Saint Lucia: Opposition leader Allen Chastanet calls violence against women a ‘national emergency’

Saint Lucia: Leader of the Opposition Allen Chastanet was seen getting emotional during a press conference on Tuesday, September 15, 2026 while speaking about the recent attacks on women.

He announced that the protection of women and girls is very important to be treated as anything less than a national emergency.

“A country cannot call itself a democracy, cannot call itself secure if half its citizens do not feel safe existing in it,” Chastanet stressed.

Chastanet brought the focus on the tragic case of Merrisa Auguste, who would have turned twenty-three years old on the day of the speech.

He said that it is deeply personal to him as his own daughter is also twenty-three.

“Today, it's her birthday and she would have been twenty-three. That's especially meaningful to me because my daughter is also twenty-three,” Chastanet said.

Auguste’s body was discovered in a bushy area near the Millennium Highway on Friday, September 11 after the police received a report from a citizen at about 4:40 p.m. A medical practitioner pronounced her dead at around 6:00 p.m.

As the body was found in decomposed condition, the deceased could not be identified at the scene. However, the investigations strongly suggest that the body discovered is hers.

According to the reports, further investigations into the matter are ongoing as the authorities are still awaiting DNA test results to formally confirm the identity of the deceased.

Auguste, the resident of Boguis, Babonneau, was reported missing on Thursday, September 10, at about 3:30 p.m.

According to the reports, she had been missing since 5 p.m. the day before.

One person has been taken into custody as the inquiries continue.

Her pink Honda Fit, registration number PU1689, was later found along the Ti Colon, Castries road. The words “TOP GIRL RIRI” were reportedly written on the front windshield.

Chastanet further noted that whatever happened to her was horrific and the nation has recorded even more reports of other young women missing, attempted kidnappings, and assaults.

“What happened to her is nothing short of horrific and in the days since, we've heard more reports of other young women missing, attempted kidnappings, kidnappings, and further assaults. Some of it is still unverified.But what is not unverified, sadly, is that women in this country are afraid,” he noted.

He further highlighted the fear among the women as they go out and has grown for too long as there has not been enough accountability.

“Mothers are afraid to let their daughters walk to the shop. Young women are afraid to walk home, feeling they must rush back to lock their doors before it's dark. That fear has been allowed to grow because for too long there's not been enough accountability, not enough urgency, not enough answers given to the families and the communities living through this,” he said.