Michael Philip St. Catherine, who previously contested the Micoud North seat in the 2021 general election, has announced his return to the political arena as an independent candidate. His entry adds to what is shaping up to be a crowded field in one of the island’s most closely watched constituencies.
Once a stronghold of the United Workers Party (UWP), Micoud North shifted allegiance in the last election to the Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP), setting the stage for a fiercely contested battle this December.
St. Catherine said his decision to run again was guided by faith and encouraged by supporters who believed in his previous campaign.
“Divine inspiration and the many of you nationwide who showed support for my efforts in the last campaign demand that I continue,” he declared. “Thank you, and so I will.”
He took aim at what he described as long-standing political hostility toward his efforts, accusing both major parties of undermining his campaign.
“Many thought that by their envious, jealous and biased campaign against me over the last 60 years, they would silence me and push me away, particularly the Labour Party executive and operatives who only mask as friends when they were clearly not,” St. Catherine said. “Presently, I am not a member or a friend of any political party.”
Reflecting on his previous campaign, St. Catherine said he came to understand that much of the criticism he faced was rooted not in his policies but in his family legacy.
“I realised the last campaign was clearly not about me, but my father, one of the hardest working and principled individuals that the community will ever see,” he explained.
“A two-time farmer of the year, 1978 and 1979. I heard things like, ‘you’re not in it because of your father,’ and ‘you want to take revenge for your father.’ Many even came to my legal office to ridicule me.”
He urged residents of Micoud North to “move away from the past” and focus on development rooted in competence and community service. “There is too much disrespect for the workers of the community,” he said.
“We must embrace those who mean well, not those who never prepare themselves and are clearly lacking experience, knowledge and training. My brothers and sisters, I want this election to be about me. I am an individual you know, who is qualified and has worked with you at all levels.”
Turning his attention to the constituency’s current representative, St. Catherine criticised the Labour administration’s record in Micoud North.
“Jeremiah Norbert did nothing to improve Micoud in four and a half years,” he claimed. “Only a jetty with no management around it. I will provide the management structure for the fishermen to progress. There are similar jetties anyway at Savannes Bay and Praslin. Nothing to boast about. The jetty was already in the making, even from the last administration.”
He also cautioned voters against what he described as “family disputes” dominating politics in the constituency.
“Jeremiah Norbert is clearly incompetent and unprepared. Similarly, Elisha Norbert,” St. Catherine said. “Let’s move away from family disputes brewing between relatives, fighting for power, and concentrate on improving the lives of Micoudians.”
St. Catherine’s re-entry into the race signals an increasingly competitive political landscape in Micoud North, with independent voices now challenging both major parties for the hearts and votes of the constituency’s residents.