• About Us
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • LIVE TV
Tuesday, October 7, 2025
Unitedpac St Lucia News - Header Logo
  • St Lucia News
  • All News
    • All
    • Agriculture
    • Caribbean News
    • Crime
    • Education
    • Justice
    • Local News
    • Obituary
    • Religion
    • Weather Alerts
    Neil Peter identified as Morne Serpent homicide victim in Gros Islet shooting

    Morne Serpent homicide victim identified as 35-year-old resident

    Homicide investigation police line after fatal shooting in Morne Serpent

    Fatal shooting in Morne Serpent leaves 1 man dead

    Jay Collimore, also known as Juice Box, identified as the victim in the fatal shooting in Dennery

    Fatal shooting in Dennery leaves 1 dead, Soufrière man critical

    Thick smoke rising from the Deglos landfill fire in St Lucia, October 2025

    Deglos landfill fire sparks health advisory in St Lucia

    UWP candidate Marcella Johnson overlaid on Gros Islet Corinth back road scene where No Right Turn signs sparked commuter backlash

    Marcella Johnson demands recall of Gros Islet No Right Turn sign

    UWP PRO Lenard Montoute speaks in front of the opposition crest and Saint Lucia flag as UWP accuses SLP of hypocrisy on crime, policing and free speech

    UWP accuses SLP of hypocrisy on crime, policing and free speech

    Trending Tags

    • Government of Saint Lucia
    • St Lucia Crime News
  • World
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
    • All
    • Saint Lucia Events
    • Sports
    • Video News
    Julien Alfred road to Tokyo captured in focus as she prepares on the track wearing headphones and training gear.

    Julien Alfred road to Tokyo: From dark struggles to Olympic glory

    “Julien Alfred Diamond League victory in Zurich as the St Lucian Olympic champion powers to win the women’s 100m in 10.76 seconds.

    Julien Alfred Diamond League victory in Zurich 100m

    Melissa Jefferson-Wooden Diamond League 100m win in Brussels 2025 crossing finish line

    Melissa Jefferson-Wooden Diamond League 100m win Brussels

    Allen Chastanet addresses the nation on the St Lucia crime crisis with police lights in the background.

    St Lucia crime crisis: Chastanet slams Pierre over deadly surge

    Jason Holder hits the winning shot in thrilling West Indies T20 victory over Pakistan in Florida

    Jason Holder Heroics End West Indies T20 Losing Streak

    Hulk Hogan flexing in red Hulkamania shirt before crowd – Hulk Hogan dead at 71

    Hulk Hogan dead at 71 after suffering cardiac arrest

    Trending Tags

    • Julien Alfred
    • West Indies Cricket
    • St Lucia athletics
  • Lifestyle
    • All
    • Culture
    • Health
    • Travel
    Thick smoke rising from the Deglos landfill fire in St Lucia, October 2025

    Deglos landfill fire sparks health advisory in St Lucia

    Poolside view at Sugar Beach resort in St Lucia with Pitons in the background – Forbes ranks best resorts in St Lucia

    Forbes ranks best resorts in St Lucia, highlights others

    CTO champions sustainable transformation: headshot of Secretary-General Dona Regis-Prosper for World Tourism Day 2025.

    CTO champions sustainable transformation on World Tourism Day

    Teri Helenese urges sustainable tourism growth in a professional portrait wearing a black-and-white blazer against a light blue background.

    U.S. Virgin Islands official Teri Helenese urges sustainable tourism growth

    Large white cruise ship sailing in the Caribbean Sea near a rocky shoreline, illustrating concerns over Caribbean cruise ship revenue.

