CHASTANET: "BRING BACK SIR JOHN'S VISION."

    Allen Chastanet, on Thursday May 9, 2013, met with a cross-section of the constituents from  Choiseul/Saltibus, at Jacks Disco in Delcer. The meeting took place at about 6:30pm and was chaired by political activist Jimmy Haynes. Jimmy introduced Chastanet to the constituents, while at the same time posing some questions  which he thinks should be the main focus of Chastanet's delivery - reasons why Chastanet wants to be political leader, and what will he do if he becomes political leader and wins the next general elections, to take St Lucia out of these "Bitter "Days."
     Jimmy went on to inform Chastanet that Delcer's pollling division is better known as "Niche Flambeau." He went on to inform the potential political leader that many of the delegates are here. Each constituency provides at least 15 delegates who have the voting right at a convention to elect a political leader of the party as well as other members of the National Executive.
    A thunderous applause shook the disco as Chastanet took to the podium. Chastanet started the meeting in an unconventional manner by first asking the audience to pose questions they wish to have answers for. "What are your plans for the youth and investment for Choiseul?",a member of a youth group asked. Why have you decided to run for political leader of the UWP? " was another from a person on the floor .Two or three more questions were thrown at Chastanet from other persons.

     Chastanet, looking very energized and motivated began by giving a history of his political life. He moved on to mention that, " We must bring back Sir John's Vision." He continued, " I believe that the United Workers Party need to bring back all the people it has lost. All the old people, people who believed in Sir John, and believe in the Vision of Sir John, who did not either vote for this party, and in some cases voted against the Party. United Workers Party lost the elections. The Labour Party did not win it. it is our people that put us out of power, not the Labour Party." (Applause).
     As to why he chose to put his hat in the ring for the political leader, he went on to answer, " And why me? My whole life has been about delivery. Every business I have been involved in has been successful.......people  say, as a leader all I know about is tourism. that's not true. I'm an economist. I chose to educate myself in tourism, because I think Tourism is what is going to drive the economic growth of this country."
    Chastanet, meticulously delved into each industry and how he would like to see the way forward. He touched on Tourism, his pet topic, Agriculture and how he would like to see the farmers do a lot better. On Sports, he would like to see games whereby our young  can get access to scholarships to further their education. On Education/Youth, Chastanet would like to see a change. "We need a better education system for our youth. I am not happy with their education. I don't think that the school system is equipping and teaching the young people enough things to make them more productive in our society. I don't believe that we are teaching young people how to own their own business, because many of you will not be working for somebody else except your own business, and you're not going to have a chance to go to university, and therefore at school you've to learn to manage money, how to negotiate contracts,and how a business works. so education is fundamental to me first thing."

    About the Party, Allen thinks that there must be unity, and thinks that our greatest enemy is ourselves.
When asked about choosing Choiseul as his seat, Allen was very diplomatic in his answers. Though in his reply one could sense that his heart seems all Soufriere, he was quick to mention that it is the Party who decides where he will run. Other persons have it that Micoud South is a seat reserved for him.
With his leadership, Chastanet thinks that he can make the United Workers Party a formidable opposition. He told his audience, " We do not have an opposition. The party in power feels they can do whatever they want to do. Time to send a message to the Labour Party. Let us get the United Workers Party together and let us become a formidable opposition....................we are too divided. It's time to reunite. I believe that I am the person to bring  all these people  back together. And the people who do not want to be part of this team, you're out."
  Chastanet took a swipe at the SLP government. He concluded, " I am tired of this government making excuses as to why St Lucia is not doing well. The first thing they always say is that the world is in a recession.  Things are bad, we can't make things happen. That's not true. America is booming, Canada is booming,United Kingdom has had growth, Europe is now having growth.............."

  The Labour Party Chastanet thinks, cannot run the country. "It does not know what to do. they are confused, and they are less united than we are. Trust me what I've said. ...................Let us put the right leadership in place and let us get down with the business we have to do.
 About the United Workers Party, he thinks that the Party needs to change its ways. It must become a more disciplined party. he went on to tell his audience, "We have to become a party that has a bigger vision for where we want to take this country. We are a party that must become more structured, and a party when it is in power is committed to delivering to everybody....."
 At the end of the session Allen Chastanet met with the delegates that were present and later mingled with the  large crowd that had gathered outside to meet him.