Lavéwité 758 Truth

01/11/2023

Is it true that the videos of St. Lucia's parliamentary sittings are either being deleted, in the same way that live comments are, or simply being edited to suit?

What's going on St. Lucia l? Can Government of Saint Lucia rectify this pleaae? Thanks.

26/07/2023

Today, it is one day shy of two years since the SLP celebrated a resounding victory over the Allen Chastanet-led UWP. The UWP must take the blame for allowing their supporters to suffer such an embarrassing loss at the hands of a motley band of misfits. A clueless bunch of snake oil salespeople, without a plan for the advancement of the country. It was shameful to witness the UWP campaign. In the heat of the battle, they practically surrendered, allowing the SLP to triumph through the propagating of half-truths and blatant lies.

The main targets of the SLP propaganda and slander were the Castries South-East Parliamentary Representative, Guy Joseph, and Prime Minister, Allen Chastanet. The attacks were vicious and unrelenting. To this day, I still do not understand why Allen Chastanet's Cabinet of Ministers barely raised their voices in defense of their Prime Minister and fellow Minister. In my opinion, the silence of the UWP elected officers and the Party's reticence to respond to the grave allegations of corruption made by the SLP, were the greatest failures of the UWP. Unfortunately, this was the principal reason for their defeat on July 26th, 2021.

I know I'm being a bit harsh on the UWP. The responsibility of keeping the population of a small, poor nation, like St. Lucia, safe, and alive, and the economy afloat, from the ravages of a catastrophe of biblical proportions, like the Covid-19 Pandemic, while at the same time, running an honest General Elections campaign is a Herculean feat.

After a year and a half of battling Covid-19, the lockdowns, curfews, business shutdowns, mandatory wearing of face masks, social distancing, partitioning the country into '758 & 759', job losses, financial hardship, grave economic decline, incessant Covid-19 infections, an abnormal number of deaths, mysterious illnesses, constant fear coupled with the dramatic upheaval to our way of life; gripped the country with fear and despair and left the population traumatized and desperate for an end to the nightmare.

This seemingly never-ending, desperation and desolation created an ideal opportunity for the Opposition SLP to spawn unrest, dissatisfaction, and loathing of the incumbent UWP administration. The people were led to believe that the Allen Chastanet-led UWP administration was uncaring, out of touch, elitist, nepotistic, and corrupt. The SLP deceived the people into believing that the special, low-interest-rate loans that St. Lucia received from the regional and international financial institutions, were meant to be doled out as handouts to people but, instead, were being used by Allen Chastanet to fatten his 'Family, Friends, and Foreigners". The chant "Allen Must Go" rapidly grew in ferocity to a crescendo and spread through the length and breadth of the country, climaxing with a devastating, knock out head-kick at the polls to Allen Chastanet and his UWP administration.

Today, July 25th, 2021, the euphoria of the SLP victory has long vanished. It has been replaced with disappointment, disillusionment, frustration, embarrassment, and disdain for the glaring incompetence and deceit of their SLP government. The SLP supporters are also angry because the SLP government has not kept its predominant campaign promise of putting them first. On the contrary, they have realized that the Philip J Pierre administration has made them, and by extension, the people of St. Lucia much worse off than they have ever been.

St. Lucia is on bended knees. This government is unable to boast of one meaningful project. Their primary focus has been to "protect the victory."

"Nuttin eh running" is the recurrent cry all over the country. Unchecked inflation has gobbled up what little savings the average man had put aside for a rainy day. An uncaring and clueless government has steadily squeezed what little money the average man had left after the 'r**e and scr**e' of inflation, by callously keeping the prices of cooking gas, petrol, and diesel at historic and unconscionable highs.

To make matters worse, Prime Minister Pierre, in what may be considered a death blow to the working class, small businesses, and the economy, has implemented a 2.5% Security and Health Levy. Essentially, it raises VAT back to its inaugural level of 15%, thus eliminating the Allen Chastanet-led UWP reduction by 2.5 points.

