The Lucian People’s Movement (LPM) said that it isn’t surprised by Tom Walcott’s public admonishment of Dr Kenny Anthony and Philip Pierre. The LPM believes that Anthony and Pierre should consider making room for a much younger group of people to lead the Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP) after more than 17 years at the helm.

While the LPM does not, it said, normally comment on the internal discussions of the island’s political organizations, it added that it is important to highlight a recent exchange it had with the general secretary of the Labour Party, Leo Clarke, shortly after conducting an online poll questioning the effectiveness of Anthony’s long-term leadership. The LPM chided the SLP for the permanency of its leadership and pointed out that the SLP today has become the essence of all they once accused the late Sir John Compton of.

“The citizens of Saint Lucia ought to understand by now that any party that endorses the idea of a permanent leadership, especially when they are in power, cannot be serious about implementing new, bold ideas to move the country forward. Moreover, if the leader of a party – and of the country by extension – becomes a fixture and develops a cult-like personality, one can reasonably expect an unchallenged and uninspiring country where many failed ideas are repackaged as new,” the LPM continued.

The LPM insisted that Saint Lucia should modernize its political system by raising the standard of politics to the level of most other progressive nations. The LPM therefore called on both the SLP and UWP to join it in supporting a two-term limit for leadership at the governmental level.