Castries East
December - 2018
FROM THE DESK
OF THE M.P.
I am pleased
to reintroduce to
you our Castries
East newsletter
“In Touch”.
This newsletter
produced and
edited by members of the Castries
East Constituency group is a means
of sharing information, knowledge
and experiences in our constituency.
In Touch is about achievement,
goals, aspirations and service the
hallmarks of Castries East.
In Touch will be primarily
circulated via social media but a
limited number of hard copies will
be available.
I am proud to be your parliamentary
representative from 1997. I thank
you with humility for that singular
honour. We have achieved and
worked together to improve the life
and livelihoods of the people of
Castries East. Our work is not over.
I ask for your continued support in
my challenging role as Leader of the
Opposition and Political Leader of
the Saint Lucia Labour Party.
I pledge to work to make Castries
East a place where we can work and
live together in peace and harmony.
Let me thank the producers and
editorial team of In Touch and take
this opportunity to wish Saint Lucia
a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous
New Year.
Happy Reading.
“Bread and Justice” Volume 1- 2018
Marchand Women
Stand With Their Man
Women know a Womens’s League as on
good man when they organisation.
see him perform.
Ask the members In November, the
of the Marchand Women’s League duly
Women’s League, recognised the service
one of the more of Philip J Pierre with
enduring women’s a commemorative
organisations in this plaque. The gesture
country. Photo By Marius Modeste of appreciation
commemorated the 40th
The League has been around for 40 anniversary of the Marchand Women’s
years and has experienced the coming League.
and going of many candidates and The plaque was presented by Ms.
eventual parliamentary representatives. Monica Alcide, a founder member of the
So members of the League should know League.
by now who is faithful and true and who Phillip continues to remain faithful
is not. to Marchand women as has been
credited for his respectful, non-partisan
Philip J Pierre has been the Castries approach towards the League and all
East MP for 22 years and counting, and other community organisations in the
has earned the respect of the Marchand constituency.
Sister Iris Matthew Turns 100
Parliamentary Representative, Hon.
Philip J Pierre. The day commenced
with a mass officiated by Father Raj
with refreshments, presentations of
gifts and greetings from the Ministry
of Social Transformation. Apart from
relatives, friends and neighbors who
were in attendance, there was as well,
the revered former Governor General
of Saint Lucia, Her Excellency Dame
Pearlette Louisy.
Thursday, November 15th, 2018, Sister Iris Matthew who is blind, is
was a memorable day for the jovial, very vocal and has remarkable
residents of Bagatelle in Castries powers of memory and retention.
East. Esteemed resident, Sister Iris
Matthew, turned 100 years old. The Parliamentary Representative
and the St Lucia Labour Party’s
It was a festive day for her Castries East Constituency Group wish
family, friends, neighbours and Sister Iris many more enjoyable years.

Our Touch
“Together In Castries East”
You are reading this newsletter -
‘In Touch’ (Castries East) - not out
of privilege, but because you have a
right to know and participate in plans
being discussed for your benefit, and
the activities taking place in your
constituency, Castries East.
This newsletter is produced by the
Castries East Constituency Group to
keep you informed of what is being
done on your behalf in the constituency.
Therefore, ‘In Touch’ (Castries
East) will highlight decisions, actions
and projects in the constituency. Our
newsletter will keep you ‘In Touch’
with activities initiated or supported by
your Parliamentary Representative.
More importantly, ‘In Touch’ will
focus on the community efforts and
achievements of the constituents - at
work and at play. It will pay attention to
people-helping-people, and supporting
one another in this great constituency,
which one outstanding son, Cyril ‘Get
Thu’ Felix immortalised in the calypso
line, “Marchand, if you please, is de
capital of Castries”
“In Touch” will track the
representation of Parliamentary
Representative, Honourable Philip
J Pierre, the person the majority of
you have been electing since 1997 to
lookout for you in government.
Now, he is taking his hard work and
humility to another level after gaining
the confidence of the St Lucia Labour
Party to become its Political Leader.
‘In Touch’ will share your community
spirit and your constructive action in an
effort to strengthen community bonds,
and to unite behind Hon. Philip J Pierre
for the continued improvement of the
lives and conditions of all constituents
of East Castries.
