2021 Saint Lucian general election
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All 17 seats in the House of Assembly 9 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Turnout | 51.08%  2.37pp | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Administrative divisions (Quarters) |
General elections were held in Saint Lucia on 26 July 2021,[1] having been constitutionally required by 12 October 2021. Voters elected all 17 members of the House of Assembly.[2] The result was a victory for the opposition Saint Lucia Labour Party, which won 13 of the 17 seats in the House, while the ruling United Workers Party lost nine of its eleven seats, its worst result since 1997. It was the fourth consecutive election in which the incumbent government was defeated.
Electoral system
[edit]The 17 elected members of the House of Assembly were elected by first-past-the-post in single member constituencies.[3]
According to the constitution, elections for a new Parliament session can be held at the latest 5 years and 90 days after the opening of the previous session. The first session after the 2016 election was held on 12 July 2016, leaving the deadline in October 2021. Incumbent Prime Minister Allen Chastanet favoured a later date, stating in April 2021 his intent to avoid another outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in Saint Lucia.[2] On 5 July 2021, he announced that the election would be held on 26 July.[4]
Campaign
[edit]Political parties began announcing prospective candidates in December 2020.[5][6][7]
On Nomination Day, 16 July, the governing United Workers Party (UWP) nominated candidates for all 17 constituencies. The opposition Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP) nominated candidates for 15 constituencies, not fielding candidates in two constituencies where former UWP members campaigned as independents. The National Green Party (NGP) nominated candidates for eight constituencies.[8][9]
Although the parties held campaign rallies, they mutually agreed not to allow motorcades after warnings from health authorities.[10]
In June 2021 the UWP announced a five-point pledge of top priority items it would deliver if re-elected: the pledge included additional support for needy persons, a reduction in VAT, electronic textbooks for students and a health insurance programme covering all citizens.[11]
The NGP was founded on 23 May 2021. For the upcoming election, the party announced food security to be its key issue, along with constitutional reforms that the UWP and SLP had not passed. The NGP also proposed increased spending on social services and tourism infrastructure; these projects would be funded by establishing a legal cannabis industry.[12]
Conduct
[edit]The Caribbean Community sent a team of ten election observers for the main election as well as the advance polls on 23 July, and gave a favourable initial assessment.[13] Chaired by Alvin Smith, the five-member team from the Commonwealth[14] also praised the conduct of the elections, but criticised the slow updating of the voter registry.[15] The Organization of American States sent a team of twelve election observers.[16]
Results
[edit]The SLP flipped seven seats, winning 13 of the 17 in the House. For the first time since independence, the UWP lost the Micoud North seat. The UWP retained only two seats, those of PM Chastenet and Commerce Minister Bradley Felix, while the two former UWP members running as independents, Stephenson King and Richard Frederick, won their seats.[17][18][19]
 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | |
| Saint Lucia Labour Party | 43,799 | 50.14 | 13 | +7 | |
| United Workers Party | 37,481 | 42.91 | 2 | –9 | |
| National Green Party | 271 | 0.31 | 0 | New | |
| Independents | 5,807 | 6.65 | 2 | +2 | |
| Total | 87,358 | 100.00 | 17 | 0 | |
| Valid votes | 87,358 | 98.10 | |||
| Invalid/blank votes | 1,694 | 1.90 | |||
| Total votes | 89,052 | 100.00 | |||
| Registered voters/turnout | 174,332 | 51.08 | |||
| Source: Electoral Department | |||||
By constituency
