Today we publish two statements which illustrate the differences between the two leaders of St. Lucia’s two major political parties- Philip Joseph Pierre of the St. Lucia Labour Party and the current Prime Minister of the country and Allen Michael Chastanet of the United Workers Party, the current Leader of the Opposition and the former Prime Minister (Pierre’s immediate predecessor).

Both statements bring out the compassion and caring nature of Philip J Pierre and how he has been and is putting people first in his management of the country and both show the vindictive, callous character of Allen Chastanet and his lack of empathy for St. Lucians when he governed. From both statements, it is not difficult to comprehend why and how Philip J Pierre’s tenure as Prime Minister of St. Lucia has been mature and successful and why and how Allen Chastanet’s was reckless and disastrous.

Father’s Folly or A Last Stand? By Star Struck

I read Michael Chastanet’s sob story about his son, and I am moved to ask, is Michael Chastanet’s plea a father’s folly or a party’s last stand? If ever there was a clear sign of the United Workers Party’s desperation in the face of looming electoral annihilation, it is Michael Chastanet’s recent article in the Voice newspaper, a promotional piece thinly veiled as paternal concern. In it, the elder Chastanet mounts a spirited but hollow defense of his son, Allen, the former Prime Minister whose tenure was marked by controversy, exclusion, and what many consider a profound disconnect from the average St. Lucian.

Michael begins by lamenting the “relentless and often unfair personal attacks” Allen has endured, attributing them to the St. Lucia Labour Party and its supporters. Yet, in classic Chastanet fashion, he offers no evidence to refute the criticisms. The omission is glaring. If the attacks were truly baseless, surely a rebuttal would be easy to furnish. Instead, we are asked to accept Allen’s victimhood without scrutiny.

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More troubling is Michael’s apparent amnesia regarding Allen’s own post-defeat commentary in 2021, when he claimed his loss was partly due to “my own class betraying me.” That statement alone reveals a worldview steeped in elitism. Who exactly is Allen’s “class”? The residents of Conway and Marchand, or the affluent circles of Cap Estate and Rodney Bay? The implication is clear: Allen sees himself as separate from, and perhaps superior to, the majority of St. Lucians.

Michael insists that Allen has remained calm under pressure. But if Allen’s combative public demeanour and dismissive tone toward critics represent calm, then St. Lucia should brace itself should he ever return to office.

The article then veers into sentimental territory, recounting Allen’s birth in Martinique and his educational journey. But why now, after nearly two decades in politics? And why, once again, is there no proof of the degrees that have long been questioned by the public?

The elder Chastanet blames Allen’s lacklustre record on the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet many leaders around the world faced the same crisis and emerged with renewed mandates. The difference? Competence, empathy, and inclusive governance, qualities Allen demonstrably lacked.

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Michael’s claim that Allen is a champion of inclusivity borders on the absurd. Was it inclusive to terminate NICE workers on the grounds that most supported the SLP? Was it inclusive to deprive six opposition MPs of resources for their constituencies? Was it inclusive to promote the divisive “Belrose Doctrine” or to declare that losing the government meant losing the right to speak?

In the end, Michael’s article reads less like a father’s heartfelt appeal and more like a last-ditch effort to salvage a political legacy that has failed to resonate with the people. The truth is, Allen Chastanet’s record speaks for itself. No amount of paternal prose can rewrite it. St. Lucia deserves leadership rooted in humility, service, and unity—not entitlement and revisionism.

Statement by the Supervisor of the Home Care Program on the Distribution of Permanency Letters

Today (2nd October 2025) marks a truly historic and emotional day for over 600 of us who have served in the Home Care Program since its inception in 2012. For over a decade, we have worked with heart, dedication, and often under trying circumstances—providing compassionate care to the elderly, the sick, and the vulnerable in our communities. We have done so, not for praise or political favour, but out of a deep love for people and country.

For years, we were contract workers, committed yet treated as temporary. We lived through uncertainties, contract breaks without pay, and the looming fear that our livelihoods could be taken away at any moment. And sadly, that fear became a reality when, under an Allen Chastanet-led administration, many of us were abruptly dismissed. No compassion. No recognition of our service. We were labelled as “Party Loyals”—as if caring for the nation’s most vulnerable was a political act.

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But today, thanks to the leadership, vision, and compassion of the Honourable Philip J. Pierre and the Saint Lucia Labour Party Government, we are finally receiving what we have long deserved -permanency.

This transition means so much more than a job title. It means stability. It means that we can now walk into a financial institution and confidently apply for a mortgage or a loan. It means our children can sleep easier at night knowing that their parents have a secure future. It means we are no longer second-class workers, but dignified professionals recognized by the Government and the people of Saint Lucia.

And to you, Mr. Allen Chastanet, yes, we are loyal. We are loyal to a government and a Prime Minister who has shown loyalty to us first. Prime Minister Pierre has not only restored our jobs he has restored our dignity, our hope, and our future. That loyalty is not bought; it is earned. And it has been earned tenfold by this Labour Party Government.

So, when the election bell rings, rest assured, we will answer that call. After we have done our morning rounds, ensured our clients are fed, bathed, and comfortable, we will make our way to the polling stations, not alone, but with our families, our neighbours, our friends, and our scrub-wearing sisters. We will go proudly and purposefully. And when we get to that ballot paper, we will put that X by the Star to ensure that you, Mr. Chastanet, never return to office again.

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We will vote to protect the future we have just been given. We will vote to honour a government that has honoured us.

On behalf of all Home Care workers across Saint Lucia, I say thank you, Prime Minister Pierre. You have secured not just our jobs, but our place in the heart of this nation.

May God bless you, and may God continue to bless Saint Lucia.

Leandra George-Fields

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