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Contact:
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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