[edit]| Constituency | Electorate | Turnout | % | Political party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anse la Raye/Canaries | 8,614 | 4,978 | 57.79 | Saint Lucia Labour Party (gain) | Wayne Girard | 2,468 | 51.6 | |
| United Workers Party | Dominic Fedee | 2,303 | 48.1 | |||||
| National Green Party | Avalan Joseph | 16 | 0.3 | |||||
| Babonneau | 12,942 | 6,524 | 50.41 | Saint Lucia Labour Party (gain) | Virginia Albert-Poyotte | 3,245 | 50.9 | |
| United Workers Party | Ezechiel Joseph | 3,135 | 49.1 | |||||
| Castries Central | 9,102 | 3,687 | 40.51 | Independent (gain) | Richard Frederick | 2,099 | 57.5 | |
| United Workers Party | Sarah Flood-Beaubrun | 1,494 | 41.0 | |||||
| National Green Party | Aaron Alexander | 55 | 1.5 | |||||
| Castries East | 12,739 | 5,658 | 44.41 | Saint Lucia Labour Party | Philip J. Pierre | 3,700 | 66.5 | |
| United Workers Party | Fortuna C. Belrose | 1,823 | 32.8 | |||||
| National Green Party | Ubaidullah Muhammad | 40 | 0.7 | |||||
| Castries North | 12,282 | 5,327 | 43.37 | Independent (gain) | Stephenson King | 3,643 | 69.5 | |
| United Workers Party | Jeannine Giraudy-McIntyre | 1,530 | 29.2 | |||||
| National Green Party | Daisy Anna St. Rose | 37 | 0.7 | |||||
| Independent | Nathalbert Earl George | 31 | 0.6 | |||||
| Castries South | 9,554 | 4,810 | 50.35 | Saint Lucia Labour Party | Ernest Hilaire | 3,064 | 64.8 | |
| United Workers Party | Bertrand Birch Johannes | 1,635 | 34.6 | |||||
| National Green Party | Raffaele Cantoni | 33 | 0.7 | |||||
| Castries South East | 15,000 | 7,642 | 50.95 | Saint Lucia Labour Party (gain) | Joachim Andre Henry | 3,978 | 52.9 | |
| United Workers Party | Guy Joseph | 3,541 | 47.1 | |||||
| Choiseul | 9,546 | 5,498 | 57.59 | United Workers Party | John Bradley Felix | 2,846 | 53.5 | |
| Saint Lucia Labour Party | Pauline Antoine-Prospere | 2,461 | 46.3 | |||||
| National Green Party | Mary Gilberta St. Rose | 10 | 0.2 | |||||
| Dennery North | 8,705 | 4,628 | 53.16 | Saint Lucia Labour Party | Shawn A. Edward | 2,414 | 53.0 | |
| United Workers Party | Angelina Phera Polius | 2,133 | 46.8 | |||||
| National Green Party | Wendel George | 10 | 0.2 | |||||
| Dennery South | 5,391 | 3,028 | 56.17 | Saint Lucia Labour Party (gain) | Alfred Prospere | 1,548 | 53.2 | |
| United Workers Party | Edmund Estephane | 1,364 | 46.8 | |||||
| Gros Islet | 24,418 | 12,292 | 50.34 | Saint Lucia Labour Party (gain) | Kenson Joel Casimir | 7,077 | 58.1 | |
| United Workers Party | Lenard Montoute | 5,024 | 41.3 | |||||
| National Green Party | Andre De Caires | 70 | 0.6 | |||||
| Laborie | 6,870 | 3,426 | 49.87 | Saint Lucia Labour Party (gain) | Alva Baptiste | 2,170 | 64.0 | |
| United Workers Party | Francisco Jean Pierre | 1,218 | 36.0 | |||||
| Micoud North | 8,314 | 4,121 | 49.57 | Saint Lucia Labour Party (gain) | Jeremiah Norbert | 2,283 | 56.5 | |
| United Workers Party | Gale Rigobert | 1,731 | 42.8 | |||||
| Independent | Michael Philip St. Catherine | 26 | 0.6 | |||||
| Micoud South | 7,557 | 4,030 | 53.33 | United Workers Party | Allen Chastanet | 2,303 | 58.1 | |
| Saint Lucia Labour Party | Guibion Ferdinand | 1,656 | 41.8 | |||||
| Independent | Melanie Fraites | 6 | 0.2 | |||||
| Soufriere | 8,903 | 5,040 | 56.61 | Saint Lucia Labour Party (gain) | Emma Hippolyte | 2,499 | 50.7 | |
| United Workers Party | Herod Adrien Stanislas | 2,434 | 49.3 | |||||
| Vieux Fort North | 6,995 | 3,601 | 51.48 | Saint Lucia Labour Party | Moses Jean Baptiste | 2,087 | 59.0 | |
| United Workers Party | Vincent London | 1,453 | 41.0 | |||||
| Vieux Fort South | 9,611 | 4,570 | 47.55 | Saint Lucia Labour Party | Kenny Anthony | 3,020 | 67.5 | |
| United Workers Party | Hermangild Francis | 1,457 | 32.5 | |||||
| Source: Electoral Department | ||||||||
Reactions
[edit]Domestic
[edit]SLP leader Pierre thanked the people of Saint Lucia for his party's win, promising to focus on healthcare and youth employment.[20][21] PM Chastanet called Pierre to offer his congratulations. In a Facebook post, Chastanet thanked the UWP supporters and announced that the party will regroup.[22] The NGP Deputy Leader Aaron Alexander congratulated the SLP and affirmed his party's willingness to work with them to improve the country.[23]
