August 1, 1997 - It is already common knowledge, right up to and including government ministerial level that the present prison building, the Royal Goal is in a dilapidated condition and hugely overcrowded.

Given the overcrowded condition of the prison, as mentioned previously, maintaining discipline amongst the inmates must be problematical. However, the less than ideal conditions should not be used as a general excuse for the type of physical abuse that the investigating team discovered.

Prime Minister Hon. Kenny Anthony earlier this week addressed a session of Parliament : Text in part reads : In our contract of Faith, the St. Lucia Labour Party made some very specific promises to the people of St. Lucia. We warned the people of St. Lucia about the serious state of the economy and the very difficult choices that any incoming government would have to make.

The difficulties that we face today are the result of two factors. The dependent structural position that we occupy in the world economy and the impact of changes in the global marketplace on our local economy. The wanton lack of financial accountability of the Lewis administration in which public money was recklessly spent, in a prolonged election campaign without thought to fiscal prudence.

The recent economic performance of the country can best be described as sluggish. Rates of GDP growth which had averaged 8.3% per year over 1986 to 1996 declined to an average of 3.4% over 1991 to 1996. In particular, GDP growth in 1996 was about 1.9% down from 4.1% in 1995. Whilst the decline in the economy is a fair reflection of the quality of leadership of the last administration, the problems of the economy are of a structural nature and the result of the regime which over the years had become bankrupt of ideas, no creativity, became arrogant in the face of calls for change and loss the political will to engage the major stakeholders of the economy in constructive dialogue to effect change.

The Prime Minister during his address also spoke on the state of the agricultural, tourism, manufacturing, central government finance.

In summary the Prime Minister noted that St. Lucia is currently faced with a number of challenges especially in light of the changing fortunes of the banana industry. The changes in the global environment in particular, the emerging trend of globalization and liberalization, require countries like St. Lucia to become more self reliant in an increasingly interdependent global economy. The decline in concessionaire finance implies that the public and private sectors have to mobilize domestic funds to finance viable projects.