LAST month, Minister of National Security Senator Hermangild Francis told the media he had written to the Opposition Leader Philip J. Pierre informing him about the formation of a National Security Council. (NSC)
It was an invitation to the Opposition, where two of its members would become part of the NSC in an effort to combat crime.
In a telephone interview with The VOICE, the Castries East MP did confirm the reception of the letter and said that he intends to write Francis back and ask for more details regarding the proposal and his Party’s involvement.
At last week’s Opposition press conference, the press asked its Leader if there were any updates on that front.
He reaffirmed his intention to write the National Security Minister, stating “We have no issues with the Minister of National Security when it comes to crime abatement or crime prevention.”
Pierre continued, stating that his party will never lay the blame of crime at the feet of the Government, claiming that that’s what happened when the SLP was in power.
He said, “We’ve made it clear that the government is in charge of policy; what they did us when we were in government, we will never do to them. We will never blame them for crime, we will never promise to make St. Lucia secure, but we’ll hold them responsible because they are the ones who are in government.”
However, he promised that “Our party will do all it can to work with the Minister once it’s a genuine effort and not an effort at showmanship or an effort at P.R.
“The Labour Party will work with the government, as I said before, we will help with the current crime (situation).”