Happy reading. We look forward to
your support.
Castries East
WHY THERE IS NO-CONFIDENCE
IN THE PRIME MINISTER
Will St Lucia have a new Prime
Minister sooner than later?
A motion of no-confidence in Prime
Minister Allan Chastanet has been
submitted for debate in the House of
Assembly.
It was presented to the Clerk of
Parliament on Tuesday, November 20 by
Leader of the Parliamentary Opposition
and Leader of the Saint Lucia Labour
Party, Hon. Philip J Pierre. The process
says the clerk has to pass on the motion
to the Speaker of the House.
SLP members and supporters
expected the debate to take place at the
next House meeting sometime before
the end of the year.
Hon. Pierre is also the long-standing
MP for Castries East, who will be the
next Prime Minister, if the SLP wins
the next general elections which is not
legally due until June 2021 - more than
two-and-a-half years away.
If the six SLP members in the House,
plus three on the government other
side, vote in favour of the motion of no-
confidence in Prime Minister Chastanet
he will have to resign the office of
prime minister. Thereafter, the MPs
members of the government side (11
in all, including Chastanet) will have
to choose a new prime minister. If they
can’t agree on a new candidate for PM
from the government side (or from
Rebuilding
Castries East One
Home at a Time!
any nine including
the opposition)
then Parliament
will have to be
dissolved and new
general elections
called.
Hon. Pierre
explained why
the SLP and many
citizens have no
confidence in
Prime Minister
Allan Chastanet.
He said: “The motion and the
anticipated debate, will articulate
the deep concerns, anxieties and the
feeling of hopelessness among large
sections of the Saint Lucian society
about the uncaring and irresponsible
manner that the business of this
country is currently managed.”
Hon. Pierre also listed examples
of abuse of office by Prime Minister
Chastanet. These include:
*Failure to appoint a deputy speaker
of the House
*Refusal to debate CIP in parliament
despite pleas from the public and the
Opposition.
- Plunging healthcare services into a
deep crisis, created rising uncertainty,
undermining morale among health
care practitioners, and has now
encouraged an
-Presiding over a new culture of
intimidation and vindictiveness in the
governance of the country
The Opposition is calling on
all House members, in particular,
members on the government side,
to place country above self, and
support the vote of no confidence in
the leadership of Allen Chastanet and
that he resigns immediately as Prime
Minister of Saint Lucia.”
ELOQUENCE OF THE HEART “...I stammer but I rather stammer the truth than be speaking lies eloquently.”
Some rate it as one of his proudest
moments. Others say it must rank as
one of the more inspirational quotes
of 2018.
In just 25 words, Political Leader
Hon. Philip J Pierre humbled political
opponents who put his speech over
his ethical and leadership values.
“I am no showman, nor am I an
actor, my detractors say I stammer
but I rather stammer the truth than be
speaking lies eloquently.”
The occasion was the SLP Annual
Conference at the Laborie Boys
Primary School, October 14, 2018.
Delegates went wild with cheers
of approval. It was about time Mr
Pierre remind the timid that his
heart speaks before his mouth; that
SLP Can Transform the Economy of Saint Lucia
(First of an eight-part series)
The Co-operative and Credit Union
sectors must play a bigger role in the
economic life and development of
our country
The following is an excerpt
of the address by Hon Philip J
Pierre Political Leader of the Saint
Lucia Labour Party to the Annual
Conference held at the Laborie Boys
Primary School on 14th October,
2018:
Philip J Pierre Visits Kenneth Foster
It was a nostalgic moment when
two generations of leaders of the St.
Lucia Labour Party (SLP) recently
exchanged pleasantries, despite the
elder being unwell and confined to bed.
The date was Wednesday, October
17, 2018, and the venue was Bishop’s
Gap – where former SLP Political
Leader and legal titan, Kenneth
Hermus Foster, Q.C., is convalescing
at home carrying his senior years and
illness with dignity.
The visiting group, led by
Parliamentary Representative for
Castries East, Hon. Philip J Pierre,
the health, education and employment
of St Lucians.
Philip J Pierre is bringing to the
leadership table a solid education,
extensive experience in finance and
business, ethical standards in politics,
and more than two decades as a
caring and proactive parliamentary
representative of Castries East.