But it's much worse than that: Philip J Pierre stopped almost all of the major UWP infrastructural projects, such as the Housing Projects, the Road Project at Rodney Bay, the St. Jude Hospital, the Hewanorra International Project, the Home Port at Vieux-Fort, plus numerous other community road projects, to name a few. These infrastructural projects had proven successful in rejuvenating and keeping the economy alive, providing thousands of 'livelihood-saving jobs' during and after Covid-19.

Talking about Covid-19, we lost almost 400 of our men and women in less than one year as a result of the SLP's inept handling of public health. During the two-year tenure of this administration, our country has had to go through the pain of the loss of approximately 150 lives, mostly young men, through homicide. The government has not made any significant policy announcements far less taken any meaningful action to demonstrate its intent or ability to curb the carnage and bloodshed.

The UK and the EU are threatening to revoke our visa-free entry across their borders as a result of our dodgy handling of our Citizens By Investment Program (Passport Sales). On a local level, this government has failed miserably, in efficiently selling passports to its people. The long lines of St. Lucians, waiting in the wee hours of the morning, standing in the rain and scalding sun is a shame for us as a modern nation and a testament to the ineptitude and gross failure of the Philip J Pierre administration.

Healthcare is in crisis in St. Lucia. First, the SLP government decided to resume the construction of the 80-year-old structure rather than complete the modern, tailor-built building for the St. Jude Hospital. This government promised the people to complete St. Jude Hospital in one year. It is now 2 years and all they have managed to do is build a perimeter fence, w**d the grounds, power-wash the interior and exterior walls, and fumigate the buildings at a grand cost of $5 million to us, the taxpayers of this country! In two years, they have been unable to secure planning permission from the Development Control Authority (DCA). The SLP has the ignominy of having among its elected members, two past Prime Ministers, Messers King and Anthony, and the current Prime Minister Pierre, who between them have caused the people of the South to endure 9 years without a hospital. Shame on them. History will not be kind to their uncaring and callous treatment of the people of the South. I will not dwell on the farce, which they call Universal Health Care, suffice to ask the following questions:
* Does providing limited healthcare services for only those who are 80 years old and above constitute Universal Healthcare?
*How can the government provide free ultrasound scans to expecting mothers when ninety percent plus of the Health and Wellness Centers in the country have no ultrasound machines?
*What about the rest of the population? Do they not deserve healthcare?
This is simply another SLP act of dishonesty and deceit.

What's happening with the youth economy? The program, which is another insidious Labour Party scam to reward their supporters for voting for the Party in the last Elections, has proven ineffective as a stimulant to a comatose economy. Another "jobs for the boys", ploy.

Finally, it is distressing how Ernest Hilaire and his cohorts have done a disgrace to our all-important and once buoyant tourism industry. An industry that employs the largest percentage of the workforce, that is the biggest foreign exchange earner, is the largest contributor to our Gross Domestic Product and the engine which drives our economy has been managed so poorly that last year, we did not have a cruise ship in Port Castries from late April to September. So far, this year, we have not had a port call since mid to late April. We have lost substantial airlift under this government's failed marketing strategies. This has driven up the cost of air travel to St. Lucia and driven down our competitiveness in the process. The result is an anemic market, where everyone is impacted by job layoffs, loss of business, and severely reduced income.

Our people love a good party. In the throes of the Covid-19 Pandemic, the protocols implemented by the government, to limit the damage to the lives and livelihood of the people caused the curtailment and in some instances the cessation of mass crowd entertainment thus causing huge disaffection. Therefore, it is no surprise that this devious government has tried to distract the suffering populace from their plight by spending lavishly on opulent events. Millions of dollars have been spent on social events, while our roads are in the worst condition that they have ever been; housing remains a dire problem and; our visitors to Fair Helen, the number one honeymoon destination in the world, have had to contend with an International Airport, which leaks like a sieve.

No amount of fetes, rum, and chicken will end the hardship that so many St. Lucians are experiencing under this SLP government. It has been two years of divisive politics, more lies, slander, chest-beating, boasting, and incessant failings of this government. We are fed up. Enough is enough. We are calling on Allen Chastanet and the United Workers Party to prepare to pad up. It will soon be your turn at the crease. It is time to demonstrate to the people of this country that you are ready to face the pace.

