A number of basic services will become available to residents of the south of Saint Lucia within the next two years, thanks to a project being undertaken by the government in partnership with the National Insurance Corporation (NIC).
The sod was turned this week for an EC$64 million, 75,000 square foot Administrative Complex in Beanefield, Vieux Fort.
The ceremony was addressed by Dr. Kenny D. Anthony, Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, and Member of Parliament for Vieux Fort South.
Conceding that ‘decentralisation’ has often been spoken of, the Prime Minister pointed out that the concept had to be made “meaningful to people’s lives.” One of the ways to make this manifest, he explained, was to ensure that strategic investments – such as the project now being undertaken by the NIC – encompass all of Saint Lucia. This, he explained, was the thinking behind his pursuit of this undertaking, which he first proposed in 2012.
Said Dr. Anthony: “I have repeatedly made the point that there must be equity in our country, equity in investment, equity in the treatment of our people wherever they might be. And it is a message that I have drummed into the National Insurance Corporation, emphasised time and time again that all investments should not be located in the north, in the Castries Basin, that all workers of this country wherever they may be located, contribute to the resources of the National Insurance Corporation and they too must be part of the investment initiatives of the Corporation.
“In that spirit, I hope that whilst this investment takes place here in Vieux Fort, that in time, NIC will turn its attention to other towns, for example Soufriere and even to the rapidly developing town of Gros Islet for other strategic investments of this type.”
Dr. Anthony went on to explain that delivering on his promise to build this facility for the people of the south will reap benefits for residents not only in Vieux Fort, but surrounding communities as well. Referring to his “deep elation” that this project is now becoming a reality, he pointed out that the island’s southernmost town is a hub, and that the establishment of the Administrative Complex will fill a gaping void for tens of thousands of citizens in the south of the island.
“We also have to make some giant strides in the administration of this country. We are managing a country that too centralised. Our citizens have to travel to Castries to secure basic services. It cannot be right that someone requires a civil status record and they must pay a bus to travel to Castries, pay a bus to come back down, pay a bus to see whether the record has been prepared, reach up there, it’s not prepared, pay a bus, come back down, and it’s a never ending story.
The Vieux Fort Administrative Complex is set for completion in 2018.
Will this go the way of the construction of the St. Jude’s Hospital?
I am happy for the south. It would be good to know who the architect, contractor and consultants are. It is not often local professionals get an opportunity like this for their benefit and local workers at all levels.
This will only provide jobs during construction. That is basically positive. But after completion it will not be productive and providing non productive bureaucratic jobs, to be paid by all Lucians. St. Lucia needs productive industries.
As Hospitals go, we have two white Elephants; one in the North and sadly, one in the South.
At a time like this you going to build a $64m building? To make it worse it will be financed by funds that should be used for our future benefit. Don’t you see that man Kenny Anthony is losing it. Goodness gracious this has to be stopped. I’m sure that its the labour hacks that will benefit from this project. Instead of taking our damn NIC funds Kenny why don’t you use the surplus space frimbthe private sector in VF for the offices instead. Your days are numbered fool. Why don’t you finish St Jude instead. Tanto tanto.