Issues relating to racism and high inflation costs in the country are at the crux of the opposition United Workers Party’s (UWP) latest grievances with the government.
The UWP has taken offense to a statement delivered by the featured Guest Speaker – the Prime Minister of Grenada Dickon Mitchell, at the St Lucia Labour Party’s (SLP) annual delegates conference, on Sunday.
The UWP hierarchy perceives that the comment uttered by the Grenadian PM hinges on racism and have requested him to issue a public apology.
At the SLP’s event, in Babonneau, the Grenadian PM urged the audience to ensure they put Saint Lucians into office, while underlining the significance of unity and strength.
“Together, you will advance. Together, you will achieve and together you will ensure that is only people who live in Saint Lucia continue to run Saint Lucia,” he declared.
Emphasizing his point, the leader of Grenada’s ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) declared: “Make sure that is people who like the Caribbean, who like Caribbean institutions, who are proud of our culture and our heritage because that is what we have – Saint Lucianess and that is what you need to embrace.”
Meanwhile, the UWP held a press conference yesterday where PRO Lenard Montoute referred to high inflation and rising costs of living being experienced by the “average Saint Lucian”. He said people were suffering due to the “high costs of commodities …especially, groceries and food items.”
“We have made several calls to the government to take action to do something to ameliorate the sufferings of Saint Lucians, in that regard,” said Montoute.
He said the government should be in a position to find ways and means “to advise them in taking measures to lower the cost of living in Saint Lucia.”
Zoning in on the recent pronouncements by the Grenadian PM that has elicited much furor in the UWP camp, he said, there are reports indicating that the government is set on amending the constitution, so that “citizens of Saint Lucia, who are not born in this country cannot hold certain offices in this country.”
Montoute said the constitution makes provisions as to “how you become a citizen and the rights of a citizen”, since there are several Saint Lucians that were not born in the country.
He added that the constitution clearly identifies “people of Saint Lucian parentage as Saint Lucians”, and so, it is rather disturbing “for a government to target an individual and to go as far as to change the constitution in targeting that individual …that it is aimed clearly at the leadership of the United Workers Party.”
He explained that the UWP Political Leader Allen Chastanet “was born in Martinique …for medical reasons”.
“You do not make laws to target individuals, in any civilised country laws are made to serve all citizens of the country …and so, it is unacceptable for the Labour Party, just to preserve and secure power,” said Montoute.
He argued that the SLP appears to be set on employing measures that reeks of “racism in Saint Lucia”, in an attempt to sow “discord” in the country.
Chastanet explained that upon assuming the role of a Senator, after the 2006 polls, he gave up his US Citizenship status, at the time, “to be in compliance with the constitution of Saint Lucia…because you cannot serve in the realm of politics in this country and have mixed loyalties”.
The UWP’s Political Leader added: “I endorse the party’s position on racism…there is no place for racism. I am even more disgusted by some of the comments that are being made by my colleagues in support of me …it is very sad and I’m hoping that other Saint Lucians will see it as distasteful as I do.”