EMPOWERING OUR PEOPLE – TRANSFORMING OUR ECONOMY

Mr. Speaker, I stand before you to deliver my maiden Budget Policy address as Parliamentary Representative of Castries East, Prime Minister, and Minister for Finance.

I am indeed humbled by the significance of this occasion. It marks a defining moment in my public-service life. I know that this moment is not lost on my constituents, the good people of Castries East, who have been with me throughout this journey. I want to thank them immensely for their unwavering support over the last 25 years.

Mr. Speaker, through you, I want to begin my address by telling this parliament and the people of Saint Lucia, who we are, and what we stand for, as a government. This is very important, Mr. Speaker, so that the citizens of Saint Lucia, at home and in the diaspora understand what motivates and drives this government.

Mr. Speaker, I was nurtured by my parents, a teacher and a policeman, with the values of honesty, hard work, humility, and service to others, especially to the less fortunate. These values continue to guide my life.

On the 26th of July, 2021, the people of Saint Lucia voted for the Saint Lucia Labour Party with an overwhelming mandate under the slogan of “Putting You First”

Mr. Speaker, Putting People First was not just a campaign slogan but a longstanding commitment of the Saint Lucia Labour Party over the last seventy-two (72) years. A commitment initiated by our founding fathers, under the leadership of Sir George FL Charles, that has been passed down to generations of Labour Leaders and has remained the loadstar of this government.

This government stands on the shoulders of those leaders in their call for Bread, Freedom, and Justice, which echoed in the halls of the trade union movement and gave birth in 1950 to the mother of all political parties in this country, the Saint Lucia Labour Party.

At the core of our value system is a fundamental belief in social justice and wealth creation– a belief that every man, woman, and child should have an opportunity to reach their full human potential.

Mr. Speaker, in our development agenda of Putting People First we shall ensure that:

• Government is accountable to the people and no one is held above the rule of law;
• Our leaders are held accountable and be held to the highest ethical standards;
• All Saint Lucians have the opportunity to establish productive business enterprises;
• Every Saint Lucian has access to quality education and lifelong learning;
• Every Saint Lucian is entitled to affordable, accessible, and quality healthcare;
• Every Saint Lucian is encouraged and empowered to protect the integrity of the environment and the patrimony of their country;
• An acceptance of the importance of the role of the family in building the social fabric of our society.

Mr. Speaker, my government intends to govern by the principles of inclusiveness, accountability, equity, meritocracy, and the rule of law, so that corruption, wastage, and inefficiency are minimized.

Mr. Speaker, those principles are a sure way of alleviating the plight of the poor and disadvantaged in our midst. Nelson Mandela’s observation remains true today as it was then “that poverty remains the greatest challenge facing humanity and therefore demands the attention of every person of conscience”.

Far too many full-time workers are earning too little to meet their basic needs. The pandemic truly exposed the plight and vulnerability of many low-paid workers. As the leader of a party that is guided by the principles of Bread, Freedom, and Justice, my government will lay the foundation to ensure all workers earn a living wage.

As part of efforts to promote decent work, employers will be encouraged to provide living wages to employees, thus ensuring that workers, their families, and their communities can live in dignity. Towards that end, we shall be reviewing the related provisions in the Labour Act to address this issue.

Mr. Speaker I am pleased to announce that despite the harsh economic times, my government this month has paid public servants the promised salary increases. This is another illustration of our commitment to the workers of Saint Lucia.

Mr. Speaker, unlike those on the other side, we govern with conviction, with creative minds, and with caring hearts. This is who we are.