Forgotten Communities, Forgotten People: A Wake-Up Call from Roblot, Choiseul

As a concerned citizen of Roblot, Choiseul, I cannot sit in silence any longer.

With general elections looming—constitutionally due in 2026 but rumored to be called earlier—it's time to reflect, reassess, and rise. For too long, we the people of La Maze, Debreuil, Roblot, and Riviere Dorée have been fed crumbs under the guise of development. We've been pacified with footpaths, drains, and temporary grass-cutting jobs, while our communities cry out for real transformation—education, empowerment, and opportunity.

Just take a look around.

In Roblot, our community center remains locked, untouched and underutilized. Built with taxpayer dollars, it sits there as a silent monument to broken promises—walled off from the very people it was intended to serve. What kind of leadership allows such a resource to lie idle in the face of growing unemployment, especially among our youth?

This isn’t just a Roblot issue. La Maze, Debreuil, and Riviere Dorée have suffered the same fate: neglected, under-resourced, and spoken about only when it’s time for votes. The cries of our young people are deafening. They are not lazy—they are idle because no one has given them the tools or opportunities to rise.

Instead of youth development programs, instead of skills training centers, what did we get?

A bar.

Yes, a bar—soon to be built on what was once prime government land near Choiseul Secondary School. Land that could have been transformed into a vocational training center, a small business incubator, a community IT hub—anything that contributes to the development of human capital. But that would’ve required foresight. That would’ve required politicians to put people over personal gain.

The problem isn’t a lack of resources. The problem is a lack of vision.

And now, as another election cycle creeps upon us, the same tired tactics will return. We’ll be told once again to vote for roads, for handouts, for favors. But we are not fools. We are not beggars. We are citizens with a right to thrive, not just survive.

It’s time we demand better.

What are these politicians offering for the advancement of the people—not just their party base, but the entire community? Where are the proposals for literacy and computer classes? Where are the workshops on entrepreneurship, agriculture, hospitality, and trades? Where are the plans for our youth, our single parents, our unemployed men and women?

If they have no plan for our development, then they are not worthy of our votes.

We must be vigilant. We must be bold. We must ask the tough questions and demand real answers—not flashy slogans or last-minute giveaways. The campaign trail will be noisy, but let us listen not to the volume of their voices, but to the substance of their message.

No more blind loyalty. No more empty promises. No more selling our dignity for a ride to town or a free t-shirt.

This time, Roblot, La Maze, Debreuil, and Riviere Dorée will not be silenced.

We will rise.

We will speak.

And we will vote not for politicians, but for progress.

🔴 SLP’s Choiseul/Saltibus Gamble: Back to the Drawing Board?

A little birdie tells us that the Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP) has unofficially narrowed its focus to two potential candidates for the Choiseul/Saltibus seat in the upcoming general elections: Darrion and Pauline. If this is true, then it’s safe to say that the SLP is on course to hand the seat right back to incumbent Bradly Felix of the United Workers Party (UWP)—on a silver platter.

One fired-up SLP supporter didn’t mince words, quipping in full Kwéyòl:

"Bradly kay bat tousel Darrion ek Pauline an menm tan!"
Translation? Bradly will beat them jointly. Ouch.

Let’s unpack why this decision could be politically suicidal for the Labour camp.

Darrion: From Attaché to Candidate?

Many in the constituency know Darrion as the former loudest cheerleader for Bradly Felix—not just a supporter, but what some described as “Bradly’s attaché.” His sudden shift to Labour has left even SLP loyalists puzzled, with murmurs of hypocrisy and backstabbing swirling across La Fargue and beyond.

It doesn’t help that La Fargue—his own backyard—is reportedly lukewarm about his candidacy.
So, we must ask the hard question: does Darrion even have a base?
If he’s struggling to command the support of his own neighbors, how will he penetrate the UWP’s strongholds?

To quote a local observer:

Espoir Mal Papie!”
A hapless hope indeed.

Pauline: History Repeats Itself?

As for Pauline, let’s talk numbers:
In the 2016 General Election, she was defeated by Bradly Felix by over 400 votes—and that was with a full campaign and the momentum of being a fresh face.
Fast forward to 2025, and the landscape looks even dimmer.

