ taxes be afraid to pay for any wrongdoing?
It appears that Chastanet’s opponents believe that the best form of defence is attack. With their constant harping and rude verbal attacks it has become obvious they have no answers to his press statements on the performance of the economy. Interestingly, the attacks on Chastanet continue even when the man has allowed new Labour to run the country as they please. Chastanet has only asked that the Minister of Finance be changed. Chastanet has fingered him as the main culprit in the island’s economic decline. They like him so much they want him to run in daddy Compton’s former seat and leave Soufriere for Emma.
Please note that the leader of the UWP has not called for the ouster of the entire SLP Government or for the arrest of anyone as Odlum and company might have done in their day. He has not even focussed on the secret deals and mischief such as the Grynberg oil deal, Frenwell or the more recent purchase and distribution of computers through a questionable third party in Trinidad. Allen Chastanet has largely left the Government of Kenny Anthony to hang with its own rope.
What Chastanet has consistently done is to call for the resignation of the Minister of Finance. In so doing he has not commented unfavourably on any other Ministry, save that of Health. He has left the duplicitous Ministry of Works to his friend and colleague Guy Joseph, a former Minister of the government in that Ministry. And even when he has asked for a change of the Minister of Finance, Chastanet has not gone as far as Odlum and Josie and Compton would have gone in suggesting who would be the best interim Minister of Finance, until the next general elections.
So in every respect Chastanet has behaved like a gentleman and conservative politician who understands how fragile the bough on which the island’s economy is perched and how painful it would be to exacerbate the situation by calling for strikes and demonstrations. But does the SLP care about Chastanet’s cautious approach to politics and governance? Do they care whether a more suitable SLP candidate could manage the Ministry of Finance to right the island’s economic woes? With such hardened stubborn attitude is there any doubt that SLP don’t give one damn? Do the people not see that the purpose of the SLP is to massage the ego of one individual who believes that the island is his personal estate to do as he pleases?
One other reason the SLP should like Allen Chastanet is that he is a born Lucian. It does not matter whether one is male or female, black or white, catholic or protestant. The only consideration is that he is qualified to do the job of elevating the economy and the people of Saint Lucia. This surely, is the best reason for SLP to like and admire him. In addition he speaks Spanish, the preferred foreign tongue of newly arrived Labourites. He should therefore be at home among those who entered the Cuban doors opened by Josie and Odlum without a ‘thank you.’
Finally, Allen Chastanet has shown that he has a mature and measured approach to politics and governance and is more respectful of the island’s institutions than his detractors. Such respect for the country’s institutions is one more reason the SLP should like and respect Allen Chastanet. It will reflect well on them!
Josie hush your ass
Such a dumb articke. Josie you’re irrelevant
It is time to sew up another crapo mouth with a name inside it. It would start with the letter ‘J’.
Poor Josie, erstwhile revolutionary and black power advocate now turned to Chastanet’s butler. How Mich more humble pie can his stomach take ? It matters to him to present Chastanet as a mam who speaks Spamish as if that should somehow endear us to him. The facy that Chastanet a born and bred St Lucian cannot speak, kweyol, the language of the workers and peasants of this country, the fact that he does not even deign to speak the English dialect of the St Lucian streets, the fact that he speaks English with a foreign accent speaks volumes of where his heart really is. The fact that he was born in St Lucia makes no more a man of pur people than Rudyard Kipling’s accident of birth makes him an Indian. Oh that he speaks Spanish even as he speaks nothing that can mark him out as a St Lucian person is an absolute affront. Chastanet is not one of us. Don’t
Since you are the self appointed promoter of Allen Chastane,t tell us, Peter Josie, why does Chastanet believe that we should apologize to the U S for becoming a member of Alba. By that same token would you please tell us whether Allen Chastanet thinks that the United States and Europe should apologize for slavery. And by the way Josie, what does Allen Chastanet think of reparations for slavery. Do you think you can desturb him from the attention of his buddies on the golf course to get a response to these questions?
Good article Mr. Josie. The SLP’s are the ones commenting here. Allen Chastanet for Prime Minister!
