IS our Prime Minister’s preferred legacy the fact that he did not take Saint Lucia to the IMF or that he did not keep the promise of “Better Days” to the people?
Dr. Antony recently defended his decision not to follow in the footsteps of some regional governments in refusing take the island into a programme of austerity measures with the Washington-based International Monetary Fund (IMF). He made the statement while wrapping up debate in the Parliament on the 2015-2016 Appropriation Bill.
Making specific reference to Grenada which is grappling with IMF involvement at the moment, Anthony remarked: “I am proud, I am happy that I did not take this country (St. Lucia) to the IMF”. According to Dr. Anthony, he was advised, that the only way the economic problems of St. Lucia could be dealt with was to go to the IMF, but he opted not to go that route. If the Prime Minister was advised by his technocrats, presumably, to take the island’s economic woes to the IMF for some IMF tonic, then it certainly was not lost on the Prime Minister that in the process a severe blow would have been dealt to his image and that of his party. And that he wasn’t having.
A government, that while occupying opposition seats, offered “Better Days” will hardly feel comfortable going to the IMF for answers. Quite apart from saving face for his cabinet and party, the Prime Minister may well have committed political suicide in the process. Going to the IMF would obliterate the legacy he has so carefully pieced together over his fifteen years or so at the forefront of St Lucian politics.
The question is: if the International Monetary Fund is not the option, although it was prescribed by some experts as being the only “option”, then what is the way forward in addressing the severe fiscal situation that the island is in?
The St. Lucia budget indicated that the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) contracted by an estimated 0.7% or negative growth of minus 2.7%. What is the Kennynomics cure for this state of affairs? (Don’t hold your breath).
There are certain harsh “adjustments” that seem to suggest that the government of the day is subscribing to austerity measures – both implicitly and explicitly, in order to address the island’s four major challenges as pointed out by the Prime Minister himself. The prescriptions, though not IMF missives, may well be similar in its intent.
In that vein, last year the Prime Minister addressed the nation on what can be considered to be perhaps its non–IMF options. In an address entitled: Facing the Options, delivered in June 2014, one year ago, he said:
“When I delivered my 2014 Budget Statement in Parliament on Tuesday, May 13th., I set out to explain, as clearly as I could, the challenges confronting our country. If you recall, I stated then that we are facing four fundamental challenges, namely: (1) low economic growth rates, (2) persistently high unemployment, (3) high vulnerability to economic and natural shocks, and (4) fiscal deficits and high debt levels. In that budget statement, I also stated the measures that our government was taking to address these issues”.
The Labour Government’s proposals to reduce the fiscal deficit have been unapologetically unforgiving and are not very different from what obtains in Grenada. The “not going to the IMF line” is just a sweetener that the Prime Minister’s public relations mavens have once again come up with. Dr. Anthony himself said:
“These adjustments were possible primarily because we undertook a strict streamlining of capital expenditure. We reduced spending on goods and services, utilities, supplies and materials, and communication, in addition to decreasing transfers and subsidies to statutory boards and other government agencies. There was also a major adjustment of $26.8 million in Capital Expenditure.” The Value Added Tax was implemented and now new tax exemptions and revenue measures that tighten the noose around the salaries of the citizenry will be implemented in this budget cycle.
In the context of the recent budget announcements which appear to have left all disgruntled except minibus drivers, and given Saint Lucia’s current realities, it is almost factitious that the Prime Minister and his cabinet expect the public to look around the region to find comfort. Among the austerity measures implemented by the Keith Mitchell government in St. George’s is a doubling of the property tax, a wage freeze over a three-year period for civil servants, lowering of the income tax threshold to bring in more people in the net, as well as huge increases in user fees charged by the State. It is necessary for Dr. Anthony to ask the people in Saint Lucia whether they feel at all far removed from Grenada’s realities, or any IMF linked island. Perhaps it is only he and his chosen few who see things differently.
Dr. Kenny Anthony’s refusal to turn to the IMF has nothing to do with his being a compassionate government. It is about his legacy. His true motive is that he does not want such a blemish on his legacy. However, the Lambirds Academy matter may not be as kind to his legacy nor the legacy of this government as a whole. Amidst the making of Dr. Anthony’s Legacy there is also the making up of the people’s mind to act decisively, soon; because you can fool some of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all the people all of the time, for they have seen the light.
By Alexis B. Montgomery
Alexis B. Montgomery :
I am convinced that this island is plagued with lunatics. You concur that it would be disastrous to enter into the jaws of the IMF, in fact you correctly described it as a blemish. “His true motive is that he does not want such a blemish on his legacy.’ This begs the question: WHAT BLEMISH WOULD YOU LIKE ON YOUR RECORD ? Let me guess; can’t ! nothing seem to meet your caliber.
