Contact: Prime Minister's Press Secretary

December 5, 2000 - Prime Minister Dr Kenny D. Anthony says he is "pleased" with a meeting he held with top representatives of the St Lucia Chamber of Commerce on Monday.

Dr. Anthony, who is also Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs met with the leading Chamber representatives at the Ministry of Finance at the Financial Centre Building Monday afternoon for their latest exchange and review of national economic and commercial matters.

"It was a good meeting," said Dr Anthony, "at which we took the opportunity to have a frank exchange of views and positions on economic matters and we also agreed on several initiatives."

After reviewing the latest developments in the banana industry, the Prime Minister said he and the Chamber representatives agreed that privatization was a step in the right direction for the banana industry." But Dr. Anthony added, "it was also agreed that there is a need to eliminate the division between the banana marketing companies."

The Prime Minister said he stressed "the need for changes in the industry to be made on the basis of consensus between the public and private sectors."

He said he "welcomed, in particular, the Chamber’s suggestion that efforts at agricultural diversification should be strengthened."

To this end, Dr. Anthony said, Government was "prepared to establish a commission or suitably named entity oil agricultural diversification and restructuring of the banana industry."

"Such a task force," he added, "could comprise members representing Government and Opposition, the Banana Companies and the Ministry of Agriculture."

At the meeting, the Prime Minister told the Chamber representatives he was "sympathetic to a proposal for the Chamber to manage the St. Lucia Marketing Board, and he invited the private sector body to submit proposals for onward transmission to Cabinet for determination.

The Prime Minister said he also invited the Chamber "to join the Government and the National Insurance as partners to develop the Cul De Sac area into a thriving area of business and industrial activity." Dr. Anthony said he also indicated that "Government would be prepared to consider offering some of its shares to the Chamber to facilitate their involvement"

The Prime Minister and the Chamber representatives reviewed the operations of the Customs & Excise Department During the discussion, he said, he "offered to authorize a management audit of the Customs and the Port Authority's operations, to determine whether the services offered to the private sector were delivered efficiently."

Dr. Anthony said the meeting "was quite useful and productive and I also took the opportunity to correct some of the misconceptions and misunderstandings which belied the thoughts and statements of those in the private sector who still harboured doubts as to the real state of the economy."