    Caribbean cruise ship revenue lags globally, World Bank warns

    Janelle Hopkin and Lady Betty Hopkin celebrate AAA Five Diamond Award with Spice Island Beach Resort team in Grenada

    AAA Five Diamond honor awarded to Spice Island Beach Resort for 9th year

    Trending Tags

    • OKEU Hospital
  • Tech
  • Commentary
  • Press Releases
No Result
View All Result
  • St Lucia News
  • All News
    • All
    • Agriculture
    • Caribbean News
    • Crime
    • Education
    • Justice
    • Local News
    • Obituary
    • Religion
    • Weather Alerts
    Neil Peter identified as Morne Serpent homicide victim in Gros Islet shooting

    Morne Serpent homicide victim identified as 35-year-old resident

    Homicide investigation police line after fatal shooting in Morne Serpent

    Fatal shooting in Morne Serpent leaves 1 man dead

    Jay Collimore, also known as Juice Box, identified as the victim in the fatal shooting in Dennery

    Fatal shooting in Dennery leaves 1 dead, Soufrière man critical

    Thick smoke rising from the Deglos landfill fire in St Lucia, October 2025

    Deglos landfill fire sparks health advisory in St Lucia

    UWP candidate Marcella Johnson overlaid on Gros Islet Corinth back road scene where No Right Turn signs sparked commuter backlash

    Marcella Johnson demands recall of Gros Islet No Right Turn sign

    UWP PRO Lenard Montoute speaks in front of the opposition crest and Saint Lucia flag as UWP accuses SLP of hypocrisy on crime, policing and free speech

    UWP accuses SLP of hypocrisy on crime, policing and free speech

    Trending Tags

    • Government of Saint Lucia
    • St Lucia Crime News
  • World
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
    • All
    • Saint Lucia Events
    • Sports
    • Video News
    Julien Alfred road to Tokyo captured in focus as she prepares on the track wearing headphones and training gear.

    Julien Alfred road to Tokyo: From dark struggles to Olympic glory

    “Julien Alfred Diamond League victory in Zurich as the St Lucian Olympic champion powers to win the women’s 100m in 10.76 seconds.

    Julien Alfred Diamond League victory in Zurich 100m

    Melissa Jefferson-Wooden Diamond League 100m win in Brussels 2025 crossing finish line

    Melissa Jefferson-Wooden Diamond League 100m win Brussels

    Allen Chastanet addresses the nation on the St Lucia crime crisis with police lights in the background.

    St Lucia crime crisis: Chastanet slams Pierre over deadly surge

    Jason Holder hits the winning shot in thrilling West Indies T20 victory over Pakistan in Florida

    Jason Holder Heroics End West Indies T20 Losing Streak

    Hulk Hogan flexing in red Hulkamania shirt before crowd – Hulk Hogan dead at 71

    Hulk Hogan dead at 71 after suffering cardiac arrest

    Trending Tags

    • Julien Alfred
    • West Indies Cricket
    • St Lucia athletics
  • Lifestyle
    • All
    • Culture
    • Health
    • Travel
    Thick smoke rising from the Deglos landfill fire in St Lucia, October 2025

    Deglos landfill fire sparks health advisory in St Lucia

    Poolside view at Sugar Beach resort in St Lucia with Pitons in the background – Forbes ranks best resorts in St Lucia

    Forbes ranks best resorts in St Lucia, highlights others

    CTO champions sustainable transformation: headshot of Secretary-General Dona Regis-Prosper for World Tourism Day 2025.

    CTO champions sustainable transformation on World Tourism Day

    Teri Helenese urges sustainable tourism growth in a professional portrait wearing a black-and-white blazer against a light blue background.

    U.S. Virgin Islands official Teri Helenese urges sustainable tourism growth

    Large white cruise ship sailing in the Caribbean Sea near a rocky shoreline, illustrating concerns over Caribbean cruise ship revenue.

