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by:
Rose Marie Harris
Monday, January 12, 2004 - As Saint Lucia turns twenty five on February
22, 2004, the nation must confront a number of pressing economic and social
needs. It is with this in mind that Prime Minister Honourable Dr. Kenny
explains that four major decisions must be made in the course of 2004.
High on the priority list is Health Care. A Task Force appointed in 2002 with
the mandate to consider the feasibility of introducing a system of universal
health care has now produced a report on the implementation of a universal
health care system for the island.
“Later this year the Task Force will take the first step towards explaining
the proposed system of health care to the public at large. In these
discussions, the fundamental issue we have to resolve is this: how do we
finance health care to ensure that all citizens get access? If universal
health care is to succeed we have to move purposefully and deliberately
towards the implementation of health sector reform so as to allow this
critical sector to operate more efficiently and to make better use of the
human, physical and financial resources allocated to it.”
Can Saint Lucia afford unemployment insurance? This is the second major
decision that the government and people of Saint Lucia will have to make this
year.
“Although almost all industrialised countries have in place some level of
unemployment insurance, the only Caribbean country with unemployment insurance
benefit is Barbados. Recognising the need to provide a partial income
replacement to eligible covered workers for short periods following
involuntary unemployment, our government commissioned a Task Force to
investigate the feasibility of implementing an Unemployment Insurance
Programme in Saint Lucia.”
According to Dr. Anthony the third challenge facing the nation is the reform
of the Indirect Tax System. The Task Reform and Administrative Commission
appointed by the Monetary Council of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank has
recommended to all OECS countries that they replace all indirect taxes, except
import duties, with a value added tax.
The final challenge for the year 2004 is to resolve the enactment of the
Labour Code. In the words of the Prime Minister “finality must be brought to
this exercise.”
“The government maintains its position that the Labour Code must spring from
and reflect the shared consensus of all parties. We must agree on a code that
is adapted to our needs and circumstances; that protects the rights of workers
and employers and does not frighten investors, whether local or foreign. I
believe we can achieve this provided that we approach the final phase of the
exercise with trust, goodwill and a shared understanding of our collective
future.”
The Prime Minister outlined the four challenges as he delivered his New Year’s
message on Sunday January 11, 2004.
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