Video summary
Honorable Philip J. Pierre opens his debate on the Plea Bargaining Bill by defending the government's track record against what he describes as a campaign of "useless noise" and misinformation from critics who seek to undermine public confidence in state institutions. He argues that while cynics often focus solely on crime statistics or wait for tragedies like fires at St. Jude hospital to claim victory, tangible progress is being made across the economy and social services. Pierre emphasizes that no government would intentionally encourage crime, yet he notes a specific problem with gun-related violence and gang murders in Saint Lucia today. He asserts that despite these challenges, there has been an overall reduction in general crime rates when viewed through accurate data rather than political spin or travel advisories designed to make the opposition look bad for electoral gain.
The core of Pierre's argument centers on a holistic approach to crime prevention that combines enforcement with rehabilitation and systemic reform, all aimed at reducing court backlogs and stopping criminal activity before it escalates. He highlights the creation of the Backlog Court as a decisive action taken after five years of inaction by previous administrations left thousands of cases unresolved; under his government's leadership, this backlog has been significantly reduced, leading to fewer remand prisoners holding up the system at Bodily Correctional Institute. Furthermore, he details specific initiatives such as plea bargaining, which allows offenders to come to the table and discuss resolutions that can stop or reduce crime impact, alongside programs like "Hope" funded by a grant from Taiwan. These efforts focus on providing meaningful employment skills to young men prone to committing crimes, thereby breaking the cycle of recidivism through income generation rather than just punishment.
Pierre also addresses broader social issues connected to crime reduction, including disability support and healthcare improvements, illustrating how his administration is working across multiple sectors simultaneously. He proudly announces plans for a rehabilitation center in Castries South specifically designed for young people at risk of offending, noting that the Taiwanese government has already pledged funding which will soon be transferred to the St. Lucia Social Development Fund (SSDF) to launch this program. In parallel with these social interventions, he outlines significant upgrades to police infrastructure, including new vehicles and a modern headquarters in Caracoom, as well as upcoming projects like an emergency center at Dr. Winston C.V. Paris Medical Complex and the extension of G.Poly Clinic into a state-of-the-art facility renamed after Dr. Martin D.D. He acknowledges that critics may claim nothing is happening because they are "hateful of progress," but he points to active construction, dialysis services starting soon, and prosthetic leg deliveries as proof of his government's dedication to improving lives rather than waiting for disasters to occur.
In conclusion, Pierre expresses full support for the Plea Bargaining Bill not merely as a legal tool but as part of a comprehensive strategy that includes education, early childhood development, health care, and disability services to create lasting change in Saint Lucia. He shares an inspiring anecdote about visiting inmates at Bodily Correctional Institute who have transformed their lives through poetry and rehabilitation efforts dedicated to former police commissioner Vern Guard, demonstrating the power of giving people hope even behind bars. Pierre warns that those hoping for a fire or crime wave to topple his government are misguided because they ignore the real work being done by honest civil servants in home affairs and correctional areas who strive to improve the quality of life for all citizens. He ends by promising continued vigilance on how these new measures manifest in reality, reaffirming that the people of Saint Lucia benefit from a government focused on action rather than empty rhetoric or political opportunism.
Read the full video transcript
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I
sat in this chair, Mr. Speaker,
and I listened to the member for
Mikunov
present
the bill, Mr. Speaker, and Mr. Speaker,
I must tell you, I felt proud.
I felt proud, Mr. Speaker, because I saw
the work of this government
bearing fruit. Mr. Speaker, so Mr.
Speaker, you know, there's a lot of
noise now, a lot of useless noise. Mr.
Speaker, a lot of noise about crime, a
lot of noise
about trying to destroy an organization
for poor people that helps poor people.
A lot of noise, Mr. Speaker. Mr.
Speaker, but when you sit in quiet
contemplation
and you listen to the work of this
government, Mr. Speaker, you listen to
the work of that of this government. The
work that we are doing not only in the
economy but in social services. Mr.
Speaker, you see that this is work in
progress and St. Lucia is in good hands.
Mr. Speaker, when we put together the
Ministry of Crime Prevention, the cynics
as usual, a country full of cynics,
not not a country full of cynics, a
country with some cynics,
who usually try to throw cold water on
anything the government does. They'll
always look at a glass half empty and
they look at the worst and they predict
the worst and they hope that the worst
will come. Mr. Speaker, crime.
