Above: PM Stephenson King (UN Photo/Emma Simmons)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

St Lucia Prime Minister Stephenson King announced he had accepted the resignation of the island’s Minister for Physical Planning, Housing, Urban Renewal, Local Government and the Environment Richard Frederick after it had been reported that his residential and diplomatic US visas had been revoked.

The minister resigned his position Monday after the visa news.

“[Frederick] has repeatedly assured my cabinet and the general public that he has done nothing wrong or illegal to warrant the abrupt revocation of his visas,” King said. “In the absence of any evidence — or even a specific accusation — of wrongdoing on the part of Mr Frederick, government will continue to pursue the matter at the diplomatic level. At this time, there is no further elaboration that I can give on this matter.”

King himself will assume responsibility for the vacated ministerial portfolios.