A new political party has been formed in Saint Lucia. Founded by former educator Mr. Kevin Lord, the Saint Lucia National Party (SNP) “will focus on, among other issues, those being ignored by the current political parties, or not being adequately addressed.” In a statement issued today, Mr. Lord said that the country is in dire need of a new political party to tackle issues in the best interest of Saint Lucians. He told the STAR that the party intends to announce their candidates for the next general elections shortly.
The statement reads in part:
The SNP will be seeking to make the tough decisions which will benefit the country but politically would not be beneficial, a major shortcoming of the current political parties. Saint Lucia is in dire need of a new political party to tackle national issues in the best interest of Saint Lucians without fear or favour.
There is not much difference, if any, between the two main political parties. Both parties thrive on the ignorance of Saint Lucians. They both serve the same masters, they follow the dictates of those who contribute to the campaign. Also the social situations which gave rise to those parties have changed dramatically over the years and in many cases are no longer relevant. This new party has no affiliation with any local organization or business and as such no one outside of the party can exert any influence over policy or force any desired course of action.
It must be noted from the onset, however, that the SNP does not have, nor will pretend to have, all the solutions to the many problems facing the country. Ideas and suggestions are welcome, this has to be an all-inclusive exercise from all patriotic saint Lucians who are willing to put the country first and have a genuine interest in, and are wiling to make a contribution to the development of their country.
It has been observed that ‘internalised racism’ is rife in Saint Lucia. The SNP intends to address this by educating Saint Lucians about their history and will attempt to instill a sense of pride in citizens about their country and pride in being Saint Lucian.
The following list, by no means exhaustive, contains some of the issues of national interest that the party intends to address. They are not in any particular order.
-The environment: keeping the country clean, everywhere, especially along the roadways and in deserted areas, also reducing noise pollution
– Teaching of history of Saint Lucia in every educational institution in Saint Lucia and at all levels
– Abolish the Citizenship by Investment Programme (CIP), our passports are not for sale
– Decriminalization and legalisation of cannabis/marijuana
– Open and unfettered access to all beaches
– The construction of a national slavery museum
– A citizenship examination on various aspects of Saint Lucia, for all prospective citizens
– Stamp out corruption and nepotism
– The construction/extension of a four lane highway from Choc Roundabout to Gros Islet by acquiring the land along the current road. Landowners will be encouraged to see it as their contribution to national development
-The creation of national parks/recreational sites
– The reopening of Radio Saint Lucia
– Put more emphasis on, and allocate more resources for the celebration of Emancipation Day
– Put an end once and for all, to the Jack Grynberg Issue
– Put an end, once and for all, to the IMPACS/Police issue
-Focus on agriculture and agro-processing with the aim of the country being able to produce more food for local consumption
– Dealing with the issue of reparations for slavery locally first, as there is money from slavery circulating in this country
– Development of the youth, make it mandatory for all young persons within a certain age, to engage in some national service, and exploring avenues to create employment especially among our youthful population
– Development of local industries using locally available resources with a view to exporting as much as possible
– Education system to be revamped – different schools for differently abled students, all students cannot be doing the same CXC/CSEC subjects
– For tourism – instead of looking to build new hotels, the focus will be on increasing linkages, services, and products offered so that more locals will benefit
– Proper zoning of land for residential, agricultural, industrial and other purposes. We have to stop burying our most fertile land under concrete
Again, it has to be reiterated, that the SNP does not have all the answers and would love to hear from all Saint Lucians. This has to be a participatory exercise. No lofty promises will be made just to win elections. The constitution of SNP and its political philosophy will be made available shortly. For further information and worthwhile contributions, Saint Lucians who have a genuine interest in, and love of country can contact us at 460 2421.
