Opposition leader Allen Chastanet has declared that Saint Lucia's crime situation is 'out of control', and has questioned Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre's seriousness in tackling the problem.
Chastanet posted his remarks Friday on Facebook, hours after Saint Lucia recorded its 20th homicide in 2024.
A 42-year-old man was shot dead, and another male sustained leg injuries at Bagatelle, Castries, Thursday night.
Chastanet recalled that this week, Pierre's office stated that the Prime Minister would return to Saint Lucia on Wednesday from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) summit in Guyana to address 'pressing issues' at home.
"Putting a stop to the senseless shootings remains a high-priority area of focus for the police and the government," Pierre's office declared in a Facebook post.
The Prime Minister, who met the Attorney General and senior police officials, received a progress report on ongoing efforts by law enforcement officers 'in pursuit of the individuals and their accomplices implicated in a series of shooting incidents'.
However, the opposition leader noted that Pierre's office said the PM would not attend Friday's CELAC meeting in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
"Given the out-of-control crime situation, especially given that the latest homicide occurred within his constituency, you would think that this would be one of the pressing issues that the PM would be attending to," the United Workers Party (UWP) leader observed.
Chastanet declared that, instead, the Office of the Prime Minister issued another Press Release on Friday morning.
He said the new release indicated Pierre was heading to the CELAC meeting in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the same meeting his office initially said he would not attend.
"When will Prime Minister Philip J Pierre, who is also the Minister for National Security, take the out-of-control crime situation seriously?' Chastanet asked.
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