Government authorities say they are perplexed by the gross expenditure and wastage of public funds reportedly incurred by the previous United Workers Party (UWP) regime to house its Ambassador to Washington.
“The government for many years, almost decades, had bought a building in Washington to house the ambassador,” Prime Minister Philip J Pierre told reporters, this week.
He said the residence, which is located at 6041Crimson Court, McLean, Virginia belongs to the people of Saint Lucia.
Between 2015 and 2016 the former ambassador resided in the building, and prior to that, Ambassador Sonia Johnny and Ambassador Dr. Robert Lewis occupied the official residence.
Pierre disclosed that, during the tenure of the UWP administration, the then ambassador Anton Edmund did not occupy the residence (building), but rather US $4,000 in rental fees per month was paid to house him.
The prime minister noted, “The building remained unoccupied …and as usual, unoccupied buildings deteriorate”.
He added that US$80,000 was spent “between 2017 and 2018 to effect repairs on the building … and the ambassador did not move into that building, at the time. So the building remained unoccupied and left to the weather (conditions) of Washington.”
Pierre explained that government currently pays rental costs for the current ambassador Elizabeth Clarke in the sum of $5,500 per month “because the building is not fit for her to occupy.”
He said government has paid rental fees totaling approximately EC$1.4 million to house the former and current ambassadors.
“We decided that it is better to fix the building …at EC $1million and then (allow) the ambassador to move into the building, rather than allow the building to deteriorate and continue to pay rent,” said Pierre.
The prime minister added that Saint Lucia was at one time “part owner of a building in Washington, which was occupied by the OECS offices”, with the exception of Grenada.
In August 2019, the government at the time “sold their share of the building for $1 million …and then they rented office space in Washington to the amount of US $7 821.66 per month, but they sold their share in the building that they occupied to pay rent.”
Currently, in Washington, said Pierre, “we are paying US $30,000 in rent for residence, when we owned part shares in one (building) and we totally owned another. That is the (kind of) financial management that this country experienced”.
According to the Office of the Prime Minister if the official residence is not repaired the Government would have to support accommodation for its Ambassador in Washington D.C at an average rate of USD5,500 – USD6,600 monthly or USD330,000 for 5 years – assuming that rental rates remain as currently exist- which is highly unlikely.
The OPM listed thus:
– In August 2019, under the UWP Administration, Saint Lucia sold its share of a building owned by the OECS (minus Grenada) for USD1million. At the time the building was fully paid for.
– Since the sale , Saint Lucia has been renting office space which now stands at USD7,821.66 monthly or USD94, 000 yearly
– By the end of 2023, Saint Lucia would have paid $400,000 in office rental.