    Caribbean cruise ship revenue lags globally, World Bank warns

    Janelle Hopkin and Lady Betty Hopkin celebrate AAA Five Diamond Award with Spice Island Beach Resort team in Grenada

    AAA Five Diamond honor awarded to Spice Island Beach Resort for 9th year

    Trending Tags

    • OKEU Hospital
  • Tech
  • Commentary
  • Press Releases
No Result
View All Result
Unitedpac St Lucia News - Mobile Logo
  • St Lucia News
  • All News
  • World
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Tech
  • Commentary
  • Press Releases
  • LIVE TV
Home Politics

St Lucia Airports Foreign Control: Shocking Deal Sparks Outrage

SLP government moves to place St Lucia’s two airports under foreign control, linking key players to past financial scandals.

Unitedpac by Unitedpac
March 10, 2025 - Updated on August 30, 2025
in Local News, Business, Politics
Reading Time: 6 mins read
561 6
A A
0
Saint Lucia Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre and Finance Minister Wayne Girard side by side in parliament amid controversy over St Lucia airports foreign control.

Saint Lucia Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre and Finance Minister Wayne Girard side by side

126
SHARES
1.3k
VIEWS
Share Share Reddit

After the GPH secret deal, St Lucia Airport’s foreign control sparks fresh outrage.

CASTRIES, St Lucia – Saint Lucia’s economic sovereignty is once again under threat as Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre’s administration moves to place the island’s two international airports under foreign control. The latest revelations about the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) have ignited fierce public outrage, as concerns grow that St Lucia airports foreign control will lead to a loss of national assets, benefiting foreign financiers with a track record of corruption and financial scandals.

This comes after the controversial secret deal with Global Ports Holding (GPH), which saw Saint Lucia’s main seaport and the Soufrière port fall into foreign hands. Now, Saint Lucians fear that their airports, Hewanorra International Airport and George F.L. Charles Airport, are about to suffer the same fate, marking yet another massive surrender of national assets.

ADVERTISEMENT

Foreign Takeover: First Our Seaports, Now Our Airports

The Philip J Pierre administration has been widely condemned for its handling of Saint Lucia’s critical infrastructure, particularly after the secretive deal with GPH, which resulted in the foreign company assuming control over Castries’ main seaport and the Soufrière port. This agreement, which was brokered without full public disclosure, handed over Saint Lucia’s major maritime gateway to foreign management, raising fears of economic dependency and reduced national oversight.

In a previous report, Unitedpac St. Lucia News exposed the troubling details of the GPH deal at this link, sparking widespread concern over the lack of transparency and the government’s willingness to relinquish national assets to external interests. Now, with airports next on the chopping block, critics say this follows a disturbing pattern of selling out Saint Lucia’s most valuable assets to questionable foreign entities—often under shady, undisclosed terms.

The Freedom Bay Scandal: A Red Flag Ignored?

Robert Witten’s name is already infamous among British pensioners who lost their savings in the failed Freedom Bay development project in Soufrière. In 2019, an investigation by Goodwin Barrett exposed how Witten’s company, Malgretoute Hotel Development Ltd, misled British pensioners into investing in Freedom Bay under fraudulent terms.

ADVERTISEMENT

The project, which was pitched as a five-star eco-resort, promised guaranteed returns, fractional ownership, and a refund clause, but none of these materialized. The resort was never completed, and British investors, many of whom had invested their life savings through Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPP), lost everything.

Even worse, Witten’s company left millions in unpaid debts, including:

  • $54 million owed to secured creditors, with $45 million linked to Heritage, a Guernsey-based trust company that took in pension funds.
  • $12 million owed to the Government of Saint Lucia for the crown lands acquired for the Freedom Bay project.
  • Multiple unpaid contractors who were left stranded as the project collapsed.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the UK later determined that Freedom Bay should never have been sold to retail investors, calling it an unregulated high-risk investment that violated financial guidelines.

The full details of this damning investigation into the Freedom Bay pension scandal can be found here.

Why Was Robert Witten Allowed Back Into Saint Lucia?

Despite this internationally exposed financial disaster, Robert Witten is now quietly being placed in control of Saint Lucia’s Sovereign Wealth Fund, which will hold crown lands, airports, and government buildings—an alarming move that critics say defies all logic and accountability.