Mr. Speaker, there is absolutely no
government,
there's absolutely no prime minister, I
hope,
whether in government or in opposition,
would want to encourage crime. We want
would want crime to happen, Mr. Speaker.
But, Mr. Speaker, in St. Russia today we
have a problem with gun gun crime
particularly murders gang related
murders etc but generally there has been
a reduction in crime in this country
generally Mr. Speaker but Mr. Speaker,
when on some level of misinformation,
we get a travel advisory, people
rejoice.
They happy. They happy because to them
that would make the government look bad.
That would make the prime minister look
bad and they may win elections or get
into government because of that. Mr.
Speaker, but you heard from the min the
minister for crime prevention. Here is
the plea bargaining where you can cause
crime to be reduced,
controlled or in some cases stopped. If
you can have a systematic
manner of causing either people who have
committed crime or people who know or
people who will commit crime get them to
come to the table and and discuss so you
can get you can either stop the crime or
you can reduce the impact of that crime.
Mr. Speaker, well sought out legislation
all in the fight against crime. All in
the fight against crime. Mr. Speaker,
you have the backlog court, Mr. Speaker,
and I know the name has still remained
the same.
And Mr. Speaker, that was
uh a court
that in the 2022 budget, we said to the
the powers that be in the judicial
services that we wanted a cut a cut for
reduction,
reduce the number of the number of cases
in the system. Mr. Speaker, and Mr.
Speaker in 2016 there was a man who said
that there were 10,000 cases in the
court
remember
[clears throat]
as usual Mr. speaker. He misspoke
and the reporter asked him, "You mean
10,000?" He said, "Yeah, 10,000."
10,000.
But he spent 5 years in government. It
wasn't 10,000 a but he spent 5 years in
government and he did nothing,
absolutely nothing to reduce that these
cases in the system. Nothing. Talk talk
talk.
We came into government in 2022 and
immediately we put our money where our
mouth was and we decided to do
something. Mr. Speaker, but we believe
in processes.
The process was slow. I want to thank
the attorney general for taking the
pressure that I give him in terms of of
of getting these things done. Mr.
Speaker, but Mr. Speaker, the attorney
general is a very stoic man.
You never know if he's happy or if he's
or if he's annoying God.
So, so sometimes
when I sometimes when I
put a little pressure on him, ask him
for certain things, all he says to me
smiles, Mr. Speaker.
But he delivered the back the court, Mr.
Speaker.
And Mr. speaker the cynics would pretend
as that court doesn't exist that doesn't
exist that's doesn't that's not their to
at all they go crime crime crime crime
crime and I'm happy that the minister
can come today because what redeems us
all the time Mr. Speaker it's our
performance
that's what redeems us so when they talk
and they rant and they rave Mr. Speaker
our performance Mr. speaker. So we can
come today and you can report that
there's been a reduction in the number
of remand prisoners at the bodily
correctional institute because of the
creation of the backlog court. Mr.
Speaker, action that we put into motion,
Mr. Speaker,
action. We didn't just talk about it,
Mr. Speaker. And that is our approach of
with crime reduction, Mr. Speaker.
That's our approach to combat crime in
this country. That's our approach, Mr.
Speaker. So, we have enforcement on one
side, enforcement. Enforcement
as we speak.
There are recruits being trained as we
speak. Enforcement giving the police
vehicles. enforcement, giving the police
the most modern headquarters in CARACCOM
and I was in Dominica on Sunday and I
was Yes, I was in Dom I went to funeral.
I was in Dominica on Sunday, Mr. figure
and I was literally boasting to my CPO
that the station that my men my people
worked in was
almost better
than most hotels.
>> But Mr. Speaker, they want to that
exist. They want to pretend that doesn't
exist. Mr. Speaker, that don't exist.
That doesn't exist. Mr. Speaker, Mr.
I'm saying that because you know I want
to tell these men and women in that room
that in spite of the noise the
government is working and the people of
St. Lucia are benefiting from the work
of the government. Mr. Speaker,
so crime, let's stay on crime. Let's
stay on crime. Mr. Speaker,
I got a call from the Minister of
Equity.
