Political parties ban islandwide motorcades ahead of election

CASTRIES (CMC):

Political parties contesting the July 26 general election here have agreed to a “complete ban” on all islandwide motorcades.

A statement issued by the Royal St Lucia Police Force noted that Police Commissioner Milton Desir met with representatives of the ruling United Workers Party (UWP), the St Lucia Labour Party (SLP) and the National Green Party, where the issue was discussed.

“During the meeting, discussions were held regarding the occurrences at the various political activities on Sunday, July 11, where clear violations of the agreed campaign protocols, as set out by the Ministry of Health during a presentation to the political parties on June 28 and general COVID-19 protocols were noted.”

The statement said that the political parties “proposed and agreed to a complete ban of all islandwide motorcades with immediate effect”, and that they also agreed to single constituency motorcades, with no crossing over into other constituencies.

“Failure to adhere to the guidelines may result in revocation of permits for future activities. A review will be conducted following this weekend’s scheduled activities,” the police statement added.

The statement by the police follows concerns raised by health authorities as to the large number of people gathering without adhering to the COVID-19 protocols, including social distancing and wearing masks.

President of the St Lucia Medical and Dental Association Dr Merle Clarke, in a statement complained of the “horrifying consequences” of indiscriminate election campaigning.

“We implore you, our political leaders, to encourage supporters to get vaccinated. Lead by the power of your example. Remember that a large number of infected supporters would inadvertently affect voter turnout. Citizens, your voice is heard best at the ballot box, not at a campaign rally,” Clarke said.

The Ministry of Health and Wellness said that “Over the last 14 days, we note an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases on a daily basis. We also note the increased campaign-related activities within the communities.

“All approved activities must be managed as per protocols. It is of grave concern that we note mass crowd activities, no physical distancing, masks not worn or worn inappropriately,” the statement said, adding that “the public is reminded that we are still managing a pandemic with over 100 active cases in a country with low vaccine coverage.

“This puts us at high risk for in-country transmission due to large activities without adherence to public health measures,” the ministry warned.