“If Witten defrauded British pensioners and left Freedom Bay unfinished, why is he now being given authority over Saint Lucia’s most valuable national assets?” an opposition figure questioned.

The government has remained silent on the background of Witten, raising concerns that Saint Lucia’s national wealth is once again being handed over to a foreign investor with a track record of financial scandal.

Wayne Girard’s Alleged Ties to Disgraced Investor

At the center of the Freedom Bay controversy is Wayne Girard, Saint Lucia’s Minister for Finance, who was directly involved in managing the project before entering politics. Despite Freedom Bay’s catastrophic failure, Girard has now positioned Witten as a key player in the Sovereign Wealth Fund, effectively giving him control over Saint Lucia’s airports, government buildings, and crown lands.

The Multi-Million Dollar Freedom Bay Hotel Project Launch That Became An International Scandal (Credit DBS St Lucia)

In October 2020, the United Workers Party (UWP) called on Wayne Girard to come clean about Freedom Bay’s failure, the missing pension funds, and the $54 million debt owed to secured creditors. The UWP stated:

“Girard told the Nation that Freedom Bay never opened its doors because Prime Minister Allen Chastanet whispered to his partners that he, Girard, ought not to be part of the Project and so to protect himself and the investors a decision was taken ‘to put the Development into receivership.’ This is not just ludicrous but an insult to all Saint Lucians.”

The full details of the UWP’s demand for accountability on Freedom Bay can be found here.

A Pattern of Corrupt Deals?

The proposed Sovereign Wealth Fund is just one in a series of asset transfers under the Pierre administration that have sparked concerns of corruption, favoritism, and foreign control. Critics argue that the government has:

  • Handed over Saint Lucia’s main seaport and Soufrière port to GPH without full public consultation.
  • Sold thousands of Saint Lucian passports through the Citizenship by Investment Program (CIP), often to unknown foreign buyers.
  • Now, placed the airports and government buildings under the Sovereign Wealth Fund, effectively ceding control to foreign financiers with shady backgrounds.

“This is not leadership,” an economic analyst stated. “This is an auction, and the people of Saint Lucia are the ones paying the price.”

Demand for Transparency as Public Outrage Grows

Saint Lucians are demanding full transparency from the government regarding the Sovereign Wealth Fund and the individuals behind it. Citizens and opposition leaders are calling for answers to the following critical questions:

  • Who exactly will control the Sovereign Wealth Fund?
  • What terms are being negotiated with foreign financiers?
  • What safeguards, if any, exist to prevent mismanagement or corruption?
  • Why is Robert Witten—who oversaw a failed and fraudulent investment—being given another chance to control Saint Lucian assets?

Despite the growing uproar, the Pierre administration remains silent, refusing to directly address concerns about the transfer of Saint Lucia’s strategic assets to foreign control.

Saint Lucia’s Future at Stake

With both of Saint Lucia’s airports now at risk, many believe the island’s future is being compromised beyond repair.

Will the government finally come clean, or will Saint Lucia’s airports be the next national treasures lost to foreign control?

Stay connected with Unitedpac St. Lucia News for continuing updates on this developing story and other breaking news affecting our nation.

Tags: airport privatization st luciagph seaport takeoverphilip pierre leadership controversySaint Lucia government corruptionSLP government scandalsovereign wealth fund scandalst lucia airports foreign controlst lucia investment fraudst lucia political news 2025wayne girard freedom bay

Get real time update about this post categories directly on your device, subscribe now.

