VIEUX FORT for many years ago has been touted as the ‘New Frontier” for development. There is hardly a government that has on coming to office, not promised to pay special attention to the southern town citing its physical attributes as being just right for commercial and industrial development.
Aside from the construction of a free zone area, a fisheries complex and an abattoir, none of which has made any positive impact on the quality of life of the people living in that region, the enthusiasm that was generated in earmarking Vieux Fort as the next geographical area for development in the country has all but died down.
Anderson Reynolds, one of the more prominent Vieux Fortians, has written extensively about the failures of governments to transform their words into action when it comes to Vieux Fort. He was even moved in one of his articles to ask whether Vieux Fort was cursed.
Surprisingly, the southern region has a lot going for it despite the piecemeal effort of one government after another to put into practice the new frontier concept that is hung on it whenever it deemed appropriate.
As noted by Reynolds in his article of April 2015 in THE VOICE, Vieux Fort has a wide expanse of flat land, an international airport, an oceangoing seaport and a road infrastructural base unmatched anywhere else in the country.
Why then has Vieux Fort, over the years, been unable to generate the type of jobs and economic activity as Castries, or have those activities reached a certain level in Vieux Fort so a comparison of sorts can be made between the two major districts?
The VOICE, on Tuesday, went talking to certain persons living in Vieux Fort about what that region needs. The responses were insightful, meaning that most of the people we spoke with showed an understanding of the situation afflicting Vieux Fort.
One person spoke of the need for tourism products to generate employment for a growing youthful population in the town.
A businessman pointed to the lack of a private sector body in the south of the island with a voice strong enough to mobilize business people.
Another person spoke of the need for businesses in the north of the island to open branches in Vieux Fort. Not much of that is being done.
“There is anxiety in the South,” said businessman Edward Harris who runs an enterprise that sells building materials. “The politicians need to sit with the people and ask them what they can do for them.”
He lamented the lack of a proper restaurant in Vieux Fort where service is top notched; the lack of teleconferencing between business people and government instead of either party having to travel from one end of the country to the other and the reduction in factories in what is called the Industrial Zone. Some of those factories are now empty shells.
“Vieux Fort is ready to exhale but it needs the vital ingredient called the politician to nurture it,” Harris philosophized.
How well the politicians will adhere to Harris’ bidding is yet to be seen. However they have consistently included Vieux Fort in their manifestoes for development should they be elected into office. This month was no exception as both the United Workers Party and the St. Lucia Labour Party once again made promises to be pursued if they won the June 6 general election.
For the SLP is was the redevelopment of the Hewanorra International Airport, Port Vieux Fort, the Vieux Fort Water Supply, the building of a 3.2 megawatt utility scale solar photovoltaic in La Tourney, the restoration of the George Odlum Stadium as part of a new modern national sports center and constructing an administrative complex in Vieux Fort.
The UWP intentions for Vieux Fort as contained in their manifesto is the completion of the Vieux Fort road diversion, the construction of a coastal promenade, the development of Anse de Sable, upgrading the waterfront, developing Vieux Fort as a home port for the cruise industry, redeveloping the Hewanorra International Airport, developing Vieux Fort as a new tourism frontier and ensuring that the George Odlum Stadium is returned to the sporting population of Vieux Fort.
Prime Minister Allen Chastanet addressing the swearing in ceremony of his Cabinet this past Tuesday made another statement that attention is coming Vieux Fort’s way.
I would let them wait some more for they still voted for Ali Baba who for years neglected them. Anyway my new Prime Minister will prove to you all, that Vieux-Fort will get the face lift that’s truly needed and you all will become the envy of St.Lucia good luck.