Letters & Opinion

Protecting the victory won’t cut it

By James Stanislaus

Despite the overflowing woes within the SLP administration, they have become overly concerned with the structure of the UWP. Their plan, so well organized to destabilize the leader, failed by a turn of fate.  This is the first blow which must be dealt with based on the fabrication of untruths and leaked information from within.  Today, as the followers of those hand picked to protect the victory fall prey to their misgivings, millions have to be disbursed to steady Fair Helen.

It has taken the UWP several months to detect the detractors within and without the party and with this success, the party is ready to move forward and do battle.  Many St Lucians understand the reasoning for bringing in the RSS but the big question remains, what happens at the departure of the RSS?  The PM has made a number of promises but so far there has been nothing tangible in place to neutralize the core of the problem which is blatant unemployment.  The Government needs to get serious and realistic.  Where is the plan to develop the nation.

His youth programme, if successful, will take years to materialize while on the other hand, if it does where are the jobs to be derived from?  Presently, a number of St Lucians with qualifications remain on the breadline as there is hardly any ongoing development in sight.  We need an administration with a vision as were it not for our tourism industry, which was so heavily criticized along with Sandals Resorts, an organization introduced to St Lucia by none other that Allen Chastanet in the 1980’s while director of tourism.

The foundation laid by Sandals over the last twenty years paved the way for a world class destination indirectly laying a recognized base for the Air BNB industry which today offers 2,400 rooms.  Government needs to build on this formidable base and create other affiliated industries.  Had DSH, HIA and the Cruise Line facility been permitted to proceed, these would have complimented the tourism industry enormously.  We must think of economic growth not only protecting the victory.

The PM needs to take immediate stock of the economic situation pertaining to the small entrepreneurs on island.  There has been a distinct reduction of cash flow within the system which is undermining the operations of this sector.  By our calculation that group of 3,400 small entrepreneurs provide a minimum of 6,800 employees and if not addressed in the near future, we shall be losing entrepreneurs and employees which does not augur very well for the nation’s economy.

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