Her disengagement with grassroots supporters over the last four years is a glaring red flag. Constituents whisper about her:

• Rare visits
• Poor delegation of responsibilities
• Recycling of contracts within the same inner circle
• Eroding trust from key community mobilizers

According to one influential foot soldier:

“Pauline wants to run the show alone. She doesn’t trust anyone with real responsibility.”

Even in her traditional strongholds in the eastern part of the constituency, support is said to be waning.

The Keithson Question: Why Bypass a Rising Star?

Now, here’s where it gets interesting.
Keithson Charles, who has made serious inroads into Bradly’s base, is being mysteriously sidelined. Why?

Yes, elections are near. Yes, a lot of work would need to be done to bolster his readiness. But Keithson was around before Darrion even blinked Labour red. So why this sudden leapfrogging?

Could it be political favoritism? Internal party dynamics? Or is SLP simply betting on the wrong horses?

Looking Ahead: December 8, 2025?

This blog strongly predicts the next general election will be held on Monday, December 8, 2025—timed to coincide with the handover of the St. Jude Hospital. With National Day falling that same weekend, the SLP will likely seek to turn victory (or survival) into a nationwide celebration from December 13–15.

But here’s the rub: If Darrion or Pauline is leading the charge in Choiseul/Saltibus, that “celebration” might just skip this constituency.

Final Thoughts

If the SLP is serious about reclaiming Choiseul/Saltibus, they need to rethink their strategy.
Darrion’s credibility issues and Pauline’s disconnection from her base won’t cut it. Bradly Felix may not be invincible—but he’s not beatable by default.

Labour, take heed:
Sometimes, the best way forward is to look within your ranks and ask not “who has the title?” but “who has the trust of the people?”

Otherwise, Bradly might just waltz back into office—unbothered, unbeaten, and unchallenged.

Stop the Madness! Political Oversight Isn’t a Crime — It’s a Duty”

This so-called commentary posted on St Lucia News Online is not only embarrassing in its logic, it's an insult to the intelligence of Saint Lucians. Let’s call this what it is — propaganda masquerading as public concern by so called "Caribbean Writers".

Let’s tear into this foolishness point by point:

1. "Political sabotage"? Really?
Since when is showing up at a construction site — a publicly funded site — considered sabotage? Is the public no longer allowed to question delays, check progress, or challenge the government on transparency? If Allen Chastanet is trespassing, say so and let the law handle it — don’t inflate it into some Mission Impossible movie plot.

2. "Dangerous escalation"? From what — visiting sites? Asking questions?
This article is riddled with fear-mongering, claiming Chastanet is "jeopardizing public safety." How exactly? With a camera crew and some tough questions? The real danger here is the suggestion that political leaders must stay silent or risk being branded enemies of the state.

3. “Strengthen security to stop him”?
This recommendation is laughable. We’re talking about public infrastructure funded by taxpayers. Is the government now building bunkers instead of hospitals? If these projects are so sensitive that an opposition leader showing up is a threat, what are you really hiding?

4. Irony, thy name is this article.
To accuse Chastanet of being desperate because he’s criticizing projects his government started or failed to finish — isn’t that just normal political accountability? Or is the Labour Party now allergic to scrutiny?

5. “This is not about politics.”
Please. This entire piece is dripping with partisanship. It reads more like a press release from a ruling party spin doctor than a credible piece of journalism. The dramatic language, the hollow praise of the government, and the complete absence of counterpoints scream bias.

 Bottom Line:

This isn’t journalism. It’s an attempt to paint legitimate political critique as terrorism. If a sitting opposition leader showing up to inspect government work is now "sabotage," then democracy itself is under threat — not from Chastanet, but from the authors of this nonsense.

Security shouldn’t be used as a shield to block public inquiry. If your projects are sound, let them stand up to scrutiny. If they’re not — well, no amount of fences and cameras will save you from public judgment.

Let’s keep our eyes on real sabotage: corruption, incompetence, and the silencing of dissent.

Let the people decide who’s desperate — we know the smell of fear when we see it in print.