The United Workers Party continues to raise its concern over a motion moved in Parliament on Tuesday, 13 February to borrow USD 42 million or EC 113 million dollars from the CDB as a policy-based loan.
The passage of this resolution has sparked controversy and concern since the Prime Minister in his presentation revealed that there are 8 conditionalities attached to the loan.
The main and first condition set by the CDB was to enhance tax revenue and support fiscal stability.
To do that the Philip J Pierre administration agreed to impose a 2.5% levy that they hid as a Health and Security tax.
The questions now being asked by the public are: why was this information not revealed last year when the government implemented the tax ; and why did the government LIE to the public of Saint Lucia to say that the tax was to help in Health and Security?
The question was answered On Tuesday through the Prime Minister’s own words. The 2.5% tax, purportedly for health and security purposes, was in fact a 2.5% levy that is a condition of the loan and not a genuine effort to raise funds for national security and health.
The Prime Minister hid the truth of the levy from the people.
Although there was no increase in the Budget for Health and Security, the Prime Minister prevailed upon the nation to make the sacrifice and bear the heavy load of a 2.5% tax for the benefit of the national health and security sectors. But this was not true.
The real reason for the extraction of funds from the pockets of the people was to satisfy the conditions to recover revenue, and not for the improvement of health and security.
How can we trust this government? Instead of providing clear and transparent explanations, the government opted for secrecy and evasion.
Furthermore, it is not surprising that such a significant financial decision, with far-reaching implications for our nation’s economy and future, was not subjected to debate by any member of the Saint Lucia Labor party.
They all sat there and were afraid to defend the motion. The question is why? Is it because all of them knew from last year that the real reason for the tax was not for health and security but a conditionality to secure a loan from the CDB? Is this lack of disclosure and debate reminiscent of the Rochamel ordeal that cost taxpayers so much?
This lack of engagement and transparency is irresponsible and undermines the principles of accountability and democratic governance.
The question therefore arises as to why would a government who claims that they are presiding over a supposedly thriving economy agree to such draconian conditions? The people deserve to know why such extreme measures were deemed necessary. Clearly the economic picture is not as rosy as the picture being painted by the government.
Despite attempts by the Leader of the Opposition to shed light on these issues, his efforts were thwarted by the Deputy Speaker of the House, Jeremiah Norbert.
The immaturity and inexperience of the Deputy Speaker was clearly displayed when he was caught up in his own self-importance rather than allowing the Leader of the Opposition to speak. Does the Deputy Speaker understand that he has a duty to fairness and protection of the minority?
The United Workers Party will continue to bring the truth to light and hold our government accountable for its actions.
We will continue to fight for transparency, accountability, and the best interests of our nation and its citizens.
SOURCE: United Workers Party
The 2.5% is to also pay clowns like Lucian Lowgrade.
Yawn!… Next!
@ OH REALLY – please don’t wake him up, let sleeping dogs lie; enough of him.
I’m not saying Pierre is not guilty of betraying the public trust but is UWP any different? Both parties play on Lucians ignorance to push their own political agenda. It sickens me how world-wide politicians put politics ahead of the needs of the people and the nation. “Power and Money corrupts the soul”
How much more can you borrow to pay salaries? Civil Servants, Watch Your Bread! They are imposing more tax on you to pay you your salary.
Well it appears that the PM implicated himself in this deception on the people…and by the looks of it, this 2.5% health and security levy ain’t popular with the electorate and it has made Pierre look like a right foolish clown. This is significant and will have severe repercussions…
Oh Really your fart again missay ??? So folks (those without amnesia) Saint Lucia West Indies are the BIGGEST DEBTOR (fact) to The Caribbean Development Bank. How did St Lucia got this dubious title was due to one man, Allan Micheal Chastanet. Yu’ll remember, his relentless borrowing during his reign of terror, well His Most Honorable PJ Pierre is looking for funding, so he turned to CDB instead of the Loan Sharks IMF because we don’t have a lot of options because our DEBT CEALING IS SO HIGH ALREADY thanks to Chastanet they won’t lend us anymore money without stipulations (a levy attach
So you see people now you see how we are paying for Allan Chastanet Mismanagement. They are basically telling us gasa yu’ll borrow too much already you are taking a chance plain and simple OUR CREDIT RATING IS TOO LOW and these are the same clowns that want to come back in power to kill the working poor off even more OH HELL NO. St Lucian’s need to pay attention to the BAD HABITS of the previous government and how they are having a profound impact on our quality of life today. Pierre is the clean up man, he is trying to bring us out of the red back into the back circle because we had moved so close to the edge of been in receivership by our creditors. So when you bawl why this is not done or it’s limited, external factors play a huge role. We are a tiny island with a tiny economy, we have no natural resources to leverage with on the world stage except sand and sea and our UN Vote. Allan Chastanet borrowed more than USD$42 million dollars from The CDB, Pierre YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE GONE BACK THERE, it maybe you had no choice, please be careful DONT FOLLOW IN CHASTANET FOOTSTEPS we need to learn to ban our bellies to pay off some of our debt.