Yes Stephanie, this is what people will do when they are so unprincipled, and in Josie you see a Fake fawning Black Power revolutionary who has sold his soul to gain the favor of his Massa. This disgraceful product of mis-education and the worship of Caucasians as his God, has produced the Self-hating Negro whose greatest wish is Chastanet will arrange a marriage with a White woman for this Negro Slave Josie.
Born Saint Lucian? And his navel strings are buried in Martinique? Some Socialists never move very far from their pitiable North Korean-type Communist lying ways. On the days he was born, there were two eclipses one of the sun and one of the moon. A heavenly host of angels sang on Columbus Square. The Etang near the volcano bubbled milk and honey.
Maysiay dee quick quack!
It is an extremely sad thing that the color of a mans skin still plays so heavily in St.Lucian politics – with no consideration of the benefits that he/she may bring. It is clear that you haven’t realized that we are now in the 21st century. You deserve to have Kenny as your leader – because clearly you’re too damn ignorant for any progression!
Stephen:
It is the mindless types like yourself, who being unable to think pass your foot, would make such an ignorant statement about Chastanet’s Pale complexion/Color of skin like you call it. for the reason we I have no problem voting for Kenny Anthony because of his skin color, but you miss the whole story of how disconnected and far removed Allen Chastanet is removed from Lucians.
Now we can blame his Irish Caucasian mother and white Father for teaching him to shun the Lucian People and their Culture, but please don’t accuse us of Racial Discrimination because Allen discriminated against Black Lucians and wants to make a Pale skinned Caucasian woman our First Lady.
Haste makes waste! the above statement should have read:
It is the mindless types like yourself, who being unable to think pass your foot, would make such an ignorant statement about Chastanet’s Pale complexion/Color of skin like you call it, for the reason we label him as bogus. I have no problem voting for Kenny Anthony because of his skin color, but you totally miss the point of how disconnected and far removed Allen Chastanet is from our culture and ALL Lucians.
Chastanet is not one of us. He does not lime by us, he does not speak like us he does not understand us. He is not at home with the small farmer, or the fisherman or the market vendor. He has never socialized in the open democratic zones that allow for Lucians of various social strata including workers, and peasants. His true constituency is a small privileged enclave of expatriates and businessmen, his golf course buddies, his cocktail party buddies , those who sidle up to him in those champagne and caviar tuxedo parties to indulge in sick bourgeois humor in an atmosphere light years away from the despair of Marchand or Coin Lanse or Piaye. Sure he speaks Spanish; he can more easily converse with and understand a Spanish matador than a fisherman from Soufriere or a farmer from Fond St Jacques. He is more like the outsider looking in; not the local man looking out. He is not one of us. Shame on you Peter Josie. Have you circled every possibility to come finally to this? Is that where your shattered dreams have led you?
Traitor…Traitor…Traitor…Traitor…Traitor…Traitor…Traitor…Traitor…Traitor…Traitor…Traitor…Traitor…Traitor…Traitor…Traitor…Traitor…Traitor…Traitor…Traitor…Traitor…Traitor…Traitor…Traitor…Traitor…Traitor…Traitor…Traitor…same Josie, what was the point of this drivel
Traitor…Traitor…Traitor…Traitor…Traitor…Traitor…Traitor…Traitor…Traitor…Traitor…Traitor…Traitor…Traitor…Traitor…Traitor…Traitor…Traitor…Traitor…Traitor…Traitor…Traitor…Traitor…Traitor…Traitor…Traitor…Traitor…Traitor; SACRE TRAITOR!!
Again, agrian and agrian about slavery. You folks commenting, should know that the tribal black leaders sold their black people in West Afica to the white people near the beaches. In East Africa the Arabs were the worst cruel slave traders.
Robert:
Please stop making excuses for being a dammed slave. Try reading or learning your history before regurgitating White Supremacy propaganda about Black on Black crime – but yes the Arab were the biggest Slave Traders, selling Blacks to White Christians, and today you will find them as some of the worse racist especially in Jordan.
