Opposition blame government for failing to keep Radio Saint Lucia open

The opposition St Lucia Labour Party (SLP) has battered away the government’s suggestions that Radio Saint Lucia had to be closed.

Instead they have highlighted the fact that a score of people have been left unemployed.

The government made the decision to shut down the cash-strapped broadcaster in May. At the time, Dominic Fedee, minister for information and broadcasting blamed low advertising revenue.

The SLP says that it is regrettable that the government did not find it possible to find a suitable formula to keep the radio station open but could instead use “hard earned taxes of the people of St Lucia” to fund a foreign entity – referencing OJO Labs.

Decision criticised – again

[caption id="attachment_2362" align="alignright" width="300"] Winston Springer.[/caption]

This isn't the first time the move to shut down Radio St Lucia has received negative publicity.

At the start of June, Winston Springer, the station's former manager, accused Prime Minister Allen Chastanet and his government of “putting profits over people”. Speaking to WIC News, one St Lucian said: “It is utter turmoil here. All this government cares about and talks about is money. All they see are dollar signs.

“It is utter disgust, utter sadness. So many people losing jobs, man!

“It's a sh*t fest here.”

In a statement, the SLP said: “The St Lucia Labour Party does not accept the excuse that no suitable solution could be found to keep Radio Saint Lucia, a St Lucian entity that has served the people of St Lucia for decades, open for the benefit of the people of St Lucia."

WIC News has reached out to the government for comment.

The SLP has called on the government to rethink its position on the closing of other statutory boards, and to give first priority to the jobs of the workers of these organisations.