(MENAFN- Caribbean News Global)
Prime Minister Allen Chastanet (L) and Commissioner of the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (RSLPF), Milton Desir
By Caribbean News Global contributor
CASTRIES, St Lucia – In keeping with what many experts expected with the reconfiguration of the Saint Lucia Police Force (RSLPF), the inconsistency of the application of laws, the inclusion/extraction of COVID-19 wardens and the expected extension of the state of emergency (SOE) at today's sitting of parliament , Saint Lucia has become a police state.
A commentor of social media, however, advised that 'the police would have done a better job by letting citizens know how they can express their disapproval with the proposed SOE extension,' adding that 'political protest is a democratic right.'
Meanwhile, the legal profession and the political sphere are mute on what and how to navigate in a police state with a recognized 'emperor that has no clothes'.
Leading the bidding in a police state has witnessed a fickle statement from law enforcement that reads;
'The Royal Saint Lucia Police Force has become aware of mass crowd gatherings planned for Tuesday, May 04, 2021. One such activity is a proposed protest outside the scheduled sitting of parliament.
We wish to draw reference to the COVID-19 (Prevention and Control) (Prohibition of Assembly) (No. 4) Order, which states,
Restriction on social activities 2.—
(1) A person shall not host or attend —
(a) a mass crowd event;
Additionally, the Public Order Act Chapter 14.04 of the Revised Laws of Saint Lucia, prohibits marches near certain premises (including government buildings in Castries), or otherwise, without the written permission of the Commissioner of Police. We wish to advise that, notwithstanding the current restrictions relating to the management of COVID-19, the office of the Commissioner of Police has not received applications for permission to hold a march or protest, as such, any gatherings will be treated as unlawful and attendees will be asked to disperse.
'We continue to encourage individuals to avoid any unnecessary mass crowd gatherings, as we continue to fight to keep Saint Lucia safe.'
Perhaps the RSLPF should look to the many instances supported by pictures and videos all over Facebook to instances of political campaigning at funerals and impromptu social events. The frequent and blatant political campaign events by ministers of government make the COVID-19 protocol null and void.
Meanwhile, the ministry of health (MOH) has remained irrelevant on many presumptive violations of COVID-19 by the Cabinet of ministers and the elites of the economic and colonial class - the police warning to civilians relevant to parliament today, to which an extended SOE, suppression, civil liberty breach ahead of general-elections will be legislated, is a charge against Saint Lucians.
It is, therefore, necessary to alert all and sundries that the social and economic wellbeing of Saint Lucia is in the doldrums, which equates to the combined efforts of colonial imperialism and a tin-pot dictator.
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