International
[edit]- Grenada: Prime Minister Keith Mitchell and the opposition National Democratic Congress party both issued statements congratulating the SLP.[24][25]
- Dominica: Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, leader of the Dominica Labour Party, congratulated Pierre and SLP in a radio interview: "Anytime there is a difficulty in a country, people feel more comfortable with the Labour Party in office."[26]
- Antigua and Barbuda: Prime Minister Gaston Browne sent a letter of congratulations to Pierre.[27]
Aftermath
[edit]SLP leader Philip J. Pierre was sworn in as the new Prime Minister on 28 July.[28][29] The new Cabinet was sworn in on 5 August in a ceremony attended by Antiguan PM Gaston Browne. It consisted of 13 ministers, including the two independent MPs, and two parliamentary secretaries.[30]
Cabinet of Ministers
[edit]| Constituency | Political Party | Office Holder | Ministerial Office |
|---|---|---|---|
| Castries East | Saint Lucia Labour Party | Phillip J. Pierre | Prime Minister, Minister of Finance, Economic Development and the Youth Economy. |
| Castries South | Saint Lucia Labour Party | Ernest Hilaire | Minister for Tourism, Investment, Creative Industries, Culture and Information. |
| Vieux Fort North | Saint Lucia Labour Party | Moses Jn. Baptist | Minister for Health, Wellness and Elderly Affairs. |
| Dennery North | Saint Lucia Labour Party | Shawn A. Edward | Minister for Education, Sustainable Development, Innovation, Science, Technology and Vocational Training. |
| Laborie | Saint Lucia Labour Party | Alva Romanus Baptiste | Minister for External Affairs, International Trade, Civil Aviation and Diaspora Affairs. |
| Soufriere | Saint Lucia Labour Party | Emma Hippolyte | Minister for Commerce, Manufacturing, Business Development, Cooperatives and Consumer Affairs. |
| Castries South East | Saint Lucia Labour Party | Joachim Andre Henry | Minister for Equity, Social Justice and People's Empowerment. |
| Babonneau | Saint Lucia Labour Party | Virginia Albert-Poyotte | Minister for the Public Service, Home Affairs, Labour and Gender Affairs. |
| Gros Islet | Saint Lucia Labour Party | Kenson Joel Casimir | Minister for Youth Development and Sports. |
| Dennery South | Saint Lucia Labour Party | Alfred Prospere | Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Rural Development. |
| Anse la Raye/Canaries | Saint Lucia Labour Party | Wayne D. Girard | Minister in the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Youth Economy. |
| Castries North | Independent | Stephenson King | Senior Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Ports, Transport, Physical Development and Urban Renewal. |
| Castries Central | Independent | Richard Frederick | Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Housing and Local Government. |
| Source: Caribbean National Weekly | |||
Parliamentary Secretaries
[edit]| Office Holder | Office |
|---|---|
| Dr. Pauline Antoine-Prospere | Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Education, Sustainable Development, Innovation, Science, Technology and Vocational Training. |
| Guibion Ferdinand | Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Investment, Creative Industries, Culture and Information. |
| Source: Caribbean National Weekly | |
References
[edit]- ^ BREAKING: Saint Lucia’s general election set for July 26 Caribbean News Global, 6 July 2021
- ^ a b Gaillard, Sharefil (30 April 2021). "PM 'can't focus on elections' due to concerns of COVID outbreak". Loop News. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
- ^ "Saint Lucia (House of Assembly), Electoral system". Inter-Parliamentary Union. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
- ^ "PM Chastanet announces election date | Loop St. Lucia". Loop News. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
- ^ "SLP endorses Jeremiah Norbert for Micoud North". Loop News. 16 December 2020. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
- ^ Gaillard, Sharefil (15 October 2020). "SNP Leader: New party vetting candidates for upcoming election". Loop News. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
