United Workers Party 2011 Manifesto
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PERFORMANCE United Workers Party 2010 2011 Manifesto 2006 VISITORS: VISITORS: 1 Million 695,000 WWW. REVENUE: REVENUE: The POWER of WE $768,000 $1.5 Billion VOTE X UNITED WORKERS PARTY Let’s keep the flame BURNING Solid economic management performance… Unprecedented delivery of People development projects NSDC Vieux-Fort National Tennis Centre Human Resource Centres Look Out Point In Dennery The 2011 Manifesto of the United Workers Party Our achievements celebrate the blessings of features a detailed listing of our achievements as POWER OF WE over the past five years, and the duty elected government of Saint Lucia from legitimize the power of possibilities that will inspire December 2006. This record of solid performance our development efforts over the next five years, in delivering on the promise to secure the greatest leveraging the power of working together as one good for the greatest number is the platform on people and one nation. which we seek re-election. Manifesto 2011 also features comprehensive policy Our value proposition to the people of Saint Lucia statements which provide the road map from is all about utilizing the POWER of “WE”. - We the vision to goals, to governance fundamentals, to people, joining hearts and hands, a nd voices, in priorities on the action plan going forward. This the cause of a better St. Lucia for all Saint Lucians. all-embracing document will be widely circulated and will also be available on-line at Throughout the turmoil of various disasters at www.uwpstlucia.com home and abroad. It is the POWER OF WE that worked wonders for us ensuring remarkable results The UWP counts it a great joy and honour to invite in the worst of times around the world. you to give Manifesto 2011 your most careful consideration. www.facebook.com/uwpstlucia 1 www.uwpstlucia.com PART ONE OUR ACHIEVEMENTS ...................................................................................................................4 OUR PRIORITIES : WHAT WE WILL DELIVER ......................................................................... 9 MESSAGE FROM THE POLITICAL LEADER ......................................................................... 13 STATEMENT FROM THE PARTY CHAIRMAN .......................................................................14 OUR VISION ..................................................................................................................................16 2 www.facebook.com/uwpstlucia www.facebook.com/uwpstlucia 3 www.uwpstlucia.com www.uwpstlucia.com Our Achievements The United Workers Party: A History of Unsurpassed Progress. 2. Growth Inducing Measures and Achievements in Agriculture, Tourism and Other Sectors A consistent record of performance that has provided decades of prosperity to generations of Saint Lucians. • Launch of a National Competitiveness and projects, despite the difficult global Productivity Council financial environment: We are known at home and abroad for sound economic management and delivering on our promises. No • The revitalization of Agriculture. We are Administration in the history of Saint Lucia has ever had to face and manage within five years, the number now self sufficient in egg production, more - Baywalk - Jalousie Plantation and extent of external shocks and natural disasters that this Administration has faced: home grown food is consumed locally and Expansion • The oil price shock – prices rising and • The drought in 2010 the food import bill relative to total - Landings - Renovation and peaking in July 2008 • Hurricane Tomas in October 2010, costing spending is lower than ever Expansion of Le Sport and • The food price crisis in 2008 EC$907 million in losses and damage • The development of agriculture including: Ti Kaye • The global financial crisis in 2008 and • Rising international commodity prices in - Policy decision to return Union to - Mardini - Bank of Saint Lucia lingering effects right up to the present 2011 agricultural development instead of being headquarters at Massade, time • Floods in 2011 used as a football playground Gros Islet • Hurricane Dean in September 2009 (the Gold Project) - Karlione Court - Providence Centre at - The construction of the Tissue Culture Rodney Bay In spite of these adversities, the following were achieved under the UWP Administration: Laboratory - Hewanorra - Mercury Court at Choc Bay 1. Macroeconomic Management and Strategies for Keeping the Cost of Living Low - The distribution of some 100 green houses House - The development of a hatchery for tilapia - FDL Building - Choc Financial Centre • Positive growth on average for the last five Saint Lucia’s public debt grew by $539 and prawns and the resuscitation of - Morne Du Cap - Johnson’s Superstore at year