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CDB report to assist in guiding government’s economic reforms, Finance Minister says

Minister in the Ministry of Finance, Dr. Ubaldus Raymond, is calling on the public to become active participants in the process of discourse on the island’s economic standing and fiscal status as a new path of sustainability is being forged.

Dr. Raymond said government is taking governance to the people and encourages constructive debate.

Dr. Raymond, accompanied by the Caribbean Development Bank’s Director of Economics, Dr. Justin Ram, spoke on Thursday at a government press conference on the much-anticipated report entitled “Fiscal and Structural Reforms in Saint Lucia: Towards a Comprehensive Agenda.”

“The CDB made a presentation to the Ministry of Finance on Wednesday, providing a diagnosis on the fiscal standing of Saint Lucia and provided various recommendations based on what they found with regards to the fiscal situation of Saint Lucia. The CDB also made a presentation to the media as to some of the recommendations they have made on behalf of the Government of Saint Lucia,” stated Dr. Raymond.

However, the minister said, government is simply pursuing the responsible thing, which is information gathering to properly inform its own policy decisions. He highlighted, however, that the CDB report does not represent the policy of the government.

“The Ministry of Finance and the Government of Saint Lucia believe that before they undertake or implement any policy for Saint Lucia, and particularly economic policy, we want to gather sufficient information that we can use as building blocks in ensuring that we devise the correct policy when that time comes,” the minister explained.

The press conference will be aired tonight at 8:30 on the National Television Network-channel 37 on LIME, Channel 2 on Spectra and Channel 49 on Flow. The public is encouraged to tune in and be informed.

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