“The 2.5% tax, purportedly for health and security purposes, was in fact a 2.5% levy that is a condition of the loan and not a genuine effort to raise funds for national security and health”.
I saw the opposition leader call the government liars, and I don’t get it. Clearly, the levy is limited to 3 years and is necessary to shore up the country’s fiscal situation.
The economic motives are sound! Saint Lucia has struggled with budget deficits for years, with spending outstripping revenues. The Debt to GDP ratio was over 90%.
The levy aims to bolster tax revenue collection to support fiscal stability, which is a wise economic move, and spend that money on health and security.
Perhaps the lender said you are not collecting enough money to get the loan. When I got a mortgage, I had to make a deposit of 20%.
Meeting reasonable lender requirements to secure financing is a standard practice.
The special 3-year levy will improve Saint Lucia’s financial standing and ability to fund public services. It is spent on the people. The debt-to-GDP ratio is about 60% (I heard from one source).
Most Honorable please be careful……. I know you must have weight the risk you are not stupid when it comes to money I know this might be a calculated move.
Making excuses again, if implementing the 2.5% heath and security levy as its called was a requirement to qualify for this loan then why didn’t they make it clear back then. These details come as a surprise to most of us this week. If the government is trying to put us back on course then there should be no issue disclosing these details instead of obfuscating all the time. They should have simply said we are taking this loan for x purpose and these are the requirements. The government is playing games and getting caught every time.
Another issue I have is the smell of the situation with the IRD and that whole fiasco, but that’s for another day. I hope you all realize the whole thing with the speaker and Chas is to divert your attention to lesser matters.
You’ll hacks are unbelievable! You’ll really choose to ignore the facts……in fact You’ll ate ignorant. If it was Chas whi did it,You’ll would see the light but You’ll choose to stay under that Vale of darkness and ignorance. When the ship has sunk and you find yourself in the middle of the ocean then you will check yourself but by then it would be too late. Couyorn!
The 2.5% would have not been necessary if Allen had use the resources properly. He gave Sandals 24 millions, 7 millions for no vaccine, 9 millions for st Jude foundation instead of 3 million, 54 million to Panama, he borrowed 863 millions it vanish in thin air up to now he never disclose the number of passports he sold.
Uwp please don’t talk, if St Lucia is in a predicament Allen caused it.
Who is my accuser ?
Let us face each other !
Let him confront me !
It is the Souverain LORD who helps me !! Who is that will ⚖️ juge or condemn me ????
Let us meet at the jugement ⚖️hall !!!!
Let us not fool,nor bite of fight with ourselves, because he is not the only one, in whom the LORD, the GOD of Israël and 🇱🇨 St Lucia has found anything good in the house..
So 5 years of Chas did more damage to the country compared to the covid19 pandemic and 20 years of damage done to the country by the Labour Party since 1997, Troy Francis ?
The Labour Party is a cult everywhere it resides.
@Stinger.,….Whatever when will you grow back some balls paid or not and call it out for what it is, St Lucia is in this predicament DUE THE MISMANAGEMENT OF RESOURCES BY ALLAN CHASTANET HANDS DOWN there is no dancing around it. I don’t understand what he is running on or asking people to support MORE OF THE SAME NO NO NO NO NO NO WE ARE NOT GOING TO COURT LIKE GRENADA.
It is with much interest I read this article and the comments that followed. Dishonesty by any administrration be it yellow or red is in defensible and must not be accepted.
There is no excuse for an administration with such a majority not to be open with we the people and trust we voted them in office and would understand. The mere audacity to say you are putting us and failing to trust us with facts is blatant disrespect that is unforgivable and indicate you all are liars en pun gal!
Troy Francis you are so well informed by propaganda that I’m sure you are one of Richard’s stooges like that Highgrade clown. Go back and check which government borrowed the most. You will discover it is the 2011 – 2016 Kenny administration. Most of his borrowing is what is maturing now and has to be paid in full. Chastenet borrowing will have to be paid as well, just as what is being borrowed by Pierre. This is what governments do in order to keep their country progressive.
News for you.
Check how many times governments other than Chastenet’s administration gave debt forgiveness especially to hotels in order to keep citizens in gainful employment. Do you know that the taxes owed by Sandals dated back to the King’s administration. Why wasn’t it collected then or during Kenny’s reign. Could you imagine Sandals pulling out of St Lucia because they were forced to pay these taxes. Why didn’t Pierre and Richard let St Lucia know that the vaccine money had been returned.
Isn’t there a Special Proscuetor who has been appointed 7 months ago to deal with all what you claim to be theft. He has the evidence so why nothing has been done as yet. Until then you should stop spinning top in mud.
O LORD, discipline your Children !!
So OKEU is completely broke. Law and order is in chaos. Yet the SLP has lied about the levy and what it was for. Unbelievable. Completely unethical and dishonest. The press remains silent despite this absolute disgrace. Where is Christopher and his pans?Where is Janeka? They are enablers and traitors. They have discredited themselves. How dare they claim to be patriots.