St. Lucia Columnist Questions New Government’s Leadership Skills Ahead Of PM’s New York Town-Hall

Prime Minister of Saint Lucia, Allen Michael Chastanet.

By NAN Staff Writer

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Weds. Sept. 21, 2016: A popular St. Lucian columnist and consultant is questioning whether newly-elected Prime Minister of St. Lucia, Allen Chastanet, has the real skills to lead the country out of its economic crisis ahead of the PM’s town-hall meeting with New York Diaspora nationals this weekend.

Melanius Alphonse, in his latest column for several Caribbean media, says Saint Lucia’s economy is walking a tight rope and Prime Minister Chastanet is going to need to quickly get a grasp of the country’s socio-economic conditions and put on track a plausible policy.

Alphonse also slammed the United Workers Party (UWP) administration’s 100 day performance as “a combination of useless and pretentious theatrics that have bordered on, if not already become a national disgrace.”

“In addition, the evidence of transformational leadership and institutions, as well as good governance to unlock new opportunities is conspicuous by its absence,” he noted while questioning why Saint Lucia is still missing from the list of Caribbean government to comply with Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA).

Melanius Alphonse

“By a very significant margin, what passes for economic fundamentals and new opportunities by the Chastanet-led administration is a fraud at best and, as well, a psychological and strategic obstacle to Saint Lucia’s economic and fiscal policy progress, which so far remains an illusion,” added Alphonse.

PM Chastanet is set to meet with St. Lucia nationals and others at a town hall meeting on Saturday, September 24, 2016 at 5:30 p.m. at the Mahalia Jackson Middle School, 790 East New York Ave. (between Schenectady and Troy Aves.) in Brooklyn, NY. He is slated to be joined by Sarah Flood-Beaubrun, minister of finance, economic growth, job creation, external affairs and the public service.

For more information contact the St. Lucia Consulate by calling (212) 697-9360, ext. 203, or sending an email to sluconsulateny@govt.lc.