Anthony: There never was a situation where Cabinet started prayers and I intervened and said no more prayers. My God, that is simply not true, and you can ask any Cabinet minister. - file

CASTRIES (CMC):

Prime Minister Dr. Kenny Anthony has brushed off accusations that the St. Lucian government is against prayers at Cabinet meetings.

The accusation is itching to become an issue in the general election set for December 11.

Former Health and Women's Affairs Minister, Sarah Flood-Beaubrun, has charged that since her departure from the Cabinet, Anthony had ordered a stop to prayers before deliberations.

Flood-Beaubrun, who recently joined the Opposition United Workers Party after remaining at the helm of the small Organisation for National Empowerment for a year, accused the Prime Minister of turning his back on God and allowing Satan to prevail at meetings of his Cabinet.

"I saw Kenny Anthony take Jesus and put him outside the Cabinet door, slam it in his face and say he does not want God in his Cabinet room, and if you put God out, you invite Satan in," said Flood-Beaubrun, a devout Roman Catholic, who left the Anthony administration after disagreements over an abortion bill.

Not true

However, Anthony told a public meeting Friday that the ex-minister's accusations were not true.

"There never was a situation where Cabinet started prayers and I intervened and said no more prayers. My God, that is simply not true, and you can ask any Cabinet minister," he said.

"All Cabinet members made the point very early that when they come to Cabinet meetings, they have had their own peace with God. Sarah Flood-Beaubrun has a problem; she believes she must impose her religious views on people, which is wrong," he said.

"I admire the Catholic Church. I am not a Catholic, I am an Anglican, but I think it is morally wrong for anybody to impose their views on you. You have to respect other people's religious persuasions."