She was touring
the George Child's school in
Culisak, Mr. Speaker. And here's what
she said to me. She said that the
rehabilitation facility that we want to
build there for young B young people,
the plan is a little too elaborate. Let
us cut it down. Let us do it in stages
so we can have a rehabilitation center
for for young men and women who are
prone to commit crime. Mr. Speaker, and
I can tell you and I can tell you, Mr.
Speaker, that hopefully is not in Sufre.
It's in it's in is it is located in
Castries in Castry South. Mr. Speaker,
we will be having a rehabilitation
center for young men in this country.
That is where this government is going.
That's where this government is going.
Mr. Speaker, further, Mr. Speaker, the
SSDF that they want to destroy, the SSDF
has a program, Mr. Speaker, to stop to
help young men who are prone to crime or
young men who have been in conflict with
the law. We funded it to help them to
get into meaningful employment and
meaningful way of life. Mr. speaker. And
we have the hope program. A program that
they are trying to get people not to
fund.
The hope program that they are trying to
get people not to fund. That's the
wickedness of these people, Mr. Speaker.
The hope program. And I want to thank
the Taiwanese government for for
including in our grants this year a
million dollars for the whole program
where
where we will subsidize the salaries or
the wages of people when we put them
into employment. Mr. Speaker,
that is what they want to stop. So what
are you doing? What are you doing with
that? Mr. Speaker, what does that do?
First of all, you create employment.
Secondly, you teach people a skill and
thirdly, you have income, you can
distribute some income, Mr. Speaker,
because of the whole program. But I, Mr.
Speaker, I've been told that the million
dollars that the Taiwanese gave us as a
grant for the whole program that will
begin to
that will be transferred to the SSDF
shortly, Mr. Speaker, and the hope
program will
start will continue in earnest with that
injection. And we thank the Taiwanese,
Mr. Speaker. And Mr. Speaker, all these
programs, all these programs, reports
are prepared, reports are written and
given to the donors.
All these programs you'll find reports
you'll find reports, Mr. speaker on how
these programs were affected. Mr.
Speaker, especially these programs, I
can tell you for the years 20 from the
years 2022 up to now, all these
programs, including reports of the basic
needs trust fund that assists in areas
of
in schools, creating water supply,
helping with foot paths, etc. from the
basic needs trust fund a program of the
carbon development bank again
the speaker is hurtful
basic needs trust fund from the carbon
development bank helping underserved
communities these people want to stop
that also Mr. Speaker by writing them
lies and inuendos Mr. figure, but the
reports of the basic needs trust fund
are done per program and these reports
have been prepared and the Caribbean
environment bank has advised that
another round of basic need trust fund
programs will start shortly. Mr.
Speaker,
another round of BNDF programs will
start shortly, Mr. Speaker. So, Mr.
speaker. All these initiatives are in
the realm of crime prevention as they
deal with plea bargaining, backlog
reduction,
um boys at risk,
hope program, all of them. It's a
holistic manner in dealing with the
crime enforcement, Mr. speaker,
improving number of of police of of
police officers, giving more equipment
to to to the to the police, the K9 unit,
all of them. Mr. Speaker, a holistic
approach to the crime, Mr. Speaker. So,
Mr. Speaker, I think the minister
has described the the the the bill in a
very concise way, Mr. speaker and the
minister is also involved in other
programs. I'm expecting from him very
shortly a a report on the work that he
has been doing in terms of people with
with disabilities. Mr. Speaker, and Mr.
Speaker, I was at the caraccom meeting
this year. I was very happy when the
prime minister of Trinidad Tobago she um
she informed the meeting that she had a
program for people with disabilities so
people to get prosthetic legs etc and
she was inviting us to join her Mr.
Speaker I thanked her sincerely but I
told her we also have a program like
that in Salia.
So when when I I see the prime minister
on Thursday, I will inform her that
we're going to be sending some people to
her, but we can almost do an exchange
because we are setting up our center in
St. Lucia. Mr. Speaker, that is car at
work.
>> Huh?
>> Yes, M. We are just said to me we are
receiving 60 process legs in September
Mr. Speaker and they are outfitting it
as we speak Mr. Speaker
and he also I can tell you Mr. Speaker
that we also are going to be getting
some wheelchairs very shortly Mr.
Speaker we have some wheelchairs for the
people so that is the work but Mr.
speaker and something that we talk about
wheelchair access.
