Commerce Minister Emma Hippolyte will head a task force to address tariffs and food security that could impact Saint Lucia given what looks to be a brewing trade war between the United States of America and its main trading partners. At the same time Jeremiah Norbert, Minister of Crime Prevention, will handle immigration and deportation concerns.
Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre acknowledges the essential need for food security as the region prepares for the economic impact that such a war could have if it occurs.
During a media briefing on Monday, PM Pierre underlined the urgent need to assess the social and economic impacts of US laws on regional countries, as well as the government’s careful analysis of the US government’s recent policy changes on tariffs and immigration.
“In this context, it is essential to understand that these changes could significantly affect Saint Lucia. Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers has formed a Task Force to address the implications of these policy shifts,” Pierre remarked.
The Prime Minister expressed severe worries about the impact of tariffs on inflation and growing costs of products and services in Saint Lucia, particularly food and other imports from the USA.
“We must evaluate the consequences of these tariffs, and I urge all stakeholders in the importation sector to collaborate with the Task Force to mitigate their effects,” he told reporters.
On the subject of probable US cuts to foreign aid, PM Pierre cited US-funded projects that benefit Saint Lucia, such as USAID’s Violence Interruption projects, the Community Reintegration Programme for prison inmates, and the presently suspended OASIS Programme.
“The government of Saint Lucia will exhaust all efforts to protect these programmes and safeguard the well-being of our citizens,” Prime Minister Pierre.
When asked about fostering cooperation among CARICOM states to improve local food production and reduce high food importation costs, the Prime Minister recalled the criticism he received last year for advocating increased consumption of local foods, specifically promoting the benefits of ‘eating more green bananas.’
“It is clear that the opposition lacked foresight in attempting to politicise everything,” he said.
PM Pierre also vigorously lobbied for the growth of Saint Lucia’s cassava industry, citing the importance of these measures in guaranteeing food security. He additionally stated that these recommendations “have come to the forefront for the necessity of food security…and what better food security that we can have than beginning to ‘eat what we grow’ in Saint Lucia.”
“We must look inward and strive to maximise our local agriculture production. The government is actively supporting this initiative through programmes like UBEC, which provides water tanks and farming input to boost crop cultivation,” he said.
“Now is the time to intensify our commitment to food security. Next week, we will receive two greenhouses from the Government of Guyana and last year’s budget included allocations to engage youth in agriculture,” he noted.
These greenhouses will allow youth to experiment with new agricultural practices, demonstrating the government’s commitment to promoting innovation in the field.
The prime minister stated that agro-processing will play an important role in this food security project, which aims to transform local fruits into juices. He noted that the Youth Economy Agency (YEA) is making tremendous progress in this regard.
“Now more than ever, we must prioritise local produce and goods for our consumption,” he stated.
Regarding deportations from the United States PM Pierre stated that no official word has been forwarded from America concerning Saint Lucian deportees, however, the authorities await any further development on this issue.