Let us take the man’s colour out of the equation. Let us take out the fact, like John Compton that he was not actually born in St. Lucia, but in Martinque. All I want to know is this. Can he be a prudent and non divisive Leader of the UWP and further down the line, an elected Prime Minister. Has he through his life’s work and outlook, think what is best for the majority of the people, of St. Lucia, the under class, the have nots, etc. Can he promote the people and culture of St. Lucia even if he can not speak the native tongue in which we sing so many of our folk songs. Is he honest and has he been honest in Government ? That’s all I want to know.
PAM,
Chastanet did not meet/pass ONE of the criteria you set as a required standard to be elected Dog-Catcher! Is he honest?? lol
PAM POPO, Allen Chastanet is not honest – he is very dishonest (the high courts labelled him to be dishonest and a liar); divisive – see how he, and a few self hating negros, divided the UWP into two ;camps; Stephenson King’s UWP and Chastanet’s UWP; malicious – Allen Chastanet, blaming the microphones recently when a caller spoke in Kweyol, Allen Chastanet blamed the microphones for not understanding Kweyol. I mean, come. Surely, you would not want a character such as this one to represent you and to be your PM, would you?
Considering our history of slavery and genocide, colonialism and neocolonialism; considering that whites a minority occupy the uppermost strata of our society while blacks by and large remain the underclass,: considering that whites still control the commanding heights of our economy, considering there are still some unresolved issues connected to our relationship with whites, we would be foolish not to make race an issue. That in no way makes racists out of us. He who has not learnt the lessons of history is condemned to repeat it. Chastanet is a product of white privilege, As regards his character he is not as pristine as some of you would have us believe. Check his role in the Tuxedo scandal.
From the Article: 10 Principles of Reparations, The Voice of Saint Lucia
1. VALIDATION OF OUR HUMANITY
Our demand that the current day representatives and beneficiaries of those persons, institutions and nations that were guilty of perpetrating Crimes Against Humanity against our ancestors be held accountable and made to pay restitution, constitutes an essential acknowledgment and validation by us of our own precious humanity, and is in itself an important component of the process of repairing ourselves as individuals and as a collective.
2. COMPLETION OF THE EMANCIPATION PROCESS
After the abolition of Slavery in the 19th century, our historical oppressors deliberately entrapped our ancestors in economic, political and social arrangements that were designed to handicap them and to serve the interests of the former en-slavers– arrangements that have persisted (in modified form) down to the present day: the struggle for Reparations must therefore be a struggle to expose and put an end to such arrangements, and to complete the Emancipation process.
3. COMPENSATION MUST BE PROPORTIONATE TO THE CRIME
The demand for compensation from the present day representatives of those who inflicted Crimes Against Humanity on our ancestors and who damaged and disabled succeeding generations must consist of a demand for a transfer of material resources in an amount proportionate to the enormity of the crimes and their deleterious effects— resources to enable us to counter the economic and social imbalances derived from those centuries of criminality.
4. REPARATIONS MUST PRODUCE THE JUST SOCIETY
The campaign for Reparations or for Reparative Justice must be designed to produce the “just society”, in that the demand for Reparations must be formulated as a demand for a fundamental transformation of the currently existing inequitable and exploitative economic and power relations that exist in the international arena and in our domestic societies.
5. WE MUST EXERCISE AUTONOMY THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS
While we demand the payment of compensation– in financial and material resources– from the present day representatives and beneficiaries of our historical oppressors, we must make it clear that the strategies and tasks to be implemented for our psychological repair and economic and social empowerment are our own responsibility and will be conceptualized, directed and driven by us.
From the Article: 10 Principles of Reparations, The Voice of Saint Lucia, By david comissiong (cont.)
6. WE MUST REPAIR OURSELVES
A critical component of the campaign for Reparations must be our own inwardly directed struggle for psychological, cultural and spiritual self-repair.
