The Silent Strategy: Is the SLP Taking Voters in Castries North and Central for a Ride?

In the spirited race to the next general elections, the United Workers Party (UWP) has already placed all 17 of its candidates on the battlefield—a clear sign of readiness and strategic clarity. On the other side, the Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP) appears to be playing a more mysterious game. While it has made several candidate changes across key constituencies—even unseating sitting MPs in some cases—it has remained noticeably silent on Castries North and Castries Central, leaving voters to question: What exactly is the Labour Party’s endgame here?

Let’s not forget: In the last election, both Stephenson King (Castries North) and Richard Frederick (Castries Central) ran as independents, defying party labels but clearly aligning with the values and direction of the SLP-led administration. After their wins, both men were welcomed into the fold of government, not as backbenchers or silent supporters, but as key ministers—King at Infrastructure, Frederick at Housing.

Yet here we are, standing at the brink of another election cycle, and neither man has been formally accepted as a Labour candidate. The SLP has delayed or outright avoided declaring them as standard bearers under their official banner. Meanwhile, constituencies like Castries East, Vieux Fort South, and Dennery South already have their candidates on the ground, knocking on doors and making their case.

So, what gives?

The Questions Voters Deserve to Ask

If both King and Frederick were deemed good enough to hold major ministerial portfolios, why the hesitation in formally endorsing them as Labour candidates?

Is the SLP afraid of internal backlash from its grassroots members who still view King and Frederick as “outsiders” or “opportunists”?

Is the party trying to ride on their personal popularity in those constituencies without officially absorbing them into the party—just in case things go south?

This approach smacks of political opportunism cloaked in silence. It’s as if the SLP wants to eat its cake and still have it—benefiting from the political capital of King and Frederick without paying the price of transparency and loyalty to the party base.

Is This Fair to the Electorate?

Absolutely not.

By failing to confirm their candidates in Castries North and Central, the Labour Party is essentially playing a waiting game, possibly to gauge public sentiment or avoid internal fractures. But in doing so, it leaves voters in limbo, unsure of who exactly is representing them or what party banner their MP will fly under once elected.

If the SLP genuinely believes in democratic values and openness, it must come clean with the electorate. Either Stephenson King and Richard Frederick are part of your team, or they’re not. You can't keep voters in the dark just to serve political convenience.

A Dangerous Precedent

The longer the SLP delays, the more it appears to be using these two constituencies as pawns, not partners in progress. It also raises the larger question: What else is the SLP hiding from the electorate? If this level of manipulation is happening at the candidate selection level, what can we expect when policy decisions roll out post-election?

Final Thought: The People Are Watching

Saint Lucians are politically aware. They may not shout in the streets every day, but they are paying attention. The silence around Castries North and Central is not just a strategy—it’s a message. And come election day, the people will have the final say.

We deserve transparency. We deserve accountability. We deserve better.

🗳️ Don’t be taken for a ride.