ST LUCIA is on an embarrassing begging and borrowing spree. WHY? Our Prime Minister has not yet understood the concept of economic growth followed by employment. What he understands is taxation not realizing that every new tax puts another nail in his political career but more significantly, drives a nail in the plight of St Lucians already on the breadline. We could not believe that this week, our Prime Minister went on an official trip seeking assistance from an impoverished Venezuela.
Despite holding the largest oil reserve globally, more than half of Venezuelan live in abject poverty. Does the Prime Minister have a conscience? Does he follow international news? Apparently not.
Venezuela at this time has the highest rate of inflation in the world at 400% compared to 44.5% in Haiti, one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere (US News & World Report). The country is in shambles. Simply look at the massive exodus of its people. Approximately, two thousand Venezuelans are fleeing the country on a daily basis heading any and everywhere for a better life. Since 2015, more than seven million Venezuelans have fled their homeland as a consequence of economic and political turmoil. They are travelling on foot heading to a number of countries in South America and elsewhere. In 2022, US authorities encountered almost 188,000 Venezuelans at detention camps in the southern states of the USA, particularly Texas, an increase of 71% over 2021.
Is it fair that our Prime Minister should stretch out his hands to President Maduro at a time when millions of Venezuelans are in desperate need of basic commodities and food? Mr. Prime Minister, there is something called entitlement and pride, have you forgotten those words?
You have deliberately deprived the nation of three thousand well-paying jobs for the sole purpose of getting even with your predecessor and in the interim, you denied fellow St. Lucians the opportunity of fending for themselves. SHAME ON YOU. Today, you and your associates have brought shame to our nation by spending our limited resources in gallivanting to an impoverished nation for assistance.
Ask your foot soldiers to go on the ground and hear the cries of hundreds of St. Lucians unable to face a supermarket for basic food items for themselves and their families. Yes, you know how to play the petty politics and you’ve reached the pinnacle of your political desire but, rest assured the price to be paid at the end will forever haunt you.