7. SELF-REPAIR WILL GENERATE MASS SUPPORT FOR REPARATIONS
The effort to “prosecute” and hold accountable the current day representatives and beneficiaries of our historical oppressors will require the widespread participation of our people: and the attainment of such widespread popular participation will be dependent on the inwardly directed struggle for self-repair and its capacity to persuade a critical mass of our people to re-evaluate themselves and their history; to perceive the gravity of the injustice; to FEEL the tragic historical loss that we have suffered; and to be sufficiently motivated to get involved or otherwise support the campaign for Reparations.
8. REPARATIONS MUST BE A BROAD MOVEMENT
The campaign for Reparations must be designed, on the one hand, to bring on board with us all of our natural allies in Africa and the Diaspora, Latin America and Asia and to enlist the tremendous weight of world opinion on our side, and, on the other hand, to isolate and publicly hold up to international embarrassment and ridicule all those entities that perversely and unreasonably seek to deny and resist the manifest justice and righteousness of our claim.
9. OUR PEOPLE MUST BE INTIMATELY INVOLVED
The masses of our people must be intimately involved in the campaign for Reparations: they must be permitted enough time and opportunity to thoroughly discuss and understand the issue; their right to have the final and decisive say on the concrete details of the Reparations claim must be respected; and they must have a say— through representatives specifically selected by them– as to how the compensatory resources are utilized.
10. A NEW INTERNATIONAL LEGAL STRUCTURE MUST BE ESTABLISHED
Since the Reparations claim that is being advanced on behalf of the sons and daughters of Africa is of a magnitude and complexity hitherto unknown to the currently existing international court system, it will require the setting up of a special new International Tribunal specifically designed to deal with and do justice to a Reparations claim of this historical importance and magnitude.
By david comissiong
Our jackass columnists are so damn limited in education, that they are always engaged in, or reporting on a beauty pageant or otherwise a superficial popularity contest when sealing with the serious issue of quality of representation in Saint Lucia. What a woeful lot of damn asses we’ve got in these parts!
Only the extremely dishonest and pure simpletons and ignoramus do not use the past as a way of gaining insights into the future. And we know that it is the norm for some to do and say things without shame, if they believe that it is in their very narrow interests. The Devil may take the hindmost.
There is nothing in Chastenet’s past that is redeeming in qualifying him to be prime minister: questionable testimony before the high court, arrogance in refusing to tell taxpayers how he wasted their money on American Airline in a possible conflict of interest agreement, wastage of money on a consultancy, wastage of money on a boxing promotion, insensitivity to the workers in Soufriere, not being able to control a UWP mob on the opening of the bridge in Soufriere, and questionable use of public funds for electioneering.
Those of us still suffering from our inherited Stockholm Syndrome are too dumb to recognize it or are too comfortable to discard it. We must let them swim in their morass of corruption and stupidity. Let them sink in their idle repetition of accusations regarding racism. After all that is as far as their pea brains will take them.
Despite the litany of mistakes that this man has made, the simpletons in the UWP still made him party leader. One has to draw the conclusion that these majority half-ass clowns have no blasted stars and any understanding whatsoever of the real world.
What an SOB and shameless political prostitute! Poor Saint Lucia is run over with these.
What smart Saint Lucians know is that Chastenet , like Kenny is wearing a mask. They both wear their own mask well. Good luck getting rid of this culturally accepted trait. The uneducated gullible, the dishonest and the foolish are counting on this charade going on well into the future, to collect their rewards and their prizes for their historically-documented characteristically inborn racial subservience and servitude.
Son of Man – I have read your hate filled, racist comments for a number of months and just wonder what motivates you to fill your views with such venom and malice. I have yet to read one positive thing that you have written that in reality will bring prosperity and unity to the great people of St Lucia. If you despise the leadership and direction the UWP is taking instead of whinging and banging the racist drum put yourself forward, stand in public and state what you can do to make change for the better in this wonderful Island. If you cannot then I suggest you either put up or shut up.
I have no personal dislike for the Cabal of Negroes Slaves in the UWP now being led by a nincompoop who thinks the world is flat, but my abhorrence is directed at pathetic retards like your kind, who would offer the uninformed, mis-educated, commoners Allen Chastanet and a Caucasian First Lady as their only hope to obtain salvation. My only suggestion to you at this time is stop praying and begging the Naked White man, dripping blood in your mouth and eyes and get off your frigging knees and stop sucking precious blood from this fake white God.
