Phillip Joseph Pierre was sworn in on Friday as St. Lucia’s 12th prime minister since the island gained independence from Britain in 1979, pledging to continue the policies of his previous administration that resonated with the majority of voters in Monday’s general election.
“I am excited and optimistic about the future of St. Lucia. I pledge to do my best for the development of my country. It is with humility and honour that I accept the mantle of Prime Minister for a second term,” Pierre said after being sworn in by Governor General Sir Errol Charles at the official residence on the Morne, overlooking Castries.
Prime ministers from Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, and St. Kitts-Nevis attended the ceremony, along with former St. Vincent and the Grenadines prime minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves.
In his address, the 71-year-old Pierre — the ninth person to serve as head of government since independence — said he was happy to be speaking “in the right mood” after guiding the St. Lucia Labour Party (SLP) to a convincing victory. The SLP secured 14 of the 17 seats in Parliament, while two seats went to independents who were part of Pierre’s first administration. The main opposition United Workers Party (UWP) will be represented only by Allen Chastanet, who on Friday announced his resignation as party leader.
“I am overjoyed and grateful to the people of St. Lucia for electing the party that I have the honour to lead,” Pierre said, adding that “today marks a historic achievement for the St. Lucia Labour Party being the only party in St. Lucia to have won a second consecutive term in the last 20 years”.
He noted that the SLP had increased both its share of the popular vote and its parliamentary majority. Pierre said the electorate’s support signalled approval of his first-term policies, and he promised continued focus on the vulnerable and on measures to deter youth from joining gangs.
“WE cannot speak of preserving human dignity and a more equitable society if we are not prepared to address the basic needs of the vulnerable and the differently abled so that everyone can have a dignified existence,” he said.
“In our new term, we will continue to target interventions to those most in need. We cannot develop a dual society where any demographic is allowed to go adrift. I speak to the disenchantment of our young males, who are disengaged from the developmental process.”
Pierre said his administration would allocate resources to support young men, stressing that “gang membership and unlawful codes of behaviour should not be a desirable alternative for our young men. We call for zero tolerance towards all forms of deviant behaviour that is likely to destroy our society”.
The new Cabinet will be announced and sworn in next week. Pierre said his government will pursue new policies aimed at countering what he described as the “weight” of negativity affecting the country.
“If we are not careful, we will pay a heavy price. My government will therefore do all it can to help reverse this trend of negativity,” he said, urging citizens not to normalise division and hate.
Pierre said the administration will have a mandate to deliver on its promises, including “an impactful public sector investment programme” featuring upgrades to Hewanorra International Airport, improvements to water infrastructure, and investment in citizen security.
On foreign policy, he said St. Lucia will continue active participation in the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), while upholding “the principle of sovereignty and peace in our region”.
