Emrand Matthew’s actions deepen Dennery SLP divide over jazz control
CASTRIES, St Lucia — A bitter political storm has erupted within the Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP), triggered by the Fond D’Or Foundation’s abrupt decision to strip Dennery South of its role in managing the 2025 Fond D’Or Jazz. The fallout has escalated into a public spectacle, marked by expletive-laced political attacks, civil service violations, and renewed scrutiny of a senior government employee with a checkered past.
In a letter addressed to the Dennery South Constituency Council, Fond D’Or Foundation Chairman Cornelius Edmund announced that the board would assume full control of the 2025 event. The decision, framed as a strategic move to “streamline the planning and execution process,” effectively eliminated Dennery South from the planning committee without consultation—sparking political tension across the East Coast.
But the matter exploded when Emrand Matthew, Chairman of the Dennery North Constituency Council and a civil servant, launched an unprovoked, profane attack on social media. In a Facebook post, Matthew accused Alymphia Lionel, a key figure associated with Dennery South, of “destroying Fond D’Or Jazz” and ended the message with the vulgar acronym “IYMC”—widely understood to mean “In Your Mother Cunt.”
The outburst, posted publicly and attributed directly to Matthew’s account, represents a stunning breach of public service conduct. Under Saint Lucia’s Public Service Staff Orders, government employees are barred from engaging in political attacks, using abusive language, or involving themselves in partisan disputes.
Matthew’s post violated multiple tenets of the civil service code, prompting outrage and raising the specter of disciplinary action. Political analysts say it’s not just inappropriate—it’s grounds for formal sanctions.
“The tone, the language, the partisanship—it’s disgraceful,” said a former public service director. “He’s not just a party loyalist; he’s a government officer. This violates everything the public service is supposed to stand for.”
The controversy deepens when viewed through the lens of Emrand Matthew’s past. During the tenure of the Allen Chastanet-led UWP administration, Matthew authorized payments to Canadian forensic auditor Robert Lindquist without proper approval—a move widely condemned as a flagrant breach of public trust.
That incident, never fully addressed by authorities, now returns to the spotlight, casting doubts over Matthew’s integrity and fitness to serve in any public capacity.
Despite the uproar, no official response has been issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, the Public Service Commission, or either constituency representative. Both Hon. Shawn Edward (Dennery North) and Hon. Alfred Prospere (Dennery South) remain publicly silent, even as the scandal undermines public confidence and fractures the party’s image in the east.
What began as an administrative shift in jazz event planning has morphed into a political firestorm, laying bare the internal fractures, unchecked egos, and a troubling disregard for civil service ethics within the ranks of the ruling party.
“This wasn’t just a lapse in judgment. It was calculated, public, and utterly unbecoming of someone on the government payroll,” said one senior community member. “If there’s no accountability, then what message does that send to the rest of the civil service?”
The explosive Dennery SLP divide has now overshadowed preparations for the Saint Lucia Jazz Festival, placing the spotlight not on music or culture, but on political dysfunction and institutional decay.
Unitedpac St Lucia News will continue to track developments as the story unfolds and public demands grow for accountability at the highest levels.