There's still need for wheelchair access
in this country, Mr. Speaker. And Mr.
Speaker, in your new building,
you will ensure that there's going to be
wheelchair access, Mr. Speaker, in your
new building when we commence
construction of a new parliamentary
building in January this year, Mr.
Speaker.
So, Mr. Speaker,
we are going back. They can't stop us
now.
We're not going back. Mr. Speaker, we're
not going back.
Disabilities,
crime,
education,
early childhood. Mr. Speaker, health is
and again, Mr. Speaker, I understand
there have been certain medical people
who don't seem to be happy with how the
government is progressing. Mr. Speaker
um in fact very unfair actually but Mr.
Speaker do you know as we speak we are
extending the G poly clinic as we speak
Mr. Speaker
and the G poly clinic will be ready very
shortly a modern addition in fact the
Martin and we take the opportunity to to
rename it the Martin Dr. Martin DD poly
clinic Mr. Speaker
and Mr. Speaker
by next month tenders are going to be
out
for the construction of an emergency
an emergency center to complement what's
at the OKU Mr. Speaker at the Dr.
Winston CV Paris Medical Complex. Mr.
Speaker, work is going to start there.
Mr. Speaker, if not in September, surely
in October, Mr. Speaker, the old
hospital will be converted into an
emergency another emergency center for
emergency treatment. Mr. Speaker, all
that is happening, Mr. Speaker, in
health. In health. So the people who
believe that they they want they can say
to people that there's nothing happening
in health, Mr. speaker tell them that as
we speak diialysis is happening at the
St. Jude hospital Mr. Speaker as we
speak
and work on this because Mr. Speaker
these people are so hateful of progress
and so hateful of St. Lucia you know
they're wishing that horses are burn
again
[clears throat] this is sad and Mrs. You
know, this is a very sad situation for
some for a government
that
tried
that tried
to build a hospital and failed.
Another government
another government is building. Mr.
Speaker, you are hoping and praying that
a fire catches there.
That's it, Mr. Speaker. I mean, this is
and and I think
the the conscience of the society
should castigate these people, Mr.
Speaker,
because when a fire happens at St. Jude
again, who will suffer?
the people that you want to get medical
care, but just because you hope that if
that happens the government will fall,
if it happens the government will win
the election, you are hoping and
praying.
I don't know if you're praying, but
you're hoping
that there there's a fire at St. Jude.
Mr. Speaker, the same speaker, they
rejoice when there's a crime, when
there's an unfortunate crime. Not
singing about the victims, not thinking
about the cost of health services
because of that of that accident. They
are rejoicing. It's a good thing, Mr.
Speaker, because they believe that the
government, the the the Labor Party will
pay for it in the post, Mr. Speaker. So,
Mr. Speaker, I really want to
congratulate the minister and give my
full support to the pre-bargaining bill,
Mr. speaker and tell him we'll be
watching him to see how it will how this
will manifest itself in real in reality.
Mr. Speaker, I'm happy that the real the
real the work at St. at Bodillay is
is progressing in that we are trying to
give these young men a new a new lease
of life. Mr. speaker and I happened to
be at Bodili as a visitor
a last month Mr. Speaker and I have and
they they presented me with a book a
book of poems Mr. Speaker where the guys
were putting their thoughts in poetry
a book launch Mr. speaker and that book
was dedicated to a gentleman called Vern
Guard
um who is now the commission of police
Mr. Speaker that was that book was
dedicated to him and again it was very
pleasing to see how these men had tried
to change their lives whilst they were
behind bars Mr. speaker and the member
for Darino and myself in [clears throat]
a in a later in a life before we visited
Bod again not as inmates but as visitors
we had we had dinner and lunch with with
the with the with the inmates and the
officers at at Blay Mr. speaker all
again in giving them some hope and we
are happy that with the reduction in
numbers there because of these
initiatives there'll be more hope and
there'll be more success for these
people Mr. Speaker. So Mr. Speaker I
support this bill wholeheartedly
and I thank the minister and all the
people in the home ministry of home
affairs and the correctional areas in
this country who are working hard. Most
of them work hard. Most of them work
honestly. Most of them are trying to
improve the quality of life the people
of St. Lucia. I thank you Mr. Speaker.