St. Lucia’s Economic Affairs, Economic Planning, Investment and National Development Minister, Senator Ausbert d’Auvergne, had been the subject of much scrutiny before he tendered his resignation on Friday May 23 amid a controversy that threatened to bring down the government of Prime Minister Stephenson King.
Some of his United Workers Party (UWP) colleagues had called for him to be removed from the Cabinet, saying he had far too much power and influence there for an unelected member.
Days after two UWP Members of Parliament formally withdrew their support for King when he failed to remove d’Auvergne, the minister decided that he would call it quits and a statement issued by government after his resignation, described the development as the "resolution of a major issue".
Dennery North MP and Deputy Speaker of the House Marcus Nicholas, along with his Choiseul colleague and former foreign affairs minister, Rufus Bousquet the previous weekend had written to the Governor General informing her of their withdrawal. This left the ruling UWP with a 9-8 majority down from the 11-6 margin it enjoyed when the late Sir John Compton led the party to victory in the December 2006 general election. Two other MPs had also threatened to go the same route if King did not get rid of d’Auvergne.
The minister had been brought into the Cabinet by Sir John after the UWP won the 2006 polls.
It is believed that d’Auvergne played a key role in that election victory since he managed the final phase of the UWP campaign when the National Development Movement (NDM), a political party which he founded in Feburary 2004 along with a number of other people, decided not to contest the election and he joined forces with the UWP.
King had been hesitant to let d’Auvergne go and after his resignation, he explained that the minister was the driving force behind government’s national development plan.
“Personally I felt that his experience in planning and economic matters would have given him that opportunity to deliver on those plans and the vision that Sir John had left behind,” King said.
CMC/dmb/08
Today's Date is: Fri, 05 Dec 2008 04:24:30
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