Former minister launches political party

CASTRIES, St Lucia (CMC):

Former planning and economic development minister Ausbert D'Auvergne has launched his own political party ahead of the general election likely to be held later this year.

The National Development Movement (NDM) is the fourth party expected to contest the polls and D'Auvergne said that he had decided to enter the race, as the core support for the two main parties - the ruling United Workers Party (UWP) and the main opposition St Lucia Labour Party (SLP) - had eroded over the years.

Core support

"We believe that the core support is 20 per cent for both parties and, therefore, that leaves about 60 per cent of the voting populace in the middle, willing to be persuaded, willing to vote on the basis of issues, willing to act in their own interest," D'Auvergne said.

He said the NDM would appeal to the young voters and accused the Stephenson King administration of non-performance in the area of economic development and employment.

"The government has failed on economic development and the NDM, under my leadership, is the only party with the answer to the country's economic problems," he said at the press launching of the party.

D'Auvergne resigned his ministerial post in 2007 after a battle in the Cabinet following the death of prime minister Sir John Compton.

D'Auvergne was regarded as one of the strategist for the UWP during the 2006 general election and he told reporters "this time around there will be no accommodation prior to any election. The NDM will go through the election campaign and what happens afterward happens".

The party is expected to contest 14 of the 17 seats in the elections. The other party expected to contest the election is the fledging Lucian Peoples Movement.