24/05/2023

Pip, No More Taxes!!

In St. Lucia, taxes can be divided into two broad categories – direct and indirect. While the taxpayer pays direct taxes directly to the gov't., indirect taxes are charged on the expenses incurred by taxpayers.

Indirect Taxes such as the Health and Security Levy are levied indirectly to the taxpayer. These taxes are levied on the manufacturers and sellers of commodities and services that are passed on to YOU, the consumers. Hence, YOU are the ones who ultimately pay the tax.

Presently, the best example of indirect tax in St. Lucia is VAT (Value Added Tax). The government levies this tax on the manufacturers and sellers of goods and services. The Seller passes it on to the buyers by adding it to the cost of the product.

The government levies various types of taxes to generate revenue for the running and management of the country. Direct taxes, like Income Tax, are levied on people from certain income brackets only. There is a large part of the population that does not pay Income Tax. However, indirect taxes, such as the Health and Security Levy, are applicable to anyone who purchases goods or services regardless of their income bracket. This makes indirect tax an inclusive taxation model.

Two of the main disadvantages of the Health and Securities Levy are as follows:-

1. It is a Regressive Tax, that is, it takes a larger percentage of income from low-income earners than it does from high-income earners. The Health and Security Levy is not levied based on the income of the taxpayer. It is a standard 2.5% increase, across the rich and the poor. While affluent people might feel a pinch the Poor, the Working Class, the Lower Middle Class and even the Middle Class will definitely feel the full burden.

2. It will result in an increase in the price of commodities and services – Since the tax is included in the price of the product, the Health and Security Levy will result in an increase in the overall price of goods and commodities. Not all sellers calculate the exact tax amount and add it to the selling price. Many sellers charge slightly more to ensure complete tax adherence and increased profit. This will also have an undue inflationary effect on prices.

In summary, the implementation of the 2.5 percent Health and Security Levy by the Government of St Lucia on the people of St. Lucia will result in an increase in the price of goods and services. A large majority of St. Lucians belong to the poor and working class. Hence, most St. Lucians will be impacted negatively.

Where is the caring and compassionate government that Pip and the SLP promise during the 2021 election campaign? Where is the fight for bread and justice for the Malayway that is supposed to be the mantra of the SLP? In the last 18 months, St. Lucians have become further impoverished by inflation and the rising cost of living. The Health and Security Levy will be the straw that will break the 'financial back' of St. Lucia. Not only will it further increase the cost of living, it will result in a slowing down of an already sluggish economy because most people will barely be able to afford the things that they absolutely need to survive. Discretionary spending will more or less come to an eventual halt. The result will be economic sluggishness just like we experienced under the SLP administration of 2011-2016. Higher unemployment, low wages, reduced social services a fall in GDP and an increase in borrowing by government to enable it to fund the National Budget will be the cataclysmic result of the Health and Security Levy.

The 2.5% Health and Security Levy is Pip's Labour Government's devious plot to reimplement the 2.5 points removed from the VAT rate by former Prime Minister Allen Chastanet.

Remember, the reduction of the VAT rate by Allen Chastanet's UWP administration, breathed life into the economy, revitalized business, created employment and allowed St. Lucian families to breathe once more.

Remember, Kenny Anthony almost destroyed the economy by implementing Vat at 15%.

Remember, Kenny Anthony, Pip and the SLP called VAT an onerous and oppressive tax.

Today, Pip and a Labour government is effectively increasing the rate of VAT back to 15%!

St. Lucia, don't be fooled. Remember, the hardship you suffered under oppressive SLP taxation between 2011 and 2016.

Tell Pip and his tax greedy Government that we will accept no more new taxes!

13/04/2023

🙏🏼🙏🏼...painful

07/04/2023

What next.

03/04/2023

16/03/2023

Oh wow. 758 PM. Where did that come from.

02/02/2023

Locked in war of words

Parliamentary representative for Soufriere, Emma Hippolyte has responded to her predecessor’s criticisms of her management of constituency affairs, including...

25/01/2023

What's left in St. Lucia to "lease" or "sell" please?

11/01/2023

It Stinks In Sulphur City?

