ULP managing economy well

The leader of the Opposition, Arnhim Eustace, on Wednesday, September 1, 2004, sought to paint a dismal picture of the development of our country.

He states that stores and many other businesses are not doing well, with low sales and layoffs. {{more}}

He needs to take a good and honest look at businesses like C. K. Greaves which are expanding constantly, improving the Arnos Vale supermarket while moving to establish a supermarket in South Leeward.

Finishing and Furnishing continues to expand their operation while acquiring properties to facilitate their development. The Bonadies’ have bought almost the entire block that includes the Y De Lima Building; St. Vincent Cooperative Bank has just bought the Blue Caribbean Building with a view to expand and improve its headquarters.

Browne’s Hardware and O.T. have just opened new outlets in Kingstown. Heron Hotel and Nice Foods are being rebuilt. Clico has just built its headquarters in Kingstown. The News and Searchlight newspapers have both recently bought properties in Kingstown to facilitate their production.

Eustace needs to make a check with architects and builders about the massive amount of work they have had, both from the Government and the private sector, since the ULP came to office.

Every day Vincentians see the Syrians expanding and building complexes, such as George’s Plaza and the Moussa Building on Back Street. And some local businesses are even willing to lease and sell their stores (in at least one case, half of the ground floor of their building in Middle Street) to the Syrians.

Today we see what is called the “CAR BOAT” coming to this country regularly and delivering increased numbers of vehicles, many of them high end vehicles.

One indicator as to how we are doing economically, which the NDP wishes to ignore, is the NIS report on new entrants to the service annually over the past 10 years. Under the NDP, looking at the years 1993 to 2000, the annual registration of new entrants to the job market ranged between 2,100 and 2,900. As soon as the ULP came to office in 2001 the number jumped dramatically to 3,886 and has been maintained since then. Eustace was the chairman of the NIS during the tenure of the NDP, so he, more than anyone, would know how important such figures are as an indication of what is happening in the economy. Many more persons are on the NIS because many more persons are working, since the ULP took office.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines economic management has already been highly rated by the IMF and the ECCU. The leader of the opposition can continue to sit in his high position of privilege and berate the country with negative messages – that has always been the approach of the NDP. The ULP administration will continue to deliver its promises to the people for the development of our beautiful country.



Glenn I. Jackson

Press Secretary