The United Workers Party (UWP) is calling on Prime Minister Philip J Pierre to relieve Castries Central MP Richard Frederick of his ministerial responsibilities while an ongoing investigation involving him continues.
UWP representatives on Monday, July 13, delivered a letter to the Office of the Prime Minister requesting that Frederick be temporarily removed from office, arguing that the matter has created reputational concerns for Saint Lucia.
Deputy Political Leader of the UWP, Dominic Fedee, said the party was dissatisfied with what he described as a lack of transparency from the government regarding the issue.
“We are here to state very strongly our dissatisfaction so far in the manner how the government has been less than forthcoming with information to the public on the Richard Frederick matter,” Fedee said.
He said the letter was intended to urge the Prime Minister to take action.
“We have brought to the Prime Minister a letter from the leader of the opposition’s office, and we are more or less asking the Prime Minister to do the right thing by the people of Saint Lucia, by the government of Saint Lucia, end this national and international embarrassment which this has caused our country and to relieve the Minister for the time being of his duties.”
Frederick, who serves as Minister for Housing and Urban Renewal, confirmed earlier this month that police officers visited his residence on July 2 and that he accompanied them to the police station for questioning.
He has not disclosed the details of the matter, and the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force has not announced any charges against him.
The government, in a statement issued on July 3, said it would not interfere with the investigative process and reaffirmed its respect for the independence of the police force and the rule of law.
Fedee argued that Prime Minister Pierre should act in accordance with positions he previously expressed while serving as Opposition Leader.
“The Prime Minister, while he was the leader of the opposition in Labour, stated very clearly that the women of Saint Lucia had to stand up when a similar matter emerged about one of his political colleagues,” Fedee said.
He referenced a previous controversy involving a minister in a former UWP administration, claiming that Pierre had called for accountability at the time.
“The Prime Minister, in his capacity of leader of the opposition, then said very clearly, and you can look this up online, that the women of Saint Lucia had a right to stand up to demand that the government minister at the time be fired.”
Fedee said the UWP was now asking the Prime Minister to apply the same standards to the current situation.
“So we’re asking the Prime Minister to make a decision based on his own principles, which he has enunciated in the public.”
The call comes as authorities continue their investigations, with Frederick remaining in office pending any further developments.