ONCE again in its political life the Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP) dealt a crushing blow to the United Workers Party (UWP), winning 13 of the 17 parliamentary seats available in Monday’s general elections.
The UWP, which in 2016 humbled the SLP by winning 11 seats, could not hold on to what they had, losing nine seats, a situation that stunned the country and which left pollsters and political pundits in disbelief, according to reports aired on election night.
The two remaining seats went to independent candidates Stephenson King in Castries North and Richard Frederick in Castries Central, both of whom won in convincing fashion, winning 69.5% and 57.75% of votes cast in their respective constituencies.
What role will King and Frederick play in the new administration is not known, however they enjoy widespread popularity in their constituencies.
Holding the UWP flag in parliament will be political leader Allen Chastanet who won his seat (Micoud South) by 647 votes over his nearest rival, SLP’s Guibion Ferdinand, and Bradly Felix (Choiseul) who overcame the SLP’s Antoine Prospere by 385 votes.
The SLP, in 1997, won 16 seats to the UWP’s one. Then again in 2001 the SLP won 14 seats to the UWP’s three.
It is indeed a very strange year, one that has chocked many people, in many Countries with flooding in some and wild fires in others. The discovery of graves and burial places of some millions of Native Indians in both Canada and the U.S.A., a year with Snow Fall in South Africa and Brazil, the defeat of a strong political Party in St. Lucia is nothing to compare with the strange happenings in the natural world.
I have a feeling that someone is trying very hard to catch our attention, and no one is paying Him any attention. Well – he who is blind, let him be blind still – I think I,ve got a glance of something, I don,t think we,re all so daft that we can,t see the writing on the Wall. Today look up, keep your attention on the Prize, and not to perish.