NewsGovernment renewed pledges on World Anti-Corruption Day

The Saint Lucia government observed World Anti-Corruption Day (December 9) reiterating its determination to fulfill the ruling Saint Lucia Labour Party’s 2021 General Elections campaign promise to strongly tackle corruption and investigate allegations of corruption in government, involving members of the previous administration.

Then Political Leader of the Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP) Philip J. Pierre promised during the July elections campaign to investigate illegal and irregular practices in the handling of public finances.

Within days of taking office, his government-appointed teams to investigate the status of finances of the St. Jude Hospital and Hewanorra International Airport (HIA) projects. The new administration also indicated its intention to appoint a Special Prosecutor to investigate — and prosecute where necessary acts of corruption during the last administration.

PM Pierre has been coming under friendly fire from within to move more quickly on the investigative front and to have some “Political Appointees” in key positions inherited from the previous administration severed.

But the Prime Minister in his defense has underlined his intention to go by the book and not follow the pattern of the preceding administration, which terminated several diplomats and other top officials, costing the government large sums of money.

PM Pierre reminded the press on World Corruption Day, that “the taxpayers of Saint Lucia are liable for millions of dollars for bad actions by the last government.” He went on to say that “We have not sent home one ambassador, because the taxpayers of this country, up to today, are paying for the last government firing ambassadors…”

Referring to investigations into acts of corruption, PM Pierre said, “We are not going to fall into that trap… We are going to be mature (and) go through the process and do the necessary investigations… We will be doing things systematically and we’ll be looking for the evidence…”

However, he promised: “When the time comes, rest assured anybody who has stolen the government’s money – at whatever level it is – will be made to account.”