Unlike the current prime minister,
Philip J Pierre served as acting prime
minister on several occasions and
has had experience managing the
St Lucia needs leaders, especially challenges and pressures which come
prime ministers of vision, service and with national leadership.
humility, not smooth talkers who put St Lucia needs ‘Do-ers’ in public
the personal or business interest of office, like Philip J Pierre, not eloquent
family, friends and foreigners before presenters of fluff.
“Comrades your party believes that
the destiny of our country is in the
hands of the people of the country.
We believe in the talents of our Saint
Lucian business people and the ability
of the youth to develop formidable
businesses like the trail blazers
of local commerce, A. F. Valmont,
J.Q. Charles, Elwin Marcellin, the
Barnard family, and the Du Boulay’s. and development of our country and
We believe that the Co-operative a Labour government will provide
and Credit Union sectors must play the necessary support to ensure this
a bigger role in the economic life happens.”
both stalwarts of the St Lucia Labour
Party – the mother of all political parties
here; and they have both rose to the
highest rank – that of Political leader – in
the SLP.
Despite his health, Mr. Foster has not
lost his witty persona, making jokes and
posing for photographs.
The touching moment came when
Mr. Foster expressed confidence in Hon.
Pierre’s leadership of the Labour Party
and the prospects for a SLP victory at the
brought cherished memories, cheers and next elections.
best wishes to the prominent constituent.
Hon. Pierre was graceful, promising
Mr. Foster and Hon. Philip J. Pierre to work even harder to ensure the
have a lot in common. They have both SLP’s success in appreciation of the
made Castries East their home; they are .../See page 4
Big Players Youth Are The Kings Of
Marchand Football
The ‘Big Players’ team hoisted the
Philip J Pierre Cup on Sunday, Nov.
25, 2018 at the end of a tough battle
with B1 FC at the Marchand Grounds.
.../Philip J Pierre Visits Kenneth Foster from pg 3
contributions of elder party icons, like
Kenneth Hermus Foster, Q.C.
Mr. Foster led the SLP into general
elections in 1969 and 1974. The SLP
was unsuccessful on both occasions,
but Mr Foster won the Anse-La-Raye/
Canaries seat in 1974. He kept his seat in
the 1979 elections when the SLP won a
landslide victory under the leadership of
former High Court Judge Allan Louisy.
Mr Foster also served as Minister of
Communications, Works and Labour in
the Labour Government of 1979-1982.
SAINT LUCIA LABOUR PARTY MOURNS
It was with deep sadness that
the Political leader, Executive and
Members of the Saint Lucia Labour
Party received news of the death of
stalwarts John “Baby Star” Noel of
Grace, Vieux Fort and Tessa Elien of
Micoud North. Baby Star, also known
as Downey, was the grandfather of
Jadia Jn Pierre-Emmanuel. He was
a true Labour soldier whose death
touched the hearts of the Vieux Fort
North Labour Family. Tessa Elien was
the Treasurer of the Micoud North
Constituency Group. She succumbed
to cancer.
The Saint Lucia Labour Party
The game was decided on penalties the competition in 2018. He pledged
after a tight, even game in which to continue working to keep the
defences on both sides were difficult youth of his constituency engaged in
to penetrate. constructive activity.
MP Philip J Pierre was on hand
to present the trophy with the
endorsement of the St Lucia Football
Association. President of the SLFA
Lynden Cooper was also on hand
to present prizes and medals to the
playes, capping another season of
the championship which has been Do you have an idea for
running for as long as he is MP.
INTOUCH?
Mr Pierre praised the participating
youth for staying positive despite
Drop us a line at Email:
the long interruptions - some of castries.east.pr@gmail.com
them suspicious - that prolonged
was also saddened by the death of
statesman and regionalist, Mr. Eldon
Mathurin. The late Eldon Mathurin
was known to be a fair, firm and Mr. Eldon Mathurin
responsible gentleman. On that
basis, the SLP had no objections to
his appointment as Chairman of the
Salaries Review Committee.
The Castries East MP and SLP
Political Leader extended sincere Ms. Tessa Elien
condolences to the families of the
deceased on behalf of the entire
Labour family.
May their souls rest in peace.
Mr. John “Baby Star” Noel