So Kenney’s decision to save us from the blood-sucking tentacles of the Mafiosi IMF has caused you much consternation, so we need to allow Allen Chastanet to become PM – now there ! we can have the blood suckers run our country and make you happy while you feast on dry coconuts..
About 4:00 pm, Son-of-man was Al-Hakeem =The Wise; by 9:00 pm that same Son-of-man had transitioned to Al-Qudoos = The Holy.
Can someone please tell me what’s going on with my good friend Son-of-man? I know it’s a Full-Moon, but, Lord have mercy, I wasn’t expecting your mental state to deteriorate so rapidly.
Who knows, tomorrow you might wake up thinking you are AL-Kreator=The Giver of Life.
Home | Pope Francis Says Genesis Account Of Creation Is Not True
Pope Francis Says Genesis Account Of Creation Is Not True
Geoffrey Grider | October 27, 2014
The Big Bang, which scientists believe led to the formation of the universe some 13.8 billion years ago, was all part of God’s plan, Pope Francis has declared.
“For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.” Colossians 1:16,17
The Pope said the scientific account of the beginning of the universe and the development of life through evolution are compatible with the Catholic Church’s vision of creation. He told a meeting of the Vatican’s Pontifical Academy for Sciences: ‘The Big Bang, which today we hold to be the origin of the world, does not contradict the intervention of the divine creator but, rather, requires it.’
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http://www.nowtheendbegins.com/blog/?p=27791
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You don’t see is crap these people writing in these articles? They need to say something so they say anything.
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WHAT EVERY ST. LUCIAN MUST KNOW:
http://www.africanglobe.net/featured/africa-men-mugabe/
It is known that I have attempted to make many of you aware of the detrimental effects of Black People worshiping a Naked Caucasian as their God. Because of the many deceitful and treacherous Negroes whose positions as the “House Nigger” is jeopardized by the exposure to the truth of this bogus white God, I have been called a lunatic, a racist and a terrorist.
These reactions from the House Niggers are expected as they fight to maintain the status quo, while they struggle to leave the people of African Ancestry to be oppressed and abused by the Caucasian Christian Terrorist and practitioners of White Supremacy.
This week as Black people were studying the slave master’s religion of white male worship in Bible Class, a Caucasian Christian Terrorist entered the house of worship and executed nine of his Black “Fellow Christians”, because they were African American.
As is the usual practice of the Caucasian White Media this Terrorist was immediately labelled as Mentally Sick, in need of medical assistance – Not ONE time was this Caucasian labelled a White Christian Terrorist; think about that.
Black People are continued to be murdered and oppressed by White Christian Terrorist and their imps, in the U.S.A., a country that hypocritically Proclaims, “Freedom, Justice, and Liberty for All”, but continues to treat its African American population with the most wicked oppression practiced by any country against its minority population – this land of liberty ruled by Caucasian Christians, incarcerates the highest percentage of a minority population; more than any other country in the World.
If these hypocritical Caucasian Christians were sincere about addressing this oppression of their Black Citizen, they would STOP TEACHING THEIR CAUCASIAN CHILDREN THAT GOD HAD A CAUCASIAN SON WHO IS WHITE AND THE MASTER OF THE UNIVERSE/THE GOD COMPLEX. Implicit in this message is BLACK PEOPLE ARE INFERIOR, since the perfect God is Caucasian.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=186&v=LJl9iqnvkOE
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Catholic Church says: “GOD WAS DRUNK”when he said: “I’LL BE BACK”
Church says God was a know Bootlegger, turning water into alcohol and GOD was an ALCOHOLIC.
How can you “well educated” idiots like Rick John Wayne, call yourselves Roman Catholics and go through life believing all these Demonic teachings that Jesus is God, the Son of God, and Holy Mary is God’s Mother ?
NOW A DRUNK GOD ?? THROWING-UP/VOMITING AND FALLING IN THE GUTTERS ‘TOO-NEE’/NAKED ?
The Vatican defended Jesus’ broken promise, claiming “he was probably drinking wine” at the time when he made the comments.
“Having the ability to turn water into wine had its ups and its downs.” added Cardinal Salvadore. “We all make promises we can’t keep when we’re drunk. Jesus was no different.”
So, Cardinal, when Jesus said he was going to prepare a place for me in his father’s kingdom/mansion was he drunk and making promises he can’t keep ?
You people need to Read the Qur-an. Just google “Quran explorer” where you can find the original revelation in Arabic along with the English meanings.
http://waterfordwhispersnews.com/2014/04/18/jesus-not-coming-back-by-the-looks-of-it-admits-vatican/
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“You people need to Read the Qur-an. Just google “Quran explorer” where you can find the original revelation in Arabic along with the English meanings.”
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Yes! Christians need to read the Quran which was revealed to Muhammad, the molester of a 9 year old little girl named Aisha.
If someone is drunk, it’s you and Muhammad.