On Monday 16th May 2022, the Government of Saint Lucia received funding from the Republic of China Taiwan (ROCT) as part of the Constituency Development Programme. During the handing over ceremony, H.E. Peter Chen presented the cheque of eighteen million, five hundred thousand dollars ($18.5 million) to the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Hon. Philip J. Pierre. The Accountant General received the cheque to be deposited into the Consolidated Fund and presented a receipt on behalf of the Government to the Ambassador.
H.E. Chen recommitted his Government’s pledge to continue its assistance in supporting projects which not only directly impact the quality of life of people but at the same time address infrastructural issues which support climate change resilience and adaptation projects.
Prime Minister Hon. Philip J. Pierre restated his pledge from his 2022 Budget Address to allocate resources to all elected Parliamentarians in the seventeen constituencies to perform small projects of their choice. Hon. Pierre registered the importance of the programme to be transparent, accountable, and agile as it is rolled out island wide to meet the socio-economic needs of the people.
The revamped Constituency Development Project will be accessible to Opposition Parliamentarians, unlike what was practiced in the previous five years where the then six Opposition Parliamentarians were disenfranchised and denied opportunities to undertake important projects within their constituencies.