In every functioning democracy, respect is not a courtesy-it is a cornerstone. The political theatre of Saint Lucia has recently become a troubling stage, one where the script has veered away from the principles of decorum and democratic maturity. While partisan disagreements are natural and even necessary in a healthy democracy, the recent conduct of Opposition Leader Allen Chastanet and Senator Dominic Fedee raises an alarming question: Have we lost sight of the role opposition members are meant to play?
It is one thing to debate policies, challenge ideas, and offer alternative solutions—it is entirely another to advocate publicly for acts of violence against the sitting Prime Minister, Philip J. Pierre. The reported call for Prime Minister Pierre to be “flogged on the Derek Walcott Square” transcends political rivalry. It descends into dangerous incivility that betrays not just Pierre’s personal dignity, but the integrity of the very institutions of government.
Opposition Is Not Anarchy
As opposition members of parliament Chastanet and Fedee should know that they are not outsiders peering into the walls of government. They are part of the government apparatus, constitutionally mandated to hold the ruling administration accountable through constructive critique—not theatrical hostility. When respect is withdrawn from the office of the Prime Minister, it is not just the individual who suffers—it is the office itself, and by extension, the nation’s global reputation.
Prime Minister Pierre won the last general elections fair and square. International election observers affirmed the legitimacy of the democratic process. To degrade that outcome through vile language and suggestions of punitive public humiliation is not leadership—it is a dereliction of it. If Chastanet and Fedee aspire to lead Saint Lucia, they must first demonstrate that they are capable of upholding the dignity of its democracy.
Leadership by Example
Leadership is not a megaphone; it is a mirror. It reflects the values we wish to instill in the society we seek to lead. By choosing provocation over principle, these opposition figures have not only undermined their own standing, but risk inflaming a political culture of vitriol and vengeance. At a time when Saint Lucia should be rising above petty division and focusing on economic resilience, social justice, and regional collaboration, we are distracted by unbecoming outbursts that diminish our collective spirit.
It is crucial that Saint Lucian politics be restored to a place where leaders lead with purpose, and not with spite. Respecting elected officials, regardless of party affiliation, is not just an ethical obligation—it is a civic one. We owe that to our democracy. And above all, we owe that to the citizens who believe in a future that isn’t built on cruelty but on cooperation.
Saint Lucia deserves better. Let those who claim to be leaders act like it. However, day after day, the opposition United Workers Party can’t seem to get away from what everyone is seeing, a dereliction of their duty as an opposition party.
Make no mistake, the recent calls by Chastanet and Fedee for Pierre to be flogged on the Derek Walcott Square, made on one of their political platforms, was planned and showed how disrespectful they are to all Saint Lucians.
Then there is the other deeply offensive, dehumanising racist slur said by Chastanet in describing the professionals the government, in 2021, had asked to review the St Jude Hospital structure.
Chastanet, at one of his party’s public meetings said, “if you pay peanuts you’re going to get monkeys”. And Chastanet wants to become the one to lead this country? God forbid!
Chastenet is unaware that a good national leader blends wisdom, vision, and empathy which are shaped by the needs of their people and the challenges of the time- qualities which Prime Minister Philip J Pierre has shown in his vision for Saint Lucia.
Not only has Pierre aligned national resources and policies toward future-ready goals, but has shown integrity and transparency and has built trust with Saint Lucians with decisions based on truth and fairness and by being open about motives and policies.
The Prime Minister also listens to the citizens, something Chastanet refused to have done during his stint at the helm of the country’s government between 2016 – 2021.
In short, two major differences between Prime Minister Pierre and Opposition Leader Chastanet is that the former understands the lived experiences of everyday citizens and protects the rights and dignity of marginalised communities whilst Chastanet does not.
We can go on and on but the point has been made: A good leader is made not born, something Chastanet has yet to understand. It is clear, and even Chastanet can see that as a good leader, Prime Minister Pierre keeps growing in popularity while guiding the nation, a reflection of which can be seen everywhere, from a low unemployment rate Saint Lucia has never seen before to increases to pensioners monthly allotment.
Saint Lucians more and more are beginning to see that this Labour Party Government is one that sees beyond GDP figures and infrastructure projects. It sees the single mother struggling to afford school supplies and so provides for that single mother, the young man disillusioned by unemployment and so provides that much needed employment, and providing for the elderly pensioner more money than ever before in his/her hands.
The Philip J Pierre administration listens, not just to lobbyists or party loyalists, but to the voiceless-the ones whose stories rarely make it into policy briefs, demonstrating that real leadership is measured not by the eloquence of speeches, but by the dignity restored to its people. It is felt in the clean water that finally reaches a rural village, the scholarship that lifts a girl/boy out of generational poverty, the community center that becomes a safe haven for youth.