Saint Lucia

We agreed with Dr. Anthony then..we dis-agree with Dr. Anthony now: The release of the “5 To Stay Alive” position by the leader of the United Workers Party, Allen Chastanet, to bring about some form of economic relief to struggling unemployed Saint Lucians can best be dubbed as: “We agreed with Dr. Anthony then..we dis-agree with Dr. Anthony now.” So why is it that Dr. Anthony “can’t.” The core of the “5 To Stay Alive” position is the reduction and ultimate removal of the dreaded VAT. The United Workers Party did not have to hire any expert to assist them in this decision. They simply had to replay an address to the nation by Dr. Anthony, in 2009. This address provided the rationale and justification for the reduction and ultimate removal of the dreaded VAT. So why is it that Prime Minister Dr. Anthony “can’t.” Dr. Kenny Anthony, then leader of the opposition, in a 2009 address stated that citizens could ill afford to pay more taxes due to the current economic situation, at that time. He went on further to state that :”The economy economy is in a deep recession. It needs stimulation not strangulation.” In other words, the introduction of VAT would end up strangling the middle class and the lower class St. Lucian population. Is Dr. Anthony, now Prime Minister of St. Lucia, strangling the middle class and lower class St. Lucian population, deliberately or otherwise? So why is it that Dr. Anthony is not using his position as Prime Minister to provide relief to St. Lucians? Dr. Anthony further stated in 2009 that the burden of VAT will fall squarely on the backs of the middle class and low income persons. With this analysis, one would expect that once Dr. Anthony attained the position of Prime Minister of Saint Lucia, he would shield St. Lucians from that dreaded burden. However, once he attained the leadership of the island, he had no reservation but to introduce VAT on the people of the island. Since the introduction of VAT, the pain resulting from increased costs of goods and services has become unbearable to the poor St. Lucian family. Are we saying that Dr. Anthony can’t? The issue of VAT has more to do with credibility and trust, than cost of living. There is nothing wrong with changing positions if the conditions upon which the first set of decisions were taken changed. But what is very strange in the Prime Minister’s behavior is that he behaves as though he never had a previous position and needs not give an explanation for his change of position. What is even worse is his insensitivity to the cries of the poor when he promised them relief. Dr. Anthony has demonstrated time and time again that his words cannot be taken to the bank. St. Lucians now have a good opportunity to reject Dr. Anthony and his St. Lucia Labour at the next election because they “can’t.”

• published: 17 May 2016
• views: 1109