St Lucia Education Minister refutes claims he was denied US visa

CASTRIES, St Lucia, CMC – St Lucia’s Education Minister, Kenson Casimir, on Wednesday dismissed social media reports that he had been denied a United States visa, amid calls for Prime Minister Phillip J Pierre to make a statement on the issue.

“I have never been denied a US visa in my life,” Casimir said in a post on Facebook as he responded to social media posts that both he and Housing Minister Richard Frederick were among several St Lucians denied visas by the Barbados-based US Embassy.

“You know most times I do not respond to a lot of things that are said on Facebook, but sometimes it could be so mischievous that you just have to say something,” Casimir said, insisting that he had never been denied a US visa.

He said he had recently submitted visa applications for his twin girls and that “they both got their visas” on December 30.

Casimir, who was among the successful candidates of the ruling St Lucia Labour Party (SLP) in the December 1 general election, hinted that the allegations were politically motivated by the main opposition United Workers Party and intended to mislead the population.

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“At the rate they’re going, they will be in opposition for the next 20 years because they think the only way they can ever win something is by lying,” Casimir said, adding “the mood is still red,” in reference to the colour of the SLP.