Unsubscribe
ADVERTISEMENT
Previous Post

SLP Supporters Brutally Attack Police During Anse la Raye Meeting Chaos

Next Post

RSLPF Massive Drug Bust: Arrests and Ammo Seized

Related Posts

Homicide investigation police line after fatal shooting in Morne Serpent

Fatal shooting in Morne Serpent leaves 1 man dead

October 5, 2025
506
Jay Collimore, also known as Juice Box, identified as the victim in the fatal shooting in Dennery

Fatal shooting in Dennery leaves 1 dead, Soufrière man critical

October 4, 2025
799
Thick smoke rising from the Deglos landfill fire in St Lucia, October 2025

Deglos landfill fire sparks health advisory in St Lucia

October 4, 2025
228
UWP candidate Marcella Johnson overlaid on Gros Islet Corinth back road scene where No Right Turn signs sparked commuter backlash

Marcella Johnson demands recall of Gros Islet No Right Turn sign

October 2, 2025
273
UWP PRO Lenard Montoute speaks in front of the opposition crest and Saint Lucia flag as UWP accuses SLP of hypocrisy on crime, policing and free speech

UWP accuses SLP of hypocrisy on crime, policing and free speech

October 2, 2025
183
2025 U.S. State Department Trafficking in Persons Report cover highlighting human trafficking in St Lucia downgrade to Tier 2 Watch List.

Human trafficking in St Lucia leads to US Tier 2 Watch List downgrade

October 2, 2025
222
Next Post
RSLPF Massive Drug Bust in Castries as armed officers secure the area

RSLPF Massive Drug Bust: Arrests and Ammo Seized

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

I agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Stay Connected

  • 22.4k Fans
  • 873 Followers
  • 13.5k Subscribers
  • 2.6k Followers
  • 41 Followers
  • 2.3k Followers
ADVERTISEMENT

Top Stories

Poolside view at Sugar Beach resort in St Lucia with Pitons in the background – Forbes ranks best resorts in St Lucia

Forbes ranks best resorts in St Lucia, highlights others

October 4, 2025
725
Electra Fernand, the Creators Alliance kingpin charged in St Lucia Ponzi scheme probe.

Creators Alliance kingpin charged

October 2, 2025
1.3k
Police raid in George Charles Boulevard with Royal St Lucia Police Force vehicle and officers present in Marchand.

Police raid in George Charles Boulevard leads to arrests

October 1, 2025 - Updated on October 2, 2025
693
Police Welfare Association president Cameron Laure speaks on camera as the PWA raises concern over unpaid insurance and delayed benefits.

PWA raises concern over unpaid insurance and delayed vests

October 1, 2025
258
Unitedpac St. Lucia News logo


Unitedpac St Lucia News — Your trusted source for St Lucia News Online. Get breaking news today on politics, crime, tourism, and community stories across St Lucia, the Caribbean, and worldwide.

Follow Us

Browse by Category

  • All News
    • Agriculture
    • Caribbean News
    • Crime
    • Education
    • Justice
    • Local News
    • Obituary
    • Religion
    • Weather Alerts
  • Business
  • Commentary
  • Entertainment
    • Saint Lucia Events
    • Sports
    • Video News
  • Lifestyle
    • Culture
    • Health
    • Travel
  • Politics
  • Press Releases
  • Tech
  • World

Recent News

Neil Peter identified as Morne Serpent homicide victim in Gros Islet shooting

Morne Serpent homicide victim identified as 35-year-old resident

October 5, 2025
Homicide investigation police line after fatal shooting in Morne Serpent

Fatal shooting in Morne Serpent leaves 1 man dead

October 5, 2025
Jay Collimore, also known as Juice Box, identified as the victim in the fatal shooting in Dennery

Fatal shooting in Dennery leaves 1 dead, Soufrière man critical

October 4, 2025
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • LIVE TV

Copyright © 2025 Unitedpac St Lucia News - All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • St Lucia News
  • All News
    • Agriculture
    • Local News
    • Justice
    • Crime
    • Caribbean News
    • Obituary
    • Religion
    • Weather Alerts
    • Education
  • World
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
    • Sports
    • Saint Lucia Events
  • Lifestyle
    • Culture
    • Travel
    • Health
  • Tech
  • Commentary
  • Press Releases
  • LIVE TV

Copyright © 2025 Unitedpac St Lucia News - All Rights Reserved.

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.