National Economic and Social Development Plan launched

The newly launched National Economic and Social Development Plan for 2013 to 2025 should be the marker for any person or political party that intends to take St Vincent and the Grenadines forward.{{more}}

At the document’s launch on Friday, October 25, at the Methodist Church Hall in Kingstown, under the theme “Re-engineering Economic Growth: Improving the Quality of Life for all Vincentians”, Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves described the plan as an attempt to develop a framework that is “home grown”, by taking the rich intellectual heritage from the region.

“I will wager that whatever happens in the political sphere over the next 12 years that anybody who comes to the crease has to take guard with this.

“If this tells you that you have to bat on middle and leg, that is where you have to bat… don’t let anybody else fool you about that.

“I am not telling you that this is a blueprint, but when you go to the next election and you see the manifestos of the two major political parties, if you don’t find the ideas here reflected in both of them, well you know one of them wrong.”

Giving a description of the plan, Director of Planning Laura Anthony-Browne pointed out that the plan outlines the long and medium term strategies for St Vincent and the Grenadines.

“It offers a vision for improving the quality of life for all Vincentians, and it is anchored on the achievements of the following super-arching goals.

“High and sustained levels of economic growth, reduce unemployment and poverty levels, improve physical infrastructure and environmental sustainability,

high levels of human and social development, a peaceful, safe and secure nation, a technologically advanced work force, a deep sense of national pride and cultural renaissance and regional integration.

The director made an appeal for Vincentians to embrace the plan, quoting deceased calypsonian Gerard “Rasum” Shallow in his calypso “Perseverance:”

‘…We have to work together, we have to create the future for every boy, every girl, every man, every woman, this time.’

“This plan can work but we must work together to implement it… we need all hands on deck.”

Brief remarks were also made by International Monetary Fund Resident Representative for East Caribbean Currency Union countries Wayne Mitchell; Governor of the East Caribbean Central Bank Sir Dwight Venner and former Dean of the University of the West Indies, Mona and consultant to the plan Claremont Kirton.

The men lauded the plan as a step in the right direction, and an initiative that other countries should adopt.

Copies of the plan may be downloaded from http://svgedfpmcu.com/saint-vincent-grenadines-national-economic-social-development-plan/