THE Delta variant is undoubtedly creating havoc throughout the region, and it requires a serious and professional approach to ensure the numbers don’t overwhelm our country. Unfortunately, the current Prime Minister has not yet demonstrated his ability to address the matter and St. Lucians have every reason to remain concerned as one problem leads to another which can end up being worse than the first.
A deterioration of the current Covid situation can have a spiraling effect if several public servants fall ill which automatically will affect the production of the civil service commencing with the police to customs, Inland Revenue, nurses, port workers and so the list goes on.
Currently, when government revenue is already at an all-time low, which is more than 50% down from the original rate, there is little financial space for any further decreases. The most recent decision by the US regarding their travelling advisory and presently the intention by the UK government to place St. Lucia within their red zone is very disturbing.
Those decisions together represent 90% of St. Lucia’s tourism product and when those decisions are fully implemented the current administration will quickly have to return to the drawing board and make an important decision as to the best way forward. We wish to reiterate that we are existing in turbulent times where important and decisive decisions must be made to avoid any foreseeable catastrophe.