The United Workers Party (UWP) on Sunday, July 6 highlighted the alarming decline in quality of life under the Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP) administration. The UWP is urging Saint Lucians to honestly reflect on their current conditions and advocate for decisive change at the next general election.
Recent data from the Central Statistical Office confirms inflation has surged dramatically from near-zero levels between 2016 and 2021 to 6.4% in 2022, remaining elevated at 4.1% in 2023, severely impacting household budgets across the island.
Public safety continues to deteriorate, with Saint Lucia recording historically high homicide figures, 75 in 2023 and 77 in 2024, raising the national murder rate above 40 per 100,000 people for the first time. During one of the bloodiest weeks in recent history, the SLP administration chose to focus on lavish celebrations for the visiting Nigerian leader rather than address urgent domestic safety issues.
Further compounding these crises is the ongoing lack of transparency surrounding St Jude Hospital, highlighting the SLP’s decision to abandon a near-completed, state-of-the-art facility in favor of retrofitting an 80-year-old structure, financed through a $201 million loan, leaving St. Lucians to suffer from deteriorating healthcare services as the project remains incomplete despite assurances made during their 2021 election campaign.
Speaking on Sunday, Hon. Chastanet stated, “Lucians are grieving violent losses, struggling financially, and still have no answers regarding a hospital they funded. Meanwhile, their government spends taxpayer dollars hosting extravagant celebrations. St. Lucians must ask themselves if this is acceptable leadership. Continued support for the SLP will only worsen conditions.”
UWP is reminding Lucians of their power and responsibility to change their future by choosing a leadership committed to safety, affordability, and transparency.
