The Royal Saint Lucia Police Force is preparing for its crucial role in the upcoming general election, beginning with the traditional process of advance polling for law enforcement officers.
According to Assistant Police Commissioner Dr Mashama Sealy, this system ensures that essential security personnel can vote before taking up their nationwide duties on election day.
Dr Sealy explained that advance polling is designed specifically for law enforcement agencies whose members must be fully deployed on December 1.
“For police, we have two elections, advance polling which would be for law enforcement officers,” she said. “When I say law enforcement, I mean police, fire, ports police and correctional officers. We vote before the general public because we have to vote on the day in question.”
She noted that police responsibilities remain unchanged on general election day, making early voting essential. “We are also performing security duties and other duties and general policing duties as well continues on the 1st of December which is general elections,” she said.
The RSLPF has already begun preparations. “We have been having meetings. We will be calling officers back from leave and we are looking at the deployment of officers at the various polling stations,” Dr Sealy stated. She emphasised that the safety of the country remains the force’s priority. “Of course we are ensuring that Saint Lucia remains safe during the election period.”
Dr Sealy said the police presence will be highly visible throughout the country.
“We will be out in large numbers. Officers will be called in. We will have our regular officers, our officers SSU, our special reserve officers,” she said. “We have a number of officers who will be on the ground as per usual. Everybody will be out in large numbers as I indicated, including the recruits.”
She added that the goal is simple: maintaining stability and peace as Saint Lucians head to the polls. “We want to ensure that Saint Lucia has a safe election,” she said.