Former acting Prime Minister Dr. Michael Pilgrim, speaking as a private citizen, has cautioned against premature political predictions, stressing that Saint Lucia’s next general election remains far too unpredictable to call.
He argued that the mandatory 21-day campaign window leaves ample room for unexpected developments that could alter the outcome.
“So during that time a lot of things can change,” Dr. Pilgrim said.
“People make mistakes, people say things they shouldn’t say. And in politics, three weeks is a long time. That’s a very long time because once you have a microphone in front of you, people say things they shouldn’t say. Sometimes they say it deliberately, sometimes they say it innocently. And that alone can swing an election. So to make a comment now as to who would win, I think it would be bad judgment on my part at this stage.”
He also reflected on how election campaigning has evolved over the years, noting that social media now plays a major role in shaping voter engagement.
“There’s a lot of Facebook, Instagram, and a lot of the young people, I believe, use the internet to follow the election campaign,” he said.
“As opposed to earlier days, where they used to have various meetings in the different communities and where the crowds come and listen to meetings. Things have changed now, for a lot of reasons I suppose. One, people are more sophisticated.”
Dr. Pilgrim emphasised the need for candidates to maintain discipline and professionalism on the campaign trail, urging a focus on issues rather than personal attacks.
“I believe that we should discuss more issues on platforms, except in cases where the personality becomes an issue, then that’s a different matter,” he said. “We should fight clean elections, but give the facts. The facts should be based on evidence and on what we have experienced live.”
He further advised that candidates come well-prepared for public appearances, warning that spontaneous or emotional remarks often lead to costly errors.
“When persons go on the platform, it’s always best to have their prepared thoughts in advance so when they get on the platform, they can deliver exactly what they believe is right,” Dr. Pilgrim said. “And if they did that, the room for mistakes would be minimised considerably.”
His comments come as political tension builds ahead of the next general election, with parties expected to begin positioning themselves for the upcoming campaign period.