Why did Prime Minister Pierre silence Richard Frederick During the 2025/2026 Budget Debate?

Prime Minister Pierre’s decision to shut down the 2025/2026 Budget Debate prematurely was more than just a parliamentary maneuver, it was an act of desperation. While much attention has rightly been focused on silencing Leader of the Opposition Hon. Allen Chastanet, let us not forget that Richard Frederick a senior minister in Pierre’s own Cabinet—was also blocked from speaking.

Why?

Because Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre knows that if the debate continued, the truth about this disastrous budget and the men behind it would be exposed loudly and clearly by the Opposition. And few ministers bring as much political baggage to the table as Richard Frederick, the most consistently disliked member of the Cabinet, based on repeated public opinion polls.

Let’s be clear, Richard Frederick is a political liability and a moral stain on this administration. Week after week, he uses his talk show to attack women, push racist narratives and berate private citizens. He has created a culture of fear, division and personal vendettas.

He also has a troubling record of corruption and victimisation. He secretly sold government land to a Labour Party financier at far below market value, behind closed doors. He is allegedly at the center of a multi-million dollar cemetery contracts scandal that reeks of insider dealings and mismanagement. And despite promising to protect the vendors of Castries, he has instead harassed, relocated and victimised them, turning the city into a battleground for his ego.

Let us not forget: this is the same Richard Frederick who was once labelled a criminal by members of the very Cabinet he now sits with. The same man they once denounced, they now protect because power matters more to them than principle.

Pierre’s silence isn’t strength, it’s fear. Fear that allowing Frederick to speak would backfire. Fear that the Opposition would seize the moment to lay bare the rot that has infected this administration. Fear that the people, already burdened by high taxes, broken promises and rising costs, would finally see just how bad things really are.

Shutting down the budget debate wasn’t just about avoiding criticism—it was about shielding the worst offenders from scrutiny. But the people are watching. They are listening. And no amount of censorship can hide the truth for long.

Saint Lucia deserves a government that respects democracy, protects its people and punishes corruption, not one that protects the corrupt.