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Chastanet Plans Major Address

Prime Minister Allen Chastanet. [PHOTO: Stan Bishop]
Image of Prime Minister Chastanet
Prime Minister Chastanet

THE government is set to announce sweeping changes in the next few weeks aimed at stimulating economic growth in order to offset its growing financial woes.

Prime Minister Chastanet is due to make a special presentation to Saint Lucians by this month-end during which he will delve into the specifics of government’s proposed tax plans.

Among matters to be dealt with by Chastanet during that presentation will be a revised rate for the Value Added Tax (VAT), which currently stands at 15%. The promise of a revised rate for the tax system that came into effect on October 1, 2012, was made by the United Workers’ Party (UWP) during the last general elections.

Chastanet appeared on DBS Television’s “NewsMaker Live” programme earlier this week, telling host Timothy Poleon that government’s task in turning the economy around for the better was a monumental but inevitable one. With very few sectors to invest in, he said Saint Lucians and the corporate sector need some relief.

“We have to build a tax system around those businesses to make sure that they are as competitive as possible,” Chastanet said. “At the same time, (they need to) pay a fair share of the money in order to help in sustaining the economy.”

The Prime Minister said reducing unemployment remains a top priority. With unemployment figures estimated at 23%, wooing investors’ confidence back to Saint Lucia is vital. He said unemployment levels can only decrease by tapping into multiple areas that offer the best results.

“We’ve seen that investment has dried up. The only new investment the former government was bringing to the table was through the CIP (and) not based on the economics or the brand of Saint Lucia. So I’ve been out busily trying to get new investment,” Chastanet indicated.

Despite these challenges, Chastanet said government has been identifying investors to support critical areas of investment, such as tourism, in an effort to increase the number of hotel rooms and diversify the island’s economic base. Other areas such as information technology centres and the financial and agricultural sectors, he said, are critical to encouraging national development.

“The economy is too small,” Chastanet lamented. “We can’t afford the best education system in the world. We can’t afford a quality health care system. We can’t afford the security system that we need. We can’t afford to have an economy that is going to generate opportunities for everybody – not only to be able to earn an income but an income they can build a life on.”

Chastanet added: “What we want to do is to focus on the key sectors and areas that we have – which is what the quadrant plan does. We’re putting teams focused on those things with an idea of just driving each one, which is a brand and business by itself.”

The Prime Minister said government aims to double the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) over the next ten years. During the Budget Presentation next April, he said a detailed four-year plan will be tabled which should redound to achieving that ambitious objective. He believes Saint Lucia stands to benefit more if more creative approaches are made at attracting the right kind and quantum of investment.

“One billion dollars can’t cut it,” Chastanet said, referencing the annual budget government usually allocates for its operations. “We’re not creating enough economies of scale to be able to compete against other people in the world. So we believe that doubling the GDP is only the beginning.”

Stan Bishop began his career in journalism in March 2008 writing freelance for The VOICE newspaper for six weeks before being hired as a part-time journalist there when one of the company’s journalists was overseas on assignment.

Although he was initially told that the job would last only two weeks, he was able to demonstrate such high quality work that the company offered him a permanent job before that fortnight was over. Read full bio...

9 Comments

  1. /

    Allen Chastanet is simply a lowlife thug, an arrogant Liar who has never completed a Term Paper in hs life. This lying thug sat with Poleon and as usual lied his ass out of his mouth. So he is promising to reduce Taxes but will impose new Taxes on Electricity, Water, Air, Rice, Sugar, Flour, and you name it, New Taxes.

    The only person who will get tax relief is the Old Pirate-thug Michael Chastanet as he continues to suck the blood from the Black African Lucian people who Boy Chastanet calls Niggers, while he Tarzan advocates murdering Black men who that Evil Racist calls “BAD BOYS”, while Jane Raquel holds Cheetah – I think that’s the name of the Chimpanzee – to show the world how they have “Civilized” you Negroes and their Missionaries have made you Christians who worship their Naked White Image as God of the Galaxies.

    This thug lies so much, that everything this idiot utters has a repugnant odor. What really gets me is the inflection of his voice when he tells enormous lies, like when he told Tim he will reduce VAT this month but will introduce NEW TAXES early next year. So many of you will take the sleeping pill this month and awake to the real Nightmare early next year; just watch this fraudster Pinocchio blindside you people on Pleasure Island.

    https://www.facebook.com/284538805083530/videos/539359762934765/

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  2. Here’s some more information about the Chastanet Crime Family who has hijacked our country as he gets paid by the CIA to keep Lucians in perpetual poverty and slavery while he thinks he will live forever.

