Prime Minister Pierre’s Secret Global Ports Holdings Deal: A Cause for Concern

In a democracy, transparency and accountability are paramount. Unfortunately, these principles seem to have been disregarded by Prime Minister Philip J Pierre in his handling of the Global Ports Holdings deal, which has been shrouded in secrecy from the start. The recent secret ceremony held on Monday, April 29th, 2024, to mark the commencement of the project is just the latest example of the lack of transparency surrounding this controversial deal.

The fact that the media was not invited to the ceremony speaks volumes about the Prime Minister’s intentions. In a democratic society, the media plays a crucial role in holding government officials accountable and ensuring that the public is informed about important decisions that affect their lives. By excluding the media from the ceremony, Prime Minister Pierre has effectively silenced the voices of the people and deprived them of the opportunity to scrutinize the deal and its implications.

Furthermore, the decision not to live-stream the event, as has been customary with government events in the past, is deeply concerning. Live-streaming allows for greater transparency and ensures that the public has access to real-time information about government activities. The fact that this practice was abandoned in this instance only adds to the perception of secrecy surrounding the deal.

Prime Minister Pierre’s promise to make the details of the Global Ports Holdings deal public has also fallen flat. Despite assurances that the deal would be made public, four full days after the ceremony, not a single press release or media update has been issued on the matter. This lack of transparency is unacceptable and undermines the principles of accountability and good governance.

The people of Saint Lucia deserve better. They deserve a government that is open, transparent, and accountable to the public. Prime Minister Pierre’s secret Global Ports Holdings deal is a blatant violation of these principles and raises serious questions about his commitment to serving the best interests of the country.

It is imperative that Prime Minister Pierre comes clean about the details of the Global Ports Holdings deal and provides the public with the transparency and accountability they deserve. Anything less would be a betrayal of the trust placed in him by the people of Saint Lucia.