I have been an ardent visitor to St Lucia for the past fifteen years and I own an apartment in the heart of Rodney Bay. I have watched the growth of the Rodney Bay area for many years by the sheer number of businesses becoming part of that landscape not to mention the hundreds of St Lucians who have decided to construct their homes in that part of St Lucia.
The recent roadworks undertaken some two years ago lent some hope to the traffic congestion and we endured the pains of this upgrading with the distinct hope that some relief was in sight. We further witnessed the attention paid to Rodney Bay by the water company to address the ongoing distribution of water based on the vast migration of St Lucians to the area.
It is beyond my comprehension as St Lucians democratically went to the polls and chose an administration with an overwhelming majority in the hope that the governing party would continue the program I witnessed. Sadly, after eight months in office such a major project has been shelved for no apparent reason leaving some thirty-five thousand homeowners and visitors having to put up with a deteriorating and disgraceful environment. In my view, tourism appears to be the backbone of the nation’s economy and what is ongoing is nothing short of irresponsible and callous behaviour by any administration.
St Lucia has been for the past ten years the number one honeymoon destination in the world aided by the tremendous efforts of Sandals Resorts in particular Sandals Grande. Visitors from the world over having to traverse and witness the state of the deteriorating roadworks is a sin crying to heaven for mercy. As a sincere visitor to St Lucia, I appeal to the authorities in my personal capacity to make a concerted effort in addressing the verges and completion of the roundabouts and not allow the most premium real estate to remain in such a condition.