During Monday’s Cabinet press briefing, Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre defended how his administration is addressing crime in Saint Lucia.
He was responding to a United Workers Party (UWP) press conference last week, where former ministers and candidates Sarah Flood-Beaubrun, Laura Jn Pierre-Noel and Titus Preville spoke about recent crimes and called for stronger government action and a more comprehensive crime-fighting plan.
“It shows a lack of respect to the people of Saint Lucia when you speak about crimes of passion and crimes of emotion and lay it on the backs of a government,” Pierre said when asked by reporters to address the concerns. “It’s disrespectful, it’s scornful, it’s contemptuous!”
Among the comments made by UWP figures last week, Jn Pierre-Noel expressed frustration over incidents of violence, particularly domestic violence and the murder of 24-year-old Joy St Omer, whose estranged husband has since been charged in connection with the killing.
“It is another painful reminder that too many women in Saint Lucia are suffering in silence,” Jn Pierre-Noel stated.
Opposition members also spoke out about the rising homicide rate, now at 36, and called on the government to present a clear plan to address it.
In response, the Prime Minister outlined what he described as his administration’s “holistic” strategy to address crime.
He pointed to investments in the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force and hinted that more updates would be shared soon.
Pierre also raised concerns about children missing school. He said his administration “will have a big onslaught on truancy” as part of the government’s social intervention efforts.
On education, the Prime Minister said his administration is placing significant emphasis on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET). “To encourage young men to go to school to learn what they like to do, we’ve said so,” Pierre stated. He stressed his belief that an education system catering to diverse students could help keep young people away from criminal activity.
Economic development was another pillar of the strategy, he said, citing grants and business support programmes administered through the Youth Economy Agency.
Pierre also mentioned investments in early childhood education and highlighted emotional support programmes offered by the Saint Lucia Social Development Fund (SSDF).
“We’re calling on anyone who has tangible plans. Let’s talk about it,” Pierre added after again describing UWP criticism as “sterile”.
Last week, Titus Preville, the UWP candidate for Babonneau in the last election and an economist, agreed with Jn Pierre-Noel. He spoke about how crime affects both communities and individuals, including the economic impact.
“Community organisations, the Church, the business community and yes, political organisations must speak about crime,” Preville said, before referring to rising crime as a “crippling” problem for Saint Lucia.
However, at Monday’s Cabinet press briefing, Pierre said the opposition’s criticism was not genuine.
“That is why I respond in that way, when rejected politicians try to use crime to get votes that they did not get, to get votes that they most likely will not get. This is what is distasteful,” Pierre said.
