UWP raises alarm over crime and governance

The United Workers Party (UWP) has criticised the government’s handling of crime and national development, warning that escalating violence in Saint Lucia reflects deeper structural and leadership failures.

At the news conference, former Vieux Fort North MP Calixte Xavier said the current crime wave did not happen overnight but comes from long-term problems. “Crime at this level does not emerge overnight. It takes time,” he said. He pointed to growing criminal networks, the easy movement of illegal guns and what he called a government that reacts instead of planning ahead.

Xavier questioned whether recent government actions have made a real difference. He noted that even with more police officers, new equipment, changes in the ministry, and a 2.5% health and security levy, “we have not seen a decline in the murders yet.”

He also criticised what he saw as failures in border security and support for law enforcement. He raised concerns about the disbanding of the canine unit, broken scanners, and low morale in the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force. “Our security begins at our borders,” he said, adding that how officers are treated has not helped their morale.

Xavier also talked about the human and social costs of crime, pointing out the trauma faced by victims, families, and first responders. He mentioned the mental strain on officers who respond to violent incidents, saying, “Up to now I can tell you we do not have a counsellor attached to the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force,” and called this “a bigger problem”.

He pointed out the financial strain on families affected by violent crime, from medical bills to losing a breadwinner, saying that “crime contributes to severe financial hardship on the various families”. Highlighting public frustration, Xavier said, “We are tired of speeches. We are tired of promises. We want safety, we want leadership.”

Dominic Fedee, UWP’s Second Deputy Political Leader, added that crime is connected to bigger problems with governance and the economy. He said, “Crime is only the most visible symptom of a deeper national failure of planning priorities and leadership,” and warned that Saint Lucia is “drifting” when it most needs clear direction.

Fedee pointed out that the government has received substantial revenue from loans and the Citizenship by Investment Programme. Still, he said, people feel “unsafe, uncertain and unconvinced about the country’s direction”. He added, “The issue confronting Saint Lucia was never simply a lack of money; the issue was a lack of priorities.”

He called for greater transparency and accountability, especially regarding funds from the citizenship programme, saying, “The people of Saint Lucia deserve transparency, they deserve accountability.”

Fedee said that not having long-term plans has led to more social instability, youth unemployment and weaker communities. “When governments fail to create opportunity, fail to plan strategically… criminal networks eventually begin filling the vacuum,” he said, showing how economic problems and crime are connected.

He also warned that rising violence could hurt tourism, which he called “the lifeblood of Saint Lucia’s economy”. He said that more crime could harm how the world sees Saint Lucia and scare off investors. “A country cannot market paradise abroad while instability spreads at home,” he said.

Fedee also criticized what he saw as inconsistent and unplanned ways of handling development projects that affect vendors and fisherfolk. He argued that “there appears to be no coherent national policy” for how vulnerable groups are treated during redevelopment.

He said Saint Lucia needs thorough, long-term solutions. “Band-aids cannot replace nation building,” he added and called for better planning, accountability and sustainable development

The article UWP raises alarm over crime and governance is from St. Lucia Times.