THE EDITOR: The Saint Lucia Labour Party notes with dismay the statement by the UWP General Secretary, Oswald Augustin.
The Labour Party appeals to Mr. Augustin not to treat the people’s business with such mockery. Paying out $33M is a serious matter and cannot be laughed at.
The fact is the UWP Government found a hotel project already negotiated and signed. All that was needed was implementation.
The UWP Government decided to renegotiate the General Agreement and a new Agreement was signed on August 3, 2017.
The Labour Party warned over and over that the new Agreement was not only badly conceived but also illegal.
Two years later, the Project is a fiasco and Saint Lucians have to pay $33M, according to figures given by Hon. Fedee.
The Prime Minister informed Parliament that he accepted responsibility for the problems with the Project.
Two issues remain hanging:
1) What has happened which led to the Government having to pay to Range E$33M; and
2) Why did hundreds of young men and women lose jobs which would have been made available with the construction of the new hotel by Range? (SLP)