CASTRIES, St Lucia – The main opposition St Lucia Labour Party (SLP) says it is preparing for a general election, 16 months after it was soundly defeated by the United Workers' Party (UWP).

SLP leader Dr Kenny Anthony said that the food crisis and the current unrest within the ruling party, sparked by the internal calls for the removal of the Economic Affairs Minister Ausbert D'Auvergne, necessitate an early poll.

Anthony said that the party had already endorsed all of its candidates who contested the last general election in anticipation of the early poll.

"Now I think we have reached the point where we have no alternative but to go back to the polls. The people of St Lucia are angry, they are frustrated, they feel betrayed, they are exceedingly disappointed and unhappy about what has taken place," he said.

"We have a situation where there is a looming food crisis and on top of this we have warfare within the government which the Prime Minister (Stephenson King) seems incapable of resolving as enough time has elapsed," he said.

Anthony denied that he was holding talks with disgruntled members of the ruling party to force the Prime Minister to call an early general election.

But he acknowledged that the SLP would file a motion of no confidence in the government if the disgruntled UWP members were dismissed.

(CMC)