Fri, Dec 7, 2012

Editor: It is a large truth of politics, universally, that a Government is on the right track when it gets all or, by far, most of the big things right. In St Vincent and the Grenadines, the ULP government has got all the big policies right; the NDP has got all of them wrong.{{more}}

The facts speak for themselves. The ULP got the following things right:

1. The Education Revolution which is transforming St Vincent and the Grenadines for the better.

2. The Rabacca Bridge linking the north east of St Vincent with the rest of the island.

3. The Argyle international airport, currently under construction and set for opening in early 2014.

4. The Canouan Jet Airport, built to facilitate further the development of the tourism services in the Southern Grenadines.

5. The Buccament Resort, a high quality private sector resort which the Government facilitated, but which NDP spokespersons mistakenly opposed very early as a “phantom project”.

6. The Low-Income Housing Project, the Housing Repair Programme, the housing lots distributions, and other housing initiatives concerning the “Turning of Dead Capital into Live Capital”.

7. The Poverty Reduction Programmes which in their aggregate have been responsible for slashing indigence (“dirt poor” poverty) from 25.7 per cent of the population to 2.9 per cent between the years 2000 and 2009.

8. The ongoing resolution of the BAICO-CLICO debacle, which is benefitting 3,000 Vincentians with traditional life policies (through agreement with SAGICOR) and a further 2,527 Vincentians with annuity policies of which 1,423 are being settled before Christmas 2012.

9. The extensive improvements in health delivery through various initiatives.

10. The settlement of the EC $200 million Ottley Hall debt which saved over EC $180 million for St Vincent and the Grenadines.

11. The saving of LIAT and its insulation from a predatory take-over by Allen Stanford to ensure intra-regional air travel.

12. The sensible divestment of 51 per cent of the National Commercial Bank, thereby strengthening the financial sector and the single financial space in the OECS.

13. The accession to the beneficial membership of PetroCaribe and ALBA.

14. The quest to build a modern, competitive, many-sided post-colonial economy.

All of these policies the NDP has opposed and/or misguidedly criticised. The NDP got each of them very wrong and they still do. Effectively, the NDP and its leadership have disqualified themselves to lead St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Meanwhile, the ULP is moving ahead with other big strategic policies, including the push for renewable energy, including geothermal; the building of a city at the E.T. Joshua Airport site at Arnos Vale after the completion of the Argyle international airport; and the relocation and modernisation of Port Kingstown. Again, the NDP is opposing or criticising with a heavy dose of skepticism/pessimism.

As always the ULP is setting the strategic agenda on every front.

Hans M. King
Press Secretary to the Prime Minister