Who Is Protecting Saint Lucia? Disaster at Canelles Hotel Project continues to Unfold

There’s growing unrest in Canelles and rightfully so. A once public road is now blocked, access to the beach, guaranteed to every Saint Lucian by law is being restricted. At the centre of it all is the Government of Saint Lucia and Galaxy, a foreign investor who seems to be operating above our laws, our people and even our Constitution.

Reports from concerned citizens paint a disturbing picture: a new Chinese contractor, reportedly without a work permit, arrived last week. The site is now manned exclusively by Chinese workers, none of whom hold local licenses or permits to operate the heavy machinery now tearing through our land. Where are the labour inspectors? Where is Immigration? Who approved this?

Even more alarming, raw sewage from the site is being pumped directly into the nearby mangrove, a delicate ecosystem that protects our coastline, supports marine life and is part of our natural heritage. This isn’t just environmental destruction; it’s a crime against the people of Saint Lucia. And it’s happening in plain sight.

This construction site, which appears to be in violation of almost every safety and labour standard imaginable, allegedly has no insurance, no health and safety officers, no welfare provisions for workers and yet operations continue unchecked. Where is the Department of Physical Planning? Where is Environmental Health? Where is the Minister for Infrastructure? Where is the leadership?

Let us be clear: this is not an issue of development versus opposition to investment. Saint Lucians welcome responsible, sustainable investment that respects our people, our environment and our laws. But what is happening in Canelles is not development, it is exploitation and it reeks of state-sponsored neglect.

If the contract for the completion of the hotel has indeed been signed over to a Chinese company, we must ask: at what cost to Saint Lucians? Jobs are being taken from locals. Laws are being flouted. Our natural heritage is being poisoned. And our people are being shut out literally and figuratively.

Enough is enough.

It is time for the authorities to answer. The people of Saint Lucia deserve transparency, accountability and above all, protection. Canelles must not become a symbol of how easily our rights can be sold off, our laws ignored and our people silenced.

The question now is: Will anyone in government have the courage to act? Or will we once again be left to clean up the mess alone?