Yesterday, the Operations Manager, the Financial Controller and the Senior Projects Officer were asked to resign by the Executive Chairman-Apparent, Sam Augier. The Operations Manager and the Financial Controller resigned immediately. It is also alleged that Sam Augier stated that the reason for his request for their resignations, is because Board of Directors were advised to do so. What?? Who has such authority over the Board? One can only assume that such advice came from none other but the SLP political directorate.

Is this revenge for the recent revelation that the Sam Augier was paid approximately $80k in some sort of shadowy retroactive pay deal?

Is the turmoil at the SRDF created as a distraction from the recent unpopular revelations that Harold Dalsan, Emma Hippolyte and Sam Augier, septuagenarians ( in their 70s), retirees and pensioners; some with more than one pension are all gainfully employed by the state or community institutions? (The writer acknowledges that Emma Hippolyte was elected by the people as the Parliamentary Representative) A town where there are so many qualified, underemployed young persons suitable for these positions.
Was the recent sweep-out at the SRDF taken to divert the public's scrutiny away from the recent resignation of Joan Hippolyte, a retired school principal and sister-in-law of the sitting MP, from the position of Mayor of the Soufriere Constituency Council and her installation in the position of General Manager of the Piton Management Area with a salary circa $8k monthly?

What about the Youth Economy which the SLP clamoured about during the General Election campaign? Are the young people of Soufriere no longer important? What about the vociferous criticism of the UWP regime's alleged practice of nepotism by the SLP while in Opposition? Aren't In-laws family? I am sure you can remember the acronym FFF - Family, Friends and Foreigners.

(By the way, the SLP Government signed an MOU to lease the Soufriere Waterfront to a Foreign Company for 40 years!)

Why was the Board of Directors of the SRDF pressured to terminate the services of the three senior members of the Management Team by the SLP political directorate? Was it in response to the criticism from the young SLP supporters and others, to the injustice that all the top positions in the community institutions in Soufriere being are being held by retired pensioners?

The dismissals of the senior personnel at the SRDF will create jobs for SLP loyalists, clearly "Jobs For The Boys".
In the dust created by the bedlam at the SRDF we seem to have forgotten one leg of the SRDF Senior Management Team tripod, that is, the Senior Projects Officer, who it is rumoured to have refused to resign. It is alleged that he is entitled to in excess of $100k in gratuity. Is the Board trying to wiggle out of paying him? Will he resign or will he be fired? Baggai Sho!

04/01/2023

Putting you first seem to be a Slogan that has confused the Minds of St Lucians. The average Citizen listens to a Parliament Sitting and often times are left more confused unless there is someone to clearly breakdown the Bill, that is brought to Parliament. Among many Bills that have been debated in the House, the most concerning one is the Saint Lucia National Economic Fund (Amendment) Bill.

When the National Economic Fund was established there was also an National Economic Fund Board, it was to make sure that checks and balances would be in place and that the funds were properly managed with clear Guidelines in place as to how the funds should be used.

In this Fund are Monies outside of the Consolidated Funds, proceeds of our Country’s CIP Programme.

With a well secured CIP Fund, in came the St Lucia Labour Party, and now what did they do, using the majority they have in the House of Parliament they presented the St Lucia Economic Fund (Amendment) Bill.

According to their Amendment a previous well Secured Fund was now by the Act they presented in Parliament removes the oversight of the Funds by the Citizen by Investment programme Board and gives direct access to the Cabinet of Ministers. To put the Icing on the Cake they push for the Bill to pass through all it stages in one day. The action that was attempted by the previous Government to pass certain Bills through all it stages in one day, which the then opposition party, SLP highly condemned.

The current Government continues to show its true colour of Deceit and Hypocrisy. Furthermore, guess who was made Minister of Investment, the same DR. Earnest Hillarie, a man of questionable Character and History.

04/01/2023

What Passes Through "The Pass Through Mechanism"?

The price of crude oil in March 2022 was US $127.25 per barrel. Correspondingly, on April 11, 2022 gas prices in St. Lucia rose by $1.00 to $15.95.

June 13, 2022, the price of crude was US $122. 27. On that same day, Monday 13th June, the price of a gallon of gas at the pump in St. Lucia rose to EC$17.95 per gallon.

