CASTRIES, St. Lucia, Aug 31, CMC – Prime Minister Phillip J Pierre Monday confirmed that Housing, Local Government and Urban Renewal Minister, Richard Frederick, has been sent on “administrative leave” with immediate effect as investigations continue into the St. Lucia Social Development Fund (SSDF).
Pierre told the weekly news conference that the decision to send Fredrick on administrative leave would ensure “that any doubts that may exist about the Social Development Fund have been cleared, are cleared.
“So we wanted to make sure that the Minister was not around so that the government can be accused of anything, of hiding anything. So the Minister has been asked to recluse himself, so he’s not going to be in the Cabinet during that time and he’s been asked to go on administrative leave,” Pierre told reporters.
While he did not elaborate on the decision to send Frederick on administrative leave, on August 10, Pierre told reporters that Opposition Leader Allen Chastanet was intent on damaging “the good name of the country” when he sent correspondence to several regional and international organisations questioning the transparency, governance, and financial management, including the audit independence of the SSDF.
Chastanet had in a July 28 letter to Prime Minister Pierre and copied extensively to several organisations including the Barbados-based Caribbean Development Bank,(CDB), foreign embassies and representatives of civil society organisations, warned of the future engagement of international benefactors, and their commitment to the development of St. Lucia.
“These issues concern the stewardship of public funds, legal compliance, and the integrity of public institutions, and must be treated with the requisite urgency and importance. It is therefore essential that the process adopted be transparent, independent, and capable of restoring public confidence,” Chastanet wrote.
But Pierre told reporters that Chastanet served as prime minister between 2016 and 2021 and that the last audit was done for the years 2017 and 2018 in March 2023.
“These audits were done in March 2023 and the St. Lucia Labour Party, we were the party in power at that time,” Pierre said, noting that upon his assuming office, the current board of directors initiated the process of auditing the financial statements of the SSDF, recognising the importance of ensuring that financial records are necessary.
“The SSDF is now looking ahead and is pleased to advise that the auditors have committed to delivering unqualified audited statements for the financial years 2022, 2023, 2023, 2024, 2024, 2025 and 2025.The board is working closely with the auditors who have been appointed with the objective of having the statements finalised by the end of 2026.”
Pierre said that the only reason why statements have not been prepared is because the United Workers’ Party, under the present Leader of the Opposition, failed to present audited statements for these years.
He said then that he has been informed by the SDSF that reports have gone every year to the Caribbean Development Bank on the Basic Needs Trust Fund. That is why they give the money back. They refinance it every year,” he said, adding also that any one who has contributed to the SSCF has received a report on how the money was used.
Pierre told Monday’s news conference that Frederick has been asked to “recluse himself”, adding “that doesn’t imply any guilt.
“It emphasises our government’s position of having nothing to hide. The Minister will not be exercising any ministerial duties during that time to allow all questions that anyone wants to ask to be answered and to allow the process to continue. But the SSDF will continue.
“The SSDF is an organisation of high priority for the government and its job and its functions to assist the underserved, the low-income, the differently abled and the young people will continue.
“Let me emphasise, the Minister being on administrative leave does not imply any guilt. What it does, it ensures that there is full transparency in the process. The Minister will not be attending cabinet during this time, so the Minister will not be in a position to influence decisions taken in the cabinet.
“This is the only reason why he’s been put on administrative leave until further notice. If and when there are any other announcements to be made, they will be made,” Pierre told reporters.
Earlier this month, Frederick hinted at taking civil and criminal action against his accusers after the police had said that an allegation made against him on a different matter had not been sustained.
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.
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.
Frederick,60, who is also an attorney told viewers to a television programme that calls for his resignation rest on an unproven claim.
“I sit in the serving cabinet at the behest of the prime minister and he at any time can tell me boy pack up and leave. But to ask me to resign on fabrications, it just means that tomorrow, two people can make a report against any minister, can concoct any story and then we will have to ask them to resign. Where does it end?”
CMC/gh/ir/2026