    MICHAEL CHASTANET

    A criminal associate with the so-called royal family is Coco Palm’s Chairman Michael Chastanet who has twice visited Buckingham Palace for an investiture as recipient of the Order of St Michael and St George CMG medal in 2010 and an MBE as Member of the British Empire bestowed by Prince Harry’s granny. How many of you sit and drink wine with this old Pirate Witch Elizabeth?? The Negroes Josie and John Wayne would love to be a member of that gang of pirates and Satanic Clubs – MEMBER OF British Empire ? This guy Michael Chastanet is nothing but a monumental disgrace and CIA operative.

    This little fraudster then attempts to use his deceitful practices to bend and shape the minds of our people suffering from P.T.S.S. (Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome) by twisting the words of the Reporter, to further accuse Mr Rehani of “TARNISHING HIS NAME” by not asking him Allen, “RELEVANT INFORMATION”.

    How much more relevant can the visit of this Freak Prince Harry staying in your Coco Palm Brothel with “all the imported prostitutes” be? Need I remind The Chastanet Crime Syndicate that it is the Black People of this island who will foot the bill for this Freak’s debaucheries.

    The Criminal pathological LIAR, Chastanet Crime Family looks Saint Lucians in the eye saying, “WHAT WAS BEING BROUGHT UP WAS A SITUATION THAT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH ME”. This is the same Devil who told our victims of P.T.S.S. How he had instructed his partner in the Crime Family, his sister Feolla Chastanet to dispose of the the dead bodies and the Press Release – yet this scoundrel tells you, “THIS HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH ME”

    CHASTANET ATTACKS REHANI FOR ASKING QUESTION AND TELLS WHY HE TRAVELS INSTEAD OF MINO

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1x4_jsCQiFI&feature=youtu.be

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  3. I think this who calls himself St Lucia’s PM is simply a snivelling rat! Reading what this man had to say in the article above makes question whether he is the same one who was the political leader of the UWP the period leading to the last general elections. Why can’t he just go?

  4. “We’ve seen that investment has dried up…So I’ve been out busily trying to get new investment”
    —————————————————————————————————————————
    How about resuscitating the old agreement that had been signed between Royal Caribbean International and the former UWP administration of Stephenson King, which you, Mr Prime Minister, were part of back in 2011?

    An agreement that had promised to transform Port Castries into the Cruising capital of the Eastern and Southern Caribbean; but was ditched by Pierre and Kenny as soon as the SLP won the November 2011 general election.

  5. CK
    Castries was once a somber tranquil place for country folks to sell provisions, handicrafts.
    For city folks to pursue career objectives
    And for tourists to feel at home away from home..
    It’s been quite some g time sifnce the political denizens perched at Willie Wiley Pete coyote boulevard
    Have dominated the parliamentary representation of Castries.7
    Castries City Hall was an impressive edifice.
    What happened to this once. Spick and spang community?
    Now you want MORE CRUISE tourists to venture into the Mad Hatter’s labrynith of sooty sales and pirate’s glare
    In order to boast how they gallantlly braved a misadventure just shy the benchmark of a promenade across the Golan Heights
    At twilight
    With Ipads
    And Nikon camera dangling???
    Garcon1
    It makes more sense to put people to work cleaning
    refurbushing .
    and modernizing
    Before inviting strangers.
    Mother always said
    MAKE SURE THAT YOUR KITCHEN AND LAVATORY are always clean.
    I know it sounds like a page from socialism to your Tory posterity
    However
    If poor and unemployed folks are given the opportunity to REVITALIZE their decayed city hence they shall internalize a sense of community pride.
    Then and only then will they participate in the quality of community policing that can enhance quality of life in Castries
    Fi nally. The big cash cow canoes filled with tourists may arrive……safely?
    VOILA reverse domino effect.

  6. “Now you want MORE CRUISE tourists to venture into the Mad Hatter’s labrynith of sooty sales and pirate’s glare…”
    —————————————————————————————————————————————
    Which country wouldn’t want to grow its number one industry?

    “It makes more sense to put people to work cleaning refurbushing . and modernizing Before inviting strangers.”
    ————————————————————————————————————————————–
    I agree; but at the pace we are cleaning, refurbushing, and modernizing, we might never get to invite strangers; so, to put St.Lucians to work, I would recommend the resuscitation of that old agreement that was signed by both Royal Caribbean and the former UWP administration..

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