By Vina Frederick
As far as Labour Party supporters are concerned life in St Lucia has reached crisis point. At his constituency’s 19th Annual Conference on Sunday, held at the Marchand Primary School, MP Philip J Pierre revealed that when Caricom met last week in Barbados Ralph Gonsalves, the Prime Minister of St Vincent, had referred to certain St Lucian MPs as “ministerial pretenders.” Evidently, Pierre endorsed the tag. At least, applied to Tourism Minister Allen Chastanet and newly appointed head of GIS Jeff Fedee.
Pierre began his address by calling on the packed house to return to what Labour is all about. He recalled that in 1979/82 the Labour Party had won 12 seats and John Compton had gone about shouting about “the vagabonds in power.” Said Pierre: “Now is the time for the people to speak out again. We have to make sure we do to them now what they did to us in 1982.”
As for Jeff Fedee, Pierre said: “The people of St Lucia made us pay for our mistakes. We lost the elections. We accept our loss. You, on the other hand, promised to improve things. So why appoint Jeff Fedee who is a well- known party hack? Look at the things Fedee has written in the newspapers. “The same Public Service Commission that warned civil servants to not get involved in politics appointed Fedee. But mind you, not as the government’s press secretary. “If Jeff Fedee was the press secretary, there should be no problem with his politics. If Fedee is the personal assistant to the prime minister no problem. He would be a good personal assistant, for more reasons than one.
“But Jeff Fedee is a civil servant. He is Director of Information Services. But as soon as he got his job he was on the radio attacking the Labour Party, talking all kinds of highly political nonsense. I put Fedee on notice. I tell you, believe nothing Fedee says. Anything Fedee, says do not believe it. Fedee has no credibility. “When you hear Fedee put your radio off. George Odlum used to say Radio St Liar but right now it’s the Government Information Service Liar. Do not listen to NTN. Do not listen to GIS because Fedee has no credibility; because Fedee is a political appointment; a political operative in the civil service.”
Pierre moved on Allen Chastanet. He said the Tourism Minister has traveled outside the country 29 times in six months. “He goes to Hewanorra Airport by helicopter,” added Pierre. Said Pierre: “He tried to spoil my reputation nationally, regionally and internationally. He tried to make the world believe that I was the worst minister of tourism ever. But whilst I was the worst, Allen Chastanet’s father was investing heavily in tourism under my direction.
“Don’t let Allen Chastanet blindfold you with his American accent, saying that he will put a million dollars in carnival. Jazz is not good for you but carnival is good for you? Tell Allen Chastanet you want both jazz and carnival. You deserve both.
“Chastanet wants to take me on. Tell Chastanet it’ll take a few like him to take me on. And if he takes me on, you will take him on. Chastanet wants to make you believe he knows everything about St Lucia’s tourism. I have not started with Allen. He started it. Let nobody tell me to stop when I strike back.”
Commenting on the American Airlines flight that Chastanet claims to have secured for St Lucia, Pierre agreed that from November the flight would fly directly to St Lucia. But, he said, Chastanet has to pull off that trick with St Lucian money.
Pierre added that if he and former tourist board chairman Costello Michel had the money now at Chastanet’s disposal, they too might have done as he is doing. No magic in that. In closing Pierre said the Labour Party cannot blame the people the Labour Party has to blame itself.
“We in the leadership of the Labour Party, have to re-examine ourselves,” said Pierre. “We cannot blame the people. Do not tell me the people listen to Sam ‘Juk Bois’ Flood. We need to get something to counteract Flood. We have to examine ourselves and ask what are we doing wrong. Do not blame the masses. We have to be vigilant.”