On December 19, 2022 the price of crude oil dropped to US$79.80. Today, the price of Brent crude oil sits at $80.26. Yet, the price of a gallon of gas in St. Lucia remains at an OECS high of EC $17.70.

Why is the price of gas so high in St. Lucia? When will we meet the budgeted revenue that the Prime Minister referred to in an interview late last year? What is the relevance of the Pass Through Mechanism? Is it still in effect?
Are St. Lucian's being punished for the government's inability to raise revenue to meet it's budgeted expenditures?

Somebody, please answer? No BS just the simple, unadulterated truth please!

04/01/2023

The St Lucia Labour Party Government speaks and immediately Citizens are left in doubt and have more questions than answers. By now it should be clear to many that anything this Government says or does is far from the truth.

Take for example Mr. Joachim Henry speaking at a Ceremony at the Castries South East Constituency Council where the Taiwanese Government handed over a Coaster. The Bus is to provide free transportation for Residents. This is all well and good, no one should be against free public transportation, however in the Minister’s Justification for procurement of the Bus, he claims that there are residents who are in desperate need of transportation in the new Bellaire development area.

The Minister went on to state that the people of this area has been facing this for the last 30 years. He also claimed that the residents in that area was being over charged by Public Buses.

All of this Claims that Mr. Henry has made has been debunked by the residents in the area. A number of Residents said there are buses on the road. A resident also debunked the claim made by the Minister that persons have to pay an extra $6.00 to get to their destination, the resident said the bus fair is $4.50 and all she has to pay is an extra 50 cents to get to her destination.

I live you to decide for yourself the credibility and integrity of this Government’ especially in this case Mr Joachim Henry.

Is this the Lie that was formulated to the Taiwanese Government to be able to Procure the Bus?

Why deceive the very People who are trying and willing to Help this Country?

Why didn’t Mr Henry reveal the arrangement that Mr Guy Joseph had put in place?
Why didn’t he inform the media and persons present at the Ceremony that the Former Minister and Parliamentary Representative Mr. Guy Joseph provided free transportation by Covering all transportation cost through his personal Finance?

We all know that when ever the St Lucia Labour Party puts a initiative in place there is always a plan B for one of their Boys to benefit.

Are we soon going to see the Transportation sector ruined or privatized by the Government of the Day?

Should Public Minibus drivers braced themselves for what coming next?

30/12/2022

Pot Calling Kettle Black!

The Present St Lucia Labour Party Administration has one theme Song, and that is the Word (Corruption) this is all they cry and sing to the beat of their Empty Pans. While the present Prime Minister attempts to showcase his self and his Government as the most transparent ever, he has yet to prove it. Among the accusation of corruption he calls out against the Former UWP Administration, is a matter of Direct Awards and the process of selection of Contractors. If the Prime Minister really wants to be transparent, I call on him again to establish the office of the Contractor General, a office I have call on him more than once to establish an office which will look after the matters of Construction in St Lucia with in the Government. In another article I will recommend to this Government the policy framework that should govern the Office of the Contractor General. Again lets talk about Transparency, I ask you Mr Prime Minister Phillip J Pierre not to downplay the role of the Director of Audits. Most well-run large organizations have effective internal audit departments that serve to ensure accountability, performance improvement, skills development, and knowledge management.

Audits departments make a significant contribution to organizations. When properly funded and managed, they can become the government’s hub for creativity and innovation. Most audits, particularly performance audits, involve the systematic documentation of processes, and workflows. The information generated can be studied to identify strengths and weaknesses or benchmarked against comparable performance in similar organizations.

Without that systematic documentation and review, government departments have remained stagnant and bureaucratic, with processes that frustrate “customers” and most likely conceal corruption.

But effective audit departments are not just about policing the bureaucracy. At their best, they are the training ground for the next generation of public service managers. Auditing at its best is grounded in ethical standards and the reviewing of verifiable evidence upon which an objective opinion can be based.

That culture of upholding core values is fundamental to our civilization. And if it were to disappear from our public service, it will not be long, before we descend into “failed state” status.