CASTRIES, St Lucia – Prime Minister Allen Chastanet will on Tuesday deliver the 2020-21 budget address to Parliament that the government says will continue to outline its “vision” for the future socio-economic development of St Lucia.
A statement from the Office of the Prime Minister said that the address will outline the four-year-old government’s work on building a new and stronger St Lucia.
“The Prime Minister’s address under the theme: New Challenges: New Opportunities to Continue to Build a Stronger St Lucia Together follows the laying of the Estimates of Expenditure for the new financial year in the amount of EC$1 697 312 800 on April 29,” the statement said.
It said that the budget “holds extreme importance for St Lucia as it will set forth the policies and plans for achieving sustainable and inclusive growth, development over the medium term, focus in on key sectors and outline the plans for St Lucia’s economic recovery amidst the COVID-19 pandemic”.
The statement said that Chastanet will also address the achievements with public and private sector investments, major infrastructure development, re-engineering social services, social safety nets and youth development.
“A key component of the Prime Minister’s address will be achievements and plans for the health care sector and specific fiscal measures and revenue generation initiatives,” it added.
The budget presentation comes as the main opposition St Lucia Labour Party (SLP) earlier this week launched its campaign for the general election that is constitutionally due by September next year.
In the last election, Chastanet’s United Workers’ Party (UWP) won 11 of the 17 seats with the remainder going to the SLP. (CMC)
