The Saint Lucia Labour party celebrated three years in office on July 26th and is gearing up for their August 25th “Walk of Progress”.
The party is also at the centre of criticism by the opposition, United Workers’ Party. The UWP argues that the Labour Party’s policies are only for a select few citizens and says the government is operating in secrecy.
The SLP’s Comms Director, Lisa Jawahir however, defends the Party’s “people-centred” approach to governance.
“Whether you are an entrepreneur and you are benefiting from tax exemptions or whether you're a farmer and you've received free fertiliser or a child you now have a brand new laptop to go to school to get your work done or a pensioner who can benefit from an almost double increase in your pension payments - everyone in Saint Lucia, no matter who you are, no matter which party you support, you have been able to benefit from at least one policy of this administration,” Jawahir counters.
The Party spokesperson, ahead of the reopening of schools this academic year, highlighted the educational investments by the government.
“We continue, of course, with the One Laptop Per Child Programme. “We continue with paying facilities fees, we continue with Math and English CXC fees to be paid by the government,” she said.
The government is also under scrutiny by the Opposition for the management of the Citizenship by Investment Programme. The UWP claims the government has facilitated the illegal discounting of CIP passports.
The Opposition's claims are seemingly supported by a Kittian-based CIP Agent, Philippe Martinez, who says he has evidence of illegal sales.
Jawahir says Martinez’s credibility is dubious and maintains the financial integrity of the CIP.
“I have a serious concern - the fact that somebody who has been declared a fraud in international court is the one championing the cause for the agenda of the United Workers Party and I make no bones about saying that,” she said.
According to a damning 2005 New York Times article, Martinez was convicted and sentenced to five years in jail in France for fraud.