The Allen Chastanet administration marked three years in office with a thanksgiving service at the Odsan Pentecostal Church on Thursday evening. Related activities will continue on Sunday with a public meeting slated for Soufriere. Meanwhile, and not unexpectedly, the opposition St. Lucia Labour Party has marked the administration a failure. On Wednesday the SLP took to the Castries market steps to repeat its usual complaints, most of them directed at Allen Chastanet in particular. The longstanding problem of crime, the St. Jude/OKEU tra-la-la, how direct awards are handed out, and the airport redevelopment project—all received the regular opposition attention.
Party leader Phillip J. Pierre was the final speaker on Wednesday night. He declared that finally the SLP has “survived the defeat of June 6, 2016” and now is “stronger than ever”. For three years the country has been governed in “the most wicked, corrupt and vindictive manner”. He promised that a government under his leadership would “immediately complete the St. Jude hospital”, reverse any privatization of the OKEU, reinstate the subvention to the National Trust and “recommence the distress fund”.
He assured his audience: “Tonight, in the presence of my colleagues and the people of Saint Lucia, I, Philip Joseph Pierre, leader of the SLP, formally declare that the movement to remove the UWP from office by democratic means has been called to order!” Doubtless many who heard him wondered what his party had been doing since June 6, 2016.
He warned: “We will be calling on you, my brothers and sisters, to make your feelings known by demonstrating your disgust for this corrupt and wicked regime. So, from tonight, when you go home, ensure that you have your ID cards; ensure that you are registered. Join that movement for change, do not worry with the detractors.” The language sounded long outdated. From all this reporter had read, words like “regime” harked back to the early 70s, to George Odlum and Peter Josie.
At a press conference in January, Pierre promised there would be several women on his party’s election slate. On Wednesday evening one of them was evident: entrepreneur Lisa Jawahir Joahil. She spoke with this reporter at the end of the night’s rally. She revealed her intention to challenge Guy Joseph for the Castries Southeast seat. A communications expert and founder of Edge Marketing Inc, Jawahir grew up in the community of Forestiere in Castries. She attended the area’s Methodist Combined School and later the Castries Comprehensive Secondary School. Born to a security officer and a seamstress, Jawahir recalled growing up in tough times. She was able to attend school on a regular basis, thanks to the government’s bursary assistance programme and support from community members and the Seventh-day Adventist church. After graduating, she entered the workforce. Meanwhile she continued her studies.
She holds a masters degree in Strategic Communication from American University, Washington D.C. and pursued a bachelors in Business Administration and Marketing at Monroe College. She currently hosts a weekly television show called Uncut with Lisa Joahil during which she discusses policy changes that address social issues.
Jawahir says it has always been her intention to enter elective politics in the hope of making a positive impact on society but she had not planned on making the move quite so early. “But after listening to the cries of the people of Castries Southeast,” she said, “I knew I had to make the decision to contribute now and not later. Why do I need to wait to give them proper representation when I believe I have the qualities that they are looking for? The people are looking for a dynamic, young person who has fresh perspectives and plans to provide proper representation for all.”
Obviously she believes Guy Joseph needs to be replaced. “The people of Castries Southeast have been pleading for better representation and now is the time to give them what they deserve,” she said. “They thought they would’ve gotten it with the current representative but they are expressing how dissatisfied they are with how he has managed the constituency.” Guy Joseph has been MP for Castries Southeast for 13 years.
His hopeful challenger went on: “We keep saying the youth are the future. But we need to realize that the youth is now! We need to do things that can impact their lives now, and nothing of the sort is happening in Castries Southeast.” As to why she wants to run on a Labour ticket, Jawahir said the SLP aligns best with her beliefs and its vision for Saint Lucia “will take the island to the next level.”
