CASTRIES, St. Lucia, Aug 21, CMC -Prime Minister Phillip J Pierre is expected to make a statement following the police announcement that the allegation made against his embattled Housing, Local Government and Urban Renewal Minister, Richard Frederick, had not been sustained.
Late last month, Pierre had told a news conference that he would not be “rushed” into making any decision regarding Frederick, who is the subject of a police investigation and who has proceeded on annual leave.
‘I’m awaiting the police investigation. When the police have investigated, when the police have come to a conclusion, the prime minister will take a decision on the future of Minister Richard Fredericks in the cabinet of St. Luca,” Pierre said then.
Earlier this week, Police Commissioner Verne Garde told a news conference that following weeks of investigations into the allegation against Frederick, which he did not disclose “the allegation was not sustained.
“I did give instructions for the matter to be continually investigated so that we can get all the facts in the matter. An allegation was made. We looked into the particular allegation and the allegation was not sustained,” Garde said.
Garde said that his own review of the investigative file led him to support the findings of the investigating officer, telling reporters “I have currently with me the file from the investigative officer. I have gone through the file and I agree with the recommendation of the investigating officer.
“In my view, it’s a very thorough investigation, though it was very complicated. Investigations like that…in my view, should be given adequate time to deal with,” he said, adding that the investigator had to travel overseas “to try to secure the statement.
“We secured that statement and after we secured the statement we did follow-up investigations in regards to the allegations. Based on all of the investigations which we did, which is quite voluminous, we were not able to sustain the allegation,” Garde said.
In July, hours after he was taken to the police station as part of the investigations, the 60 year-old attorney and former police officer, told viewers that while he would not divulge the reasons behind the police investigation, “what I do know is this man you see there, call me what you want, call me this, call me that, but there are certain things I don’t cross boundaries on, never and never will, okay.
“I don’t cross those boundaries. I have five daughters, five,” Frederick said, confirming that the police were investigating “certain allegations” against him.
The Police Commissioner also cautioned against the spread of misinformation on social media, saying that unverified claims can discourage victims from coming forward to seek justice.
He urged the public to allow facts, not speculation, to guide the conversation, calling for an end to the circulation of unsubstantiated rumours that have not been proven to be true.
CMC/jg/ir/2026