DURING Tuesday’s Sitting of the House of Assembly, the Member for Anse La Raye/Canaries and Tourism Minister, Dominic Fedee, accused the Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Philip J. Pierre of having bribed the Saint Lucia Hospitality and Tourism Association (SLHTA) into releasing a statement condemnatory of the government’s lack of public consultation prior to taking to Parliament the Covid-19 (Prevention and Control) Bill. In its release, the SLHTA pointed out that considering the far-reaching effects of the Bill on the Tourism sector, it was astounded that the sector was not consulted on the Bill.
Rather than take into consideration the Association’s concerns, Fedee, in the usual arrogant manner for which he has become well known, instead attacked the Leader of the Opposition. Unfortunately for him, Fedee’s comments serve not as an attack on the Leader of the Opposition but instead on his former colleagues within the tourism industry. His statement implies that SLHTA President Karolin Troubetzkoy and CEO, Noorani Azeez, are so unprincipled and corrupt and have so little integrity that they would stoop so low as to accept bribes.
It is even more preposterous and shocking for the Minister of Tourism to make such an inappropriate declaration about the leaders of an industry for which he has oversight and with whom he is supposed to work in the interest of the country.
Fedee’s statement says so much more about him than it does those he sought to damage. He should be well aware how much he owes his entry into elective politics to the unparalleled generosity of some members of the same SLHTA he has now denigrated. He cannot have already forgotten that less than five years ago, he was a senior employee of one of the SLHTA’s more prominent members.
Of course, the coward that he is, Fedee made the statement under the protection of the privileges of the House of Assembly. I now challenge Dominic Fedee, that if he is so positive about the truthfulness of his statement, to repeat the statement outside of the House Chamber.
For his reprehensible behaviour in the House of Assembly on Tuesday 29th September and in particular his insulting of the officials of the SLHTA, I call upon the Prime Minster to dismiss Dominic Fedee as the Minister of Tourism. Failure to do so will mean that the Prime Minister and his Cabinet endorse his offensive and unacceptable statement.