- ^ "PM Chastanet announces Election Date". Loop News. 5 July 2021. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
- ^ "Nomination Day: 45 to contest Saint Lucia's General Election". St. Lucia Star. 16 July 2021. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
- ^ "SLP not contesting Castries North, Central… urges support for 'patriots' King and Frederick". St. Lucia Star. 15 July 2021. Archived from the original on 23 July 2021. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
- ^ McLeod, Sheri-Kae (14 July 2021). "St Lucia Political Parties Ban Motorcades Ahead of General Election". Caribbean News. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
- ^ Gaillard, Sharefil (28 June 2021). "WATCH: Chastanet reveals five point plan for next five years". Loop News. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
- ^ "De Caires to contest Gros Islet". St. Lucia STAR. 21 June 2021. Archived from the original on 21 June 2021. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
- ^ "CARICOM Election Observers say Saint Lucia Elections results reflect the will of the people". CARICOM Today. 27 July 2021. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
- ^ "Commonwealth to observe Saint Lucia's General Elections". The Commonwealth. 21 July 2021. Archived from the original on 21 July 2021. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
- ^ "The 'will of the people' reflected in Saint Lucia Election result says Commonwealth Observer Group". The Commonwealth. 28 July 2021. Archived from the original on 28 July 2021.
- ^ "OAS EOM releases Preliminary Statement on Saint Lucia's General Election". St. Lucia STAR. 27 July 2021. Archived from the original on 27 July 2021. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
- ^ "SLP Wins Landslide Victory In Saint Lucia Elections". St. Lucia Times News. 27 July 2021. Archived from the original on 28 July 2021. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
- ^ ""Our universe has shaken us to awaken us" — Minister Bradley Felix on COVID-19". St. Lucia News Online. 11 April 2020. Archived from the original on 16 January 2021.
- ^ "N - elections 40 years and beyond Micoud North" (PDF). Elections 40 Years and Beyond. Castries: Saint Lucia Electoral Department. 2021.
- ^ "St. Lucia Labour Party Seals Big Election Win". The St Kitts Nevis Observer. 28 July 2021. Archived from the original on 29 July 2021. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
- ^ "Opposition claims victory in St. Lucia elections – iWitness News". www.iwnsvg.com. 27 July 2021. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
- ^ "Chastanet Congratulates Pierre On Election Victory". St. Lucia Times News. 27 July 2021. Archived from the original on 29 July 2021. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
- ^ "NGP Deputy Leader Urges Pierre Not To Disappoint The People". St. Lucia Times News. 28 July 2021. Archived from the original on 28 July 2021. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
- ^ "Grenada's PM congratulates newly-elected St Lucia Labour Party | NOW Grenada". 27 July 2021. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
- ^ "NDC congratulates Saint Lucia Labour Party | NOW Grenada". 27 July 2021. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
- ^ "PM Skerrit congratulates St. Lucia Labour Party on overwhelming election victory". Dominica News Online. 27 July 2021. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
- ^ "PM Browne congratulates his new regional counterpart". Antigua News Room. 28 July 2021. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
- ^ "Pierre to be sworn in as new St Lucia Prime Minister". Jamaica Observer. 28 July 2021. Archived from the original on 28 July 2021. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
- ^ "Swearing In Ceremony of Prime Minister Philip Joseph Pierre (July 28, 2021)". Saint Lucia Government. 28 July 2021. Archived from the original on 28 July 2021 – via youtube.com.
- ^ McLeod, Sheri-Kae (6 August 2021). "Prime Minister of St Lucia Unveils New Cabinet". Caribbean News. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
