SLP not contesting Castries North, Central… urges support for ‘patriots’ King and Frederick

The Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP) will only be fielding fifteen candidates in the July 26 general election, as the party has decided not to contest Castries North and Castries Central. The SLP’s political leader Philip J. Pierre made the announcement on Wednesday night during the opposition party’s virtual meeting.

This election, Pierre said, is about rescuing Saint Lucia and preventing the country from becoming a failed state. The party, he said, has provided “strategic space” for others to join in that fight.

“We have called on and are calling on all of persons of goodwill to join in the fight; play their part independently or as a collective in removing the threat that this current UWP administration represents to the viability of our beloved Saint Lucia,” he said.

“Against that consideration, the SLP has decided not to field candidates in either Central Castries or Castries North in this election. We have taken this decision becasue there are other persons who have offered themselves to these constituencies. Those other persons whom we believe have admirably represented these constituencies in the past… are more than capable of doing it again.”

Pierre was of course alluding to former prime minister Stephenson King and Richard Frederick— who plan to contest Castries North and Castries Central respectively.

Pierre went on to stress: “Let me be clear: these persons are not members of our party nor have they applied for membership. We have in the past disagreed on several things but we are in one accord on the clear and present danger of this UWP administration. Therefore, we should not fight each other but we should…ensure that we, as patriotic Saint Lucians, confront and amputate this peril in our land!”

“We call on all of you to support these patriots who have joined that fight,” he told supporters.