As the St. Lucia Labour Party (SLP) and its supporters assembled at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, it was never expected to be cramped with long speeches, but rather a final thank you for a resounding victory at the December 1st polls.
The SLP retained the 13 seats secured in the election of 2021 and added one more, that of Choiseul previously held by the United Workers Party’s Bradley Felix. The two Castries independent candidates, Richard Frederick and Stephenson King retained the hold on their respective seats, leaving the UWP with one solitary seat, that of political leader Allen Chastanet in Micoud South.
Sunday’s thank-you rally brought the entire slated of 14 SLP elected representatives plus the two independent representatives to the venue before a massive crowd, widely believed to be in excess of 10, 000.
Each speaker taking the stage made sure to reiterate the message that the election was over and the citizens of the country needed to unite for the work ahead.
Veteran politician and Laborie Representative Alva Baptiste, who secured the highest percentage of the votes cast in Laborie history, had a slightly altered message. “We won the elections because the political leader and his administration were sensitive to national growth. Our business was aligned with the interest and aspirations of the people of this country. The prime minister has drown the economy to deliver public services to the people of this country, that why we won the election.”
Shanda Lee Harracksingh, who increased the SLP numbers in Micoud South but ultimately failed to unseat former Prime Minister Allen Chastanet also spent some time at the podium. In her brief contribution, Harracksingh also thanked her supporters and her elected colleagues but had one clear message for the crowd and Micoud South, she was going nowhere- she was there to stay.
Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre, whose inauguration ceremony took place Friday at Governor General’s Residence, rounded off proceedings. PM Pierre, into his second consecutive team, after handing two devastating defeats to the UWP, 13-2 and 14-1, spoke of building on the progress already made. He indicated that there was much more to accomplish and many more promises to fulfill. The related parliamentarian for Castries East was adamant the faith placed in his administration will not go unrewarded.
The celebration concluded with much jubilation spearheaded by a local live band.