The question of who will hold what position still remains a hot topic even though key appointments of ministers who will form St Lucia’s government have already been made. Already there have been rumours, particularly one referring to a particular minister from the United Workers Party being made an offer to serve in the tourism sector. In that instance the new government wasted no time categorically denying the “claims made by the former tourism minister.”
Just over one week later there are more rumours afloat, which may turn out to be more than just that for at least two members of opposing parties. In a recent interview on the show New Perspectives on HTS, Prime Minister Kenny Anthony expressed his willingness to dialogue with independent candidate Jeannine Compton and leader of the National Development Movement Ausbert d’Auvergne to discuss the future of the country as he noted, “I’m open to all discussions.”
“I do not know what are the immediate plans of Jeannine Compton, whether she will go and form her own political party I don’t know, but I think she’s someone we need to talk to, need to chat with and in the next couple of days I will dialogue with all social partners and I would certainly invite her also,” Anthony revealed.
The new prime minister went on to say: “You may have noticed during the swearing in ceremony I spoke of creating a Planning Institute in St Lucia and I think he [Ausbert d’Auvergne] is the kind of person one needs to talk to.”
This week the STAR posed the question to readers: “What do you think of Prime Minister Kenny Anthony giving NDM’s leader Ausbert d’Auvergne a job in the Ministry of Planning? Also, what do you think of him reaching out to former Micoud MP Jeannine Compton? Should she get an appointment also?”
Some wasted no time expressing “absolutely yes” to both questions “once it benefits St Lucian people.”
One reader, Mia Williams expressed: “It appears that our new prime minister is all for getting the right people in the right positions to work for the benefit of all of St Lucia so I have no problem with it. If he sees that they can do a good job in whatever ministry or area of expertise then its all good. Now that his hands have been extended it is time for individuals to put away party colours and start working.”
Others referred to an article by STAR publisher Rick Wayne entitled: “Have Kenny and Ausbert joined forces?”
“It appears Rick knew something we didn’t,” Denver Du Boulay expressed. “A fine example of the truth coming to light.”
The article published just before general elections in November read in part: “Kenny Anthony has said not a word about Ausbert d’Auvergne that might’ve discouraged voters from electing him to a seat in parliament, and thereby affording him another opportunity to hold one or more of the several portfolios he had held before he and the Stephenson King administration parted company. It should be remembered that during d’Auvergne’s shortened spell as senator, the opposition leader had excoriated . . . him on a daily basis, whether in countless newspaper interviews or in press releases from party headquarters.”
d’Auvergne’s party, the National Development Movement’s campaign was centered around ‘boosting’ development in St Lucia and during one of the Chamber of Commerce forums held prior to elections, he challenged then opposition leader Kenny Anthony stating that Anthony had been the representative for Vieux Fort and during all those years “Vieux Fort never bloomed, never blossomed. It has all the assets, all the attributes necessary for massive development and growth.”
In his opinion: “A country from time to time needs to totally revitalize its infrastructure. You develop a certain type of infrastructure and it gives a country capacity for growth for only a certain period of time.
“Thereafter unless you do new things, create whole new frontiers for development you are going to run out of that development momentum that is so necessary to trigger the kind of levels of growth necessary to meet the expectations of your people and even to ensure society itself survives. I believe that is where we are and the only approach is to go boldly and deal with it in a creative and innovate way.”
As Kenny Anthony’s most recent interview continued the prime minister expressed: “I would say this; we all have our sins, we all have our mistakes, we have learnt to forgive each other.
“I’ve admitted freely to my own weaknesses, to my own mistakes. I have to
thank the St Lucian electorate for helping me to understand that. In the same vein I have to be strong. In another vein, I have to be the person with sensitivity and with compassion. These are attributes I want to be part of me as I govern.”
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