Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre has called out the United Workers Party (UWP), over social media reports that he left Saint Lucia last week aboard a Federal Bureau Of Investigation (FBI) plane.
The alleged trip was purportedly in response to concerns regarding Saint Lucia’s Citizenship by Investment Programme (CIP).
The UWP-leaning SKY FM interviewed an unnamed ‘eyewitness’ who addressed his ‘Flambeau family’ claiming to have witnessed an aircraft with the markings ‘FBI’ at the George F.L. Charles airport.
He said three individuals left on the small jet.
The ‘eyewitness’ said he did not want to get into trouble or face a lawsuit by calling individuals’ names.
But a social media post that included the SKY FM interview concluded with images of three people, including Prime Minister Pierre.
Pierre told reporters it was dangerous that a party Sir John Compton established would deliberately sully the name of Saint Lucia and its Prime Minister.
“You are fabricating a story about your Prime Minister being taken out of the country on an FBI plane,” he told reporters.
Pierre spoke during Monday’s regular pre-cabinet press briefing.
He said he had no intention of addressing the social media post but did so because a reporter raised the issue.
Pierre accused the UWP of attempting to destroy Saint Lucia because the party was not in power.
“The people of Saint Lucia should rebel against that level of lies and misinformation,” he declared.
Regarding the CIP, the Saint Lucia Prime Minister explained it is a tool for empowering the people of this country.
“If you can get your roads built without increasing your national debt, you are against that?”
According to Pierre, the UWP was attempting to burn down a house to kill a rat.
“So everything goes. You misinform, you lie, just to win power,’ he lamented.
He said the UWP and its surrogates believe the tactic would serve them well with the electorate.
