THE Prime Minister and members of his government will continue to pursue the many people-oriented activities which it started in the governance of our country. However, the focus in 2024, will be on ‘Infrastructure’.
Now what is infrastructure? Infrastructure means the basic physical systems of our nation and include transportation systems; construction of roads, bridges, ports; development of communication networks, sewage, water, power supplies, school systems and community buildings among others.
There have been many complaints about the condition of the road network in St. Lucia. In some areas the situation is more acute than others.
Well, government will be repairing, resurfacing and constructing roads in the network. The Prime Minister, Philip J. Pierre, confirmed this in his New Year message to the nation.
Within the first quarter of 2024, our people would see movements on our ports. Global Ports Holding (GPH) will begin work at Pointe Seraphine, the vendors Arcade, and other facilities in Castries, Bananes Bay and Soufriere.
At Pointe Seraphine, GPH will improve the berthing capacity and strength to accommodate the largest vessels in the world which can carry up to 6,500 passengers and 2,500 crew.
Indeed, our vendors at Pointe Seraphine and the Vendors Arcade will benefit immensely from this venture.
Simultaneously, many construction workers will receive employment as a result of that work which will be untaken by Global Ports Holding
A place where many of our people frequent is the National Cultural Centre. As I write, I have learnt that the National Development Foundation has started a temporary closure of the Cultural Centre in order to effect repairs in order to enhance the services provided by the CDF. Again, a people-oriented project.
Now local Police is experiencing difficulties in finding a place to hold arrested offenders. According to the Commissioner of Police, Crusita Descartes-Pelius, the police have to scout around police stations all around the island in order to find holding cells to place offenders in.
Well, a new Custody Suites is presently in the advance stage of construction. And members of the public are relieved to know that.
A holding cell is a facility where an accused person is temporarily detained or confined.
We come now to the Hewanorra International Airport (HIA) which is the larger of the two airports in St. Lucia and is managed by the St. Lucia Air and Seaports Authority.
Indeed, the Hewanorra International Airport Redevelopment project is due to start early this year. As I write, the Air Traffic Control Tower is currently under construction. Another part of the HIA project is the terminal building which will be redesigned to keep pace with International Airports around the world.
The St. Jude Hospital is one of two major hospitals in St. Lucia, situated in the south of the island. The hospital was severely damaged by a fire more than a decade ago.
In his New Year Address, Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre has confirmed that the long- awaited St. Jude Hospital Reconstruction project has received the approval of the Development Control Authority for the entire building.
The reconstruction of the St. Jude hospital will start in 2024, and will be equipped with state-of-the-art medical equipment and technology, as well as enhanced patient care services.
Although the hospital is situated in Vieux Fort which is in the south of the island, the hospital is used by St. Lucians throughout the country and persons in the Organization of Easter Caribbean States and Caribbean generally. So, we are very happy for the reconstruction project now in progress.
St. Lucia is experiencing an upsurge in crime and the government is prepared to take the necessary steps to deal with the situation.
The construction of a new Halls of Justice is due to commence soon for judicial officers.
Now judicial officers are persons with the responsibilities and powers to facilitate, arbitrate, preside over and make decisions and give directions with regard to the application of the law.
The Hall of Justice, a term used for a city’s police headquarters, will also be used to house judicial officers and institutions like the courts.
I was privileged to a Hall of Justice in Brooklyn, United States of America. The building housed the Magistrate Court, the High Court, Police offices, offices for the payment of fines, an office for the public to make enquiries of a legal nature. If one needed a lawyer on the spur-of-the moment, there is a department in the same building to have access to a lawyer, I was very impressed with what I saw there.
Now the housing situation in St. Lucia is critical. The Minister for Housing Hon. Richard Fredrick, is a person who is very concerned about the poor and indigent. He goes all-out to provide a home for the poverty-stricken, distressed, destitute people of St. Lucia.
Affordable housing programmes has already started in St. Lucia. However, the government has decided to provide many more low-cost, affordable housing for its people. Early in this new year housing activities will be stepped-up as a matter urgency.
The Cul-de-sac bridge now under construction will enhance the road network along the West Coast of St. Lucia, also feeding into the main road to the East coast and to the city of Castries.
Again, more construction work is being provided to our people. St. Lucians should be very happy with all the government work around them as well as the increase in services.