Another independent candidate has thrown his hat in the political ring in Vieux-Fort South to contest in the December 1 general elections.
He is Choix Melchor, a resident of the constituency, whose slogan is: “Simple Progress for People Empowerment” and sign is the hammer.
According to Melchoir, whose color is green, Vieux-Fort South has been given poor representation over the years, and he has the ability to make a difference in that regard.
He criticized the current Member of Parliament (MP) for the constituency, Dr. Kenny D. Anthony, for not doing enough for the advancement of his constituency.
“Basically, we have been in opposition for the past four years because our current MP has not served us well, so we don’t stand to lose anything if an independent candidate emerges, if anything we have an ace card. Our MP has let us down badly,” he said.
Melchoir said he has asked many residents of the community to grade him on a scale of one to ten and the highest score they have given him was three.
“If there was a dozen more people like me in Vieux-Fort South, the constituency would go a lot further. My ability to represent the constituency is never in doubt. If we don’t do something different the community will suffer,” he asserted.
He said Vieux-Fort South needs a candidate who cares and understands their struggles, adding that it hurts him to see the neglect the community has endured over the years.
“We were once the second town in St Lucia, but right now we have lost our respect on the national stage; nobody respects Vieux-Fort anymore,” Melchoir lamented.
He said some of the projects which the constituency was promised has not yet been fulfilled.
Melchoir recalled Prime Minister Pierre said the reason why the current MP has not taken up a position in the cabinet was because he has personal matters to take care of, but in the MP’s farewell speech, where he announced his retirement from elective politics earlier this year, he gave a different reason.
“The SLP has done a wonderful job in the past four years as a party for St Lucians overall, but not for Vieux-Fort. They have failed us miserably,” Melchoir said.
He said he has been deeply involved in community activities in Vieux-Fort and has assisted the underprivileged in several ways.
According to Melchoir, who is the president of the Southern Equestrian Association, he has been a member of sporting, cultural and social organizations in Vieux-Fort, and has held executive positions on some of them. He added that during his involvement in those organizations, they were successful.
He said if we emerged as an independent constituency, we will have the ability to merge with whichever party that wins the general elections, adding that it has worked in Castries North and Castries Central.