There is jubilation in St. Lucia! Stephenson King’s UWP has been ousted from office and Kenny Anthony’s SLP holds the reins of government again. Given certain developments in that country over the past few years, the fall of the UWP did not come as a surprise to any reasonable observer.
Among the harbingers of a UWP defeat were:
- The poor leadership qualities exhibited by Stephenson King
- The gaping fractures in the UWP
- The escalation in crime and violence
- The sluggish economy and its deleterious impact on the tourism sector
- The crippling effects of natural disasters such as hurricane Tomas
One got the impression that Stephenson King and his UWP were hard put to incite confidence in the St. Lucian people as they faced all these challenges. Things were further complicated by the fractious episodes that saw the party fighting among its ranks. Thus, with hard times and poor leadership, St. Lucians voted for change.
And so, another incumbent government falls. One wonders if there is a lesson here for Vincentians. Should Gonsalves and the ULP now prepare to go the way of King and the UWP? Only time will tell
Vinci Kallaloo 