Again a response filled with ignorant racist views. Your dislike of Allen Chastanet ( i assume you have met and spoken him to have gained such a view) is your right however it is your continued maligning because of his colour that shows you to be the retarded one. Racism by color or creed is wrong whatever reasons you believe you have. If you wish to inform, educate and to give people hope then as I said before stand up in front of the great St Lucian people and tell them what you can do to lead them out of the situations they find themselves instead of hiding behind your hate filled posts. If you cannot then I suggest you keep your ridiculous outdated views to yourself. My post gave no idea to you of who I do or do not support, I have no leanings to either the SLP or the UWP my post was simply to ask what motivates your obvious hatred and to ask why you do not stand to represent the people of St Lucia. Pathetic No, a retard No.
Isn’t it strange how the brain-damaged Negro is quick to label the Black man who has the dignity to reject the savagery of kneeling and worshiping a Naked Caucasian as the Perfect God ?
This mentally dead Negro would never, ever, tell the White Supremacist that it is RACIST to teach the world that God, the Almighty, the Loving, the Kind, the All-Powerful is a so-called WHITE MAN and Satan is a Black African. But because I reject such a Racist and Sexist concept, the House Nigger calls me a Racist. Did that Naked White God even destroy your ability to use Reason??
Saint Lucians have a very nasty habit of praising as icons, some very flawed individuals. Then they have the boldness to project those onto the public arena as worthy of their half-fast deliberations of who is worth being emulated or honoured. What a sick society!
The title of this article, rather than what it is, it should have been “why I love and admire Chastanet.” Maybe Josie cowered at the thought of the shock impact it would have. Or maybe he feared the spirit of his mentor George Odlum slapping him across the face and having him to shut up. Or maybe he couldn’t bear the guilt of turning his back on all the innocent and chase idealism he espoused in his younger political days. Then he was a man who knew where he came from and where he was going; a man who knew who and what he was. He was out there with the popular masses feeling their hardship…………experiencing their lived reality. His struggle did not just embrace the idea of class but also race. Yes his was a shining alternative to the politics of the day. The young and pliable minds of his day owe a great deal of their social consciousness awakening to him.
It is such a shame to see that once noted politician and activist renounce the very ideas that made him so love and respected by his peers. Who would have thought that a time like now (when black teenagers are being beaten, shot and killed like flies in white American) Peter Josie would be entertaining the idea of a white St Lucian Prime Minister? My position is not one borne out of hatred or jealousy. It is simply because, given their track record – taking over countries from indigenous peoples like North America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and when it suits them take land away from the less favoured and give it to their mates – Palestine to the Jews. They almost succeeded in taking Zimbabwe and South Africa from the Africans. It is very difficult for me to trust these people with power. Yes Josie all of those things I became conscious of assimilating your politics in my younger days. And for you today to look unto these very people as the saviour (of the world as they have always presented themselves as, makes me question the usefulness of what we call politics.
What an imbecile. Of all the reasons to discount Chastanet you have to choose his skin pigmentation.
You need to stop looking at things in a white/black manner. Sick child
One thing I will tell you Josie, is to stop writing nonesense. Las parley ek mache magee.
Why are you doing this to yourself? At your age you should be rolling the beads of your rosery asking the good Lord too forgive for your transgressions, and misdeeds. And all of the wrongs that you have done to your fellow men.
Peter Josie you are a big sellout to the black struggle, and I can assure you, that your name has been removed in valhalla’s list of heroes.
My gosh I don’t know your financial viability, but even though it’s not viable, wow where is your principle? Based on what you scrabble and through your oral pronouncements, I can justifiably say that all a long you was a hypocrite, a traitor, selfcentred an a bullshitter
Listen to the HYPOCRISY!!! While St. Lucians continue to face the every day struggles of unemployment, poor health-care service, high tax rates, high gas prices the Labour Party and it’s supporters worrying about Allen Chastanet instead of trying to finding solutions to deal with these problems. Kenny must go change is coming like it or not.