A ‘Victory Of Victories’

DESPITE her third term as Castries Central MP being less than a week old, Sarah Flood-Beaubrun is already describing it as the one of which she is proudest.

Flood-Beaubrun, who replaced Peterson Francis as the United Workers’ Party’s candidate for Castries Central about a month ago, scored a convincing victory over Saint Lucia Labour Party’s candidate, Stanley Felix, in Monday’s polls.

“It feels great,” Flood-Beaubrun told The VOICE on Monday following her big win. “This is the victory of victories. It really is.”

Flood first won the seat on an SLP ticket in 1997 and retained it in 2001. However, she resigned from her Cabinet in 2004 after refusing to support a controversial abortion bill that she felt went against her Christian faith and conscience.

This time around, however, Flood-Beaubrun said her focus is on working within the UWP to bring good governance and socio-economic relief to Saint Lucians.

“Saint Lucia needs true development, people-centred development. The United Workers’ Party is the party to deliver that. So I’m very happy that I contributed to this victory,” she explained.

Flood-Beaubrun said the journey to her recent win was hard-fought, one in which nothing was taken for granted. Moreover, she said she played a fair game. The supporters, she said, gave their support in good faith.

“We won this and didn’t buy any votes,” Flood-Beaubrun said. “The people who voted for me in Castries Central and the United Workers’ Party did so because they believe in (the party) and in me as a candidate. This means that I owe a debt of gratitude to them and will need to work really hard. They’ve placed their trust in me and I now need to show and prove that I deserve that trust.”

Flood-Beaubrun, who challenged UWP Political Leader, Allen Chastanet, for the leadership at the party’s annual convention last year, said she was happy that Saint Lucians “can really have a true opportunity for change and growth, where young people can have hope.”

“The young men in Castries Central have really impressed me. They drove this victory to a very large extent. The momentum we had was primarily from the young men, many of whom are unemployed. So we have to get them working immediately in order to solve this problem,” Flood-Beaubrun said.

Despite serving as Heath Minister in her previous stint in government, Flood-Beaubrun said she intends to serve in whatever capacity Prime Minister Allen Chastanet assigns to her. She said she remains committed to serving with distinction and in the country’s best interest.

Admired by many for standing her ground on critical issues, Flood-Beaubrun was forthright when The VOICE posed the question as to whether she would hold her Cabinet colleagues’ feet to the fire to deliver on promises made to the people.

“I am who I am. The people know who I am. It’s difficult to not be who I am. That is what will characterize my service and what the people are expecting of me,” Flood-Beaubrun said.