term, with a high of 4.4 percent in 2010 million between December 2006 and the agriculture Rodney Bay • Inflation was contained present. This is less than the SLP’s - Development of orchid production as part • In 2010, Saint Lucia became the largest $677 million increase in debt between of the agricultural diversification effort • Building of vendors’ booths on Jeremie economy in the OECS, a position it lost in December 2001 and December 2006 - Commencement of construction of a meat Street and lower Darling Road 1998 under SLP rule - Debt moved from 29.3%of GDP in processing facility in Vieux Fort • Resurfaced the Babonneau, East Coast • Fiscal discipline, reflected in Saint Lucia December 2001 to 50.2% in December - Opening of a fisheries facility in Road from Praslin to Cannelles and being one of few ECCU countries without 2006. That is an increase of 20.9 percentage Anse-La-Raye upgrading of the West Coast Road an IMF programme points. By comparison, the UWP - Reactivation of the Beausejour Agricultural (ongoing) • Maintenance of Saint Lucia’s country rating Administration increased the debt by 12.8 Station • Rehabilitation of Castries urban roads of BBB+ because of sound management percentage points to 63% of GDP at the end • Government acquired SLBC shares in • Development of the Gros Islet Waterfront and strong economic performance of 2010 WINFRESH at a cost of $26.266 million, area • From 2007 to 2011 Saint Lucia was ranked • Created opportunities for placing greater thus ensuring those shares remain in the • Increased airlift to Saint Lucia the number one CARICOM country economic power in the hands of ordinary hands of Saint Lucians • Significant increase in tourist arrivals for Doing Business Saint Lucians • Rehabilitation of agricultural feeder roads • Establishment of a maritime registry • Tax exemptions to provide relief to • Subsidized basic food items – rice, flour, • WASCO kept in the hands of Saint Lucians • Undertaking a substantial Post Tomas Re consumers in 2007/08 when world prices Sugar, every year for the last five years. and not sold to foreigners to control and covery and Reconstruction programme escalated The subsidy for 2011/2012 will be profit from providing precious water to • Establishment of a Regional Integration • Increase in income tax deduction to approximately $22 million the people and Diaspora Unit in the Office of the $17,000 from$16,000 • Increase in LPG subsidy to $15 per 20 lb • Payment of entitlement to WASCO workers Prime Minister • Increase in mortgage allowances to $20,000 cylinder of LPG from $8 in 2006 outstanding for 10 years • Implemented over 200 community from $16,000 • Against the IMF advice, this government • Maintained investor confidence in the projects island-wide under the • Reduced the rate of growth of the debt. reduced the excise tax on fuel from economy, evidenced by the many Constituency Development Programme Despite rising costs resulting from the $3 per gallon to as low as $1.25 per gallon domestic private sector construction severe external shocks over the past five in June 2011 years, 4 www.facebook.com/uwpstlucia www.facebook.com/uwpstlucia 5 www.uwpstlucia.com www.uwpstlucia.com 3. National Security, and Regulatory, Supervisory, Legislative and Governance Initiatives 4. Education, Health, Social Development and Culture • Violent crime under control. While Labour for Bordelais Correctional Facility and other • Commencement of the process to upgrade programme (social welfare) and pensions talked about crime reduction for years, we strategic areas around the country the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College to various categories of pensioners; took action. They paid lip service. • Enacted legislation to ensure that there will (SALCC) to a University building footpaths, bridges and homes for WE TOOK ACTION! Saint Lucians are now not be a repeat of the Rochamel Loan • Reinstatement of allowance for teachers needy persons with the help of the safer with the UWP Guarantee arrangement attending Teachers’ Training College Taiwanese; providing computer labs in • The establishment of the Financial Services • Establishment of Rural Councils to broaden • Significantly increased access to university schools and completing the platform for Regulatory Authority to strengthen the reach of Local Government education through the provision of study e-government to improve the delivery of regulation and supervision of non-bank • Establishment of a Civil Status Rectification grants and student loan guarantees social and other programmes financial institutions Office • Re-introduction of school buses • The establishment of HOPE which is • Provision of closed circuit television (CCTV) • The repair of and upgrading of St. Jude administered by the Saint Lucia Social hospital which is ongoing Development Fund