Prime Minister Phillip J Pierre touched on the national finances and sustainability through the need for stronger tax compliance at a recent pre-Cabinet press briefing.
Calling on citizens and businesses to meet their obligations during this week’s pre cabinet, he said the government has been “very generous” under the tax amnesty programme, but admitted that “we are not getting the results we expected”.
He explained that taxes such as VAT, PAYE, and the health and security levy are held “in trust” and must be remitted to the state. Despite waiving interest and penalties on long-standing arrears, the response has been disappointing.
“We are very disappointed,” he said, warning that the government would have to consider “other means of collecting the taxes that are owed to the government of Saint Lucia”.
At the same time, he highlighted measures aimed at social sustainability, noting that pensioners now pay no tax on their income and signalling that further tax relief and incentives are being considered as budget discussions continue.
Separately, the reported movement of Venezuelan oil to storage facilities in Saint Lucia and other parts of the Caribbean has sparked public debate about what this means for the island, particularly whether citizens can expect any direct benefit in terms of fuel prices, energy security, or long-term sustainability.
According to the Prime Minister Phillip J Pierre, the presence of oil in Saint Lucia does not signal a shift in government policy or involvement in the global oil trade.
He stressed that the arrangements surrounding oil storage are driven entirely by private companies, not the state. “These are purely commercial transactions,” he revealed, emphasising that the government “has absolutely nothing” to do with deciding which oil comes into the country or who owns it.
He acknowledged that while the government is aware that oil is being stored at facilities such as those operated by Buckeye, it does not participate in or control the transactions.
