Try as I might to fall asleep that night, my mind, inevitably strayed to events of earlier in the day. And yes, there are those who posit the view that somehow, one ministry is more important than the other. It is not a view which finds my favor. True, Finance is the cash pot, but it is tourism, commerce, services and the like which cause that influx of cash. And no matter how prosperous a country it will fail if the sanitation workers “clock out”. Remember that reggae hit, which showed how each part of the body is interconnected? Good.
It couldn’t have been a simple task then for Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre to construct his Cabinet of Ministers, and it is little wonder that the process took him more than a week to finalize.
The formation of a government is a delicate balancing act, requiring the calibration of political debts, regional representation, and, crucially, individual ambition. In such a high-stakes construct, there is bound to be an ego or two that feels the inevitable pinch of assignment, placement, or exclusion.
Yet, like the beautiful game of football, a Cabinet is fundamentally a team sport. While individual brilliance—the dazzling skill of a star midfielder or the unerring eye of a striker—will always capture the headlines, the aim is invariably for the collective to succeed. A single standout player cannot win the tournament; it requires a cohesive defense, a hardworking midfield, and a unified strategy executed by eleven people on the pitch.
And so it is with Prime Minister Pierre’s collection of ministries, unveiled recently. While a minister or two may possess a public profile or administrative track record that is brighter than most, the success of the new administration hinges on synergy. The Minister for Finance cannot operate in a vacuum from the Minister for Tourism; the Minister for Infrastructure must collaborate seamlessly with the Minister for Economic Development. Their roles are interconnected, their policy areas overlapping in the national pursuit of growth and stability for Saint Lucia.
The ultimate measure of this Cabinet will not be the individual star power of its members but the collective impact they deliver. The Prime Minister, as the team captain and coach, must ensure that all players — from veteran defenders to young, eager forwards — understand their roles, put aside personal grievances, and commit to the collective game plan. The nation watches, expecting a masterful performance where every member works together to score the goal of national progress. A unified team, not a collection of soloists, is the only path to victory.
Welcome to Philip 2.0