Allan Chastanet, the opposition leader of St. Lucia, reports that plans are on to create a unified organization of opposition leaders from the Caribbean region.
Chastanet gave a speech on the night of March 4th, 2024, at the SWAHA Hindu College in Sangre Grande at the United National Congress’s (UNC) fourth Anti-crime Town Hall meeting.
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Speaking to the assembled attendees, Chastanet claimed UNC leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar, whom he referred to as a visionary, came up with the concept.
“We are going to take this voice now to the region and form a collective group of leaders of the opposition and to make sure that the voices of the leaders of the opposition in the Caribbean region are heard by the (Caribbean Development Bank) CDB, by the World Bank and by Caricom and we’re no longer gonna be denied the voice in representing all the people who did not vote for the government and to make sure that that voice is listened to and given a seat at the table.”
Chastanet emphasized that nations shouldn’t view crime as a domestic issue, drawing attention to the problem that exists throughout the continent. He emphasized that larger, worldwide networks of gangs possessing superior weaponry and technology are the ones causing the most trouble.
“We must protect each other’s borders to be able to protect ourselves,” he noted.
He called on regional authorities to provide funding for a regional security system covering all of Caricom. The Eastern Caribbean nations of Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines are covered by the RSS.
According to Chastanet, this is particularly crucial because Caribbean nations are getting ready to present legislation to different legislatures to facilitate regional travel via the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME).
“I am calling upon the leaders today, I am asking them to do the right thing now. Allow the tax to go through and let us fund a regional security system that is going to be to protect all of us,” he stated.
“I want to know that the brightest and the best police officers in each one of the countries will now be working for that regional organization. I want to know that there is an entity that can audit our own police forces and give them guidance and I want to know that not only the borders of St Lucia are being protected but the borders of all other Caricom countries have formed a net around ourselves to keep the scourge out.”
Additionally, he pleaded with the public to have compassion for crime victims since the day would come when they are affected personally.
“I am pleading with all of you, open your hearts and feel the pain of the people who are being affected because today it’s them, tomorrow it is going to be you. You will be the mother saying he was a good boy. Don’t wait for it to happen before you find out how lonely the world is and that nobody really cares.”
