Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre has pushed back strongly against remarks made by Opposition Leader Allen Chastanet on Saint Lucia’s foreign affairs and external policy, cautioning the Opposition Leader against what he described as reckless and damaging rhetoric.
The exchange unfolded during a heated sitting of Parliament, where Chastanet accused the government of mismanaging its international relationships, particularly with the United States, and failing to plan for the fallout from changes affecting Cuban medical cooperation.
“We have a government that was in bed with Maduro, taking adversarial positions with the United States, and today wants to come and say, look what I’ve inherited,” Chastanet said.
He argued that the administration only now appeared to recognize the geopolitical reality of American influence. “It is only today that you realize America is a superpower,” he added.
The Opposition Leader claimed the government was unprepared for the consequences now facing the health and education sectors.
“We have now found ourselves with our pants down, so we now have to go and find replacement nurses and doctors for the Cubans, and our young people are being affected who have a future in medicine,” he said.
“There was no plan in place.”
Chastanet also criticized the government’s economic direction, accusing it of being overly focused on taxation while neglecting growth and development.
“This government is singularly focused on taxation and money,” he stated, raising concerns about the uncertainty surrounding revenues from the Citizenship by Investment Programme. “And now we’re going to look at taxation as the alternative? Really?”
He insisted that citizens were feeling the burden.
“You don’t believe the people in Saint Lucia are overtaxed? I beg to differ. My constituents beg to differ,” he said, adding that communities in the South were being neglected in terms of economic development and job creation.
In his rebuttal, Prime Minister Pierre acknowledged his earlier intention to avoid confrontation but said the statements could not go unanswered.
“I had promised to ignore him, but I can’t because some people believe it,” the Prime Minister said. “They say all kinds of things, all kinds of calumny.”
Pierre rejected claims that his administration had taken hostile positions against the United States.
“Have you ever heard anybody in this parliament say we are enemies of the United States?” he asked. “All that we said is true.”
The Prime Minister said he had previously called for unity and cooperation in the national interest.
“I said, let’s get together. Let’s work for the benefit of the country, and I still say that” he stated, warning the Opposition Leader against returning to what he described as divisive tactics.
“So please, don’t let us have every time in this parliament to remind the people of Saint Lucia why they did not vote for your party,” Pierre cautioned.
“I don’t want to remind them. I want to be in parliament. I want your party to survive. I want you to remain as leader (of the United Workers’ Party).”
Pierre also accused the Opposition of attempting to provoke international controversy.
“They’ve been pushing for us to go offshore and say something that we ought not to say, hoping that we put ourselves in conflict with the United States,” he said. He further alleged that members of the Opposition had celebrated recent developments in the United States visa policy.
The Prime Minister concluded by urging restraint, signaling that while debate is necessary, Saint Lucia’s foreign relations must be handled with care and responsibility.