Archbishop, NYC Call On St. Lucians to “Vote on Monday!” - November 27, 2001

by Earl Bousquet

One UWP woman candidate got herself in hot water and one radio journalist was expelled from the airwaves in the past week, as the final countdown got under way for Monday’s general elections. But never mind those two hot topics, the Archbishop and the National Youth Council have called on Catholics and St. Lucia’s youth to exercise their franchise in the interest of democracy.

            Last-minute UWP candidate for Castries South East, Mary Polius, went way out of depth when she reportedly claimed on platform that former UWP Attorney General Lorraine Williams had virtually sold her soul to the Labour Party for a few thousand dollars.

Radio and TV reports of the UWP public meeting in question quoted Ms Polius as saying she only decided to contest the seat after she realized her party was unable to find a candidate to run against Tourism Minister Menissa Rambally. She said she was not paid to run, nor was she the beneficiary of a debt-payment deal in exchange for her candidacy.

It was while attempting to clear the air on the rumours of such payments that Ms Polius made the statements that landed her in hot water with the lady lawyer.

Immediately after the hair-raising declaration by the HTS weather forecaster, attorneys for Ms Williams (who is also President of the St. Lucia Bar Association) gave Ms Polius 48 hours to apologise in open court – or face the legal music.

RSL’s News Director Shelton Daniel was this past week himself the subject of several news items after he and a guest were reportedly hauled off his Monday evening talk show IPI (In the Public Interest), by the station’s Managing Director.

Station sources claimed Mr Daniel and his guest, UWP Vice Chairman Bain Nathaniel, were asked by the Managing Director to leave the studio and the station’s premises after the News Director read an opening statement and the UWP Vice Chairman began his discussion on goings-on in the UWP, including disaffections regarding selection of candidates.

It was later that night reported by Mr Daniel’s usual co-host Sean Phillips – w3ho was ordered to continue the programme -- that the main host and his guest had “left the studio.” Subsequent news items claimed the News Director had been written a letter and sent home “on leave” by the Managing Director.

This past Monday evening, two new IPI hosts, Vaughn Noel and Lisa Joseph, announced that Shelton Daniel was unavailable because he was “on vacation” for an unspecified period.

Mr Daniel, who several months ago resigned as Chairman of the SLP’s Micoud North Constituency Group and vacated his position on the party’s executive to concentrate on his professional duties at the station, is yet to publicly say anything about the issue.

RSL’s Managing Director Lionel Ellis has also remained tight-lipped, with one TV station reporting he said he would not talk to the reporters unless they revealed their sources regarding the story.

The two major parties held major rallies in Babonneau last Sunday, each launching the last of their new candidates: Felix Finnisterre for the SLP and Dr Morella Joseph for the UWP. Supporters of the UWP said they were satisfied with their turnout, while SLP supporters said theirs was the biggest gathering of Labour supporters in the campaign so far.

Even Sam Flood admitted Monday (in reference to the crowd at the SLKP rally) that: “Fond Assau was bleeding red yesterday.”

The SLP launched its manifest at the Vigie Playing Field, where Prime Minister Dr Kenny D. Anthony also presented the SLP’s 17 candidates for the December 3 poll.

The National Youth Council last week launched a “No Vote, No Voice” campaign to encourage young St. Lucians to exercise their franchise. The youth oirganisation took to the William peter Boulevard, where speakers encouraged the youth to participate in the decision making of the country by voting on Monday.

St. Lucians were also called on to exercise their franchise by Roman Catholic Archbishop Kelvin Felix, who last Sunday issued a Pastoral letter calling on Catholics to vote -- or fail themselves in the exercise of an important duty and function in our democratic society.

Archbishop Felix said voting was an essential exercise and called on his flock to not only ask what can or has been done for themselves, personally, as that would be “selfish”. Instead, he urged them to ask themselves before voting, which candidate or party can bring peace and unity to the country for the better of all the people.

Meanwhile, on Monday Acting Chief Elections Officer Carson Raggie published the final Voters List for Monday’s poll, indicating an increase in the number of voters to 119,643 – some 773 more than in the last general elections.

Mr Raggie urged all voters to check the published lists and ensure they were certain where they were to vote – especially those in constituencies affected by the realignment of boundaries.

November 27, 2001

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