Opposition leader Allen Chastanet calls for action on rising crime in St. Lucia

Opposition Leader Allen Chastanet has called for urgent, cross-party efforts to tackle the escalating crime situation in St. Lucia, describing it as “the worst crime crisis in our nation’s history.”

- Advertisement -

Speaking in a radio and television broadcast on Thursday night, the United Workers Party (UWP) leader said crime should never be a political issue, stressing that it “affects all of us, regardless of our political affiliation, our economic status, or where we live.”

Chastanet, a former prime minister, noted that St. Lucia recorded 77 murders last year, marking “the deadliest year we had ever seen.” He highlighted a surge in firearm-related killings under the current St. Lucia Labour Party (SLP) government of Prime Minister Phillip J. Pierre, with gun deaths rising from five out of every ten murders to just under eight out of ten.

“This tells us that our streets have been flooded with illegal weapons while our police force has been starved of resources. The police budget was actually cut while crime soared to record levels. In 2024, our beloved St Lucia had the sixth-highest homicide rate in the Caribbean at 42.8 per 100,000 people,” he said. Chastanet contrasted this with Trinidad and Tobago, where a similar homicide rate has prompted a state of emergency.

Beyond the statistics, Chastanet warned of the broader societal impact, citing strain on mental health services and the healthcare system, with gunshot victims and assault cases overwhelming emergency rooms. He criticised the government for being “disorganised and soft on crime,” noting the delay in appointing a Minister of National Security and the disbanding of the K9 unit, with only one dog, Tyson, mysteriously poisoned.

“They failed to maintain our police scanners, leaving our officers operating blind on the streets. Where we had built a network of over 1,200 CCTV cameras across the island, they have allowed this critical infrastructure to fall into disrepair,” Chastanet said. He added that the crime surge has coincided with “the collapse of the justice system,” with critical evidence disappearing from police custody.

Chastanet pledged that if the UWP wins the general election next year, it will establish a dedicated CSI unit to ensure proper evidence collection and preservation. He also expressed concern over sexual assault allegations against a senior police officer, warning that “when those sworn to protect become those we fear… our society is in grave danger.”

The opposition leader criticised the government’s silence on rising crime, saying, “This silence is complicity. It is an abdication of the sacred responsibility that comes with leadership. This administration has been soft on crime, with no accountability and only excuses.”

Chastanet recalled an open letter he wrote to Prime Minister Pierre two years ago, offering concrete solutions and the UWP’s support for cross-party collaboration. “That letter was ripped to shreds. Those recommendations were ignored. And in the two years since, our situation has only gotten worse,” he said.