SLP under scrutiny as Officer Kakal faces retaliation after performing at UWP event
The Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP) has once again found itself embroiled in accusations of political victimization, this time for targeting Officer Kakal after he performed at a United Workers Party (UWP) public meeting in Dennery South.
Despite Officer Kakal being a well-known calypsonian who was simply exercising his right to perform, government minister Jeremiah Norbert—a former police constable himself—issued a directive for Officer Kakal to be transferred in what critics are calling a blatant act of political retribution.
The move has sparked widespread condemnation, with the United Workers Party (UWP) issuing a scathing statement, warning that the government’s actions were not just an attack on the officer but an assault on the very fabric of law and order in Saint Lucia.
“A government at war with the police is a nation in danger.”
The UWP highlighted how this administration has repeatedly targeted officers who refuse to conform to its political agenda while shielding those accused of serious crimes, including sexual assault.
A disturbing pattern of political persecution
Kakal’s case is just the latest in a wider trend of political victimization under Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre’s leadership. The SLP government has established a reputation for targeting officers who speak out or refuse to toe the party line, while conveniently protecting those who serve their political interests.
Earlier this year, two other police officers, Sergeant Yann Gustave, and Harvey Taliam, found themselves in a similar predicament after standing up to government minister Richard Frederick’s intimidation tactics. Instead of addressing their legitimate concerns, the SLP government disciplined them without due process, in what many saw as an attempt to silence dissent within the force.
That case generated public outcry, with many questioning why the administration appears more interested in punishing outspoken officers than ensuring fairness and accountability within the royal Saint Lucia police force.
For a deeper look into this previous controversy and the growing backlash against the SLP’s handling of law enforcement, readers can find the full story here.
Government protects alleged sexual predator while punishing officers
While officers like Kakal, Gustave, and Taliam face repercussions for exercising their rights, the Pierre administration has taken a very different approach when it comes to powerful individuals accused of serious crimes.
For nearly a year, prime minister Philip J Pierre defended the acting police commissioner despite multiple rape and sexual assault allegations against him within the Royal Saint Lucia police force.
Rather than launching an immediate investigation, Philip J Pierre dismissed the allegations and even went to parliament to read his birth certificate, claiming that calls for accountability were simply “hurting a young man.”
It was only after public pressure became too intense that the government discreetly removed the acting commissioner from the public eye—not by holding him accountable, but by sending him on a cushy overseas training course, all while he continued to receive his full salary and per diems.
However, in a bold and unexpected move, then-acting police commissioner Crusita Pelius-Descartes independently launched an investigation into the sexual assault claims, bringing in investigators from Barbados without informing the prime minister.
When Philip J Pierre learned of the investigation in March, he reportedly erupted with rage, even attempting to terminate Pelius-Descartes’ contract. Despite the findings confirming sexual misconduct, the disgraced officer was not dismissed but instead reinstated to his substantive role in the police force.
Meanwhile, officer Kakal is being targeted and transferred simply for singing at an event.
Hypocrisy and political intimidation
The double standard is glaring. The SLP government has ignored serious sexual assault allegations against a high-ranking officer yet is more than willing to punish a police officer for performing a calypso at a public meeting.
The UWP was quick to highlight this hypocrisy, stating:
“The public has called for an investigation, yet this administration has chosen silence and cover-ups over justice and accountability. If the government can openly victimize the very people who protect us, then none of us are safe.”
This administration has made one thing clear: political loyalty matters more than justice, integrity, or fairness. Officers who refuse to bow to the government’s intimidation tactics are sidelined, while those who are accused of serious crimes remain untouched.
Saint Lucians are watching—and waiting
As election day looms, saint Lucians are watching, waiting, and preparing to make their voices heard.
The targeting of officers, the cover-ups of sex crimes, and the blatant political victimization are not being ignored. The retaliation against Kakal is not an isolated incident—it is part of a dangerous trend that is undermining law enforcement, silencing dissent, and protecting the powerful at all costs.
Pierre and his administration may continue their political games, but the people of saint Lucia will have the final word—and it will be loud, clear, and unforgiving at the ballot box.
