While available information has been showing that there has been a steady decline in two of the three key economic pillars of the economy – agriculture and manufacturing - the third key sector, the tourism industry has managed to give Saint Lucians some degree of hope.

The United Workers Party expresses its deep concern that now, however, there are worrying signs that even in the tourism sector things are not progressing as they should.

Two policy decisions by Government have led to increases in the prices of inputs into the tourism industry. The  imposition together of two tiers of the Common External Tariff (CET) and the introduction of the environmental levy have led to increases in the costs of imported inputs into the industry. These have been accompanied by a one hundred percent (100%) increase in water rates, one of the most vital inputs in the functioning of the tourism plant. 

But the increased cost of water has not been all. The industry has now been faced with water shortages of a magnitude not seen before. Hoteliers have been forced to demand the Prime Minister’s personal intervention. 

In the face of all these problems and especially with respect to the water crisis, the Minister for Tourism has not uttered one word to indicate that she is able to give any direction. It is indeed worrying that the Prime Minister had to assume centre stage in an attempt to resolve the problems.

The public is left to wonder if  the message being sent out by the Prime Minster is that  he can no longer have confidence in the new Minister for Tourism to deal with the industry’s problems? The Minster of Tourism appears to have resigned herself to the role of follower and not leader in the Tourism Industry.

It is now obvious that hoteliers and other persons whose livelihoods depend on the Tourism industry are extremely concerned with not only the state of affairs in the industry but more importantly, on Government’s role in the management of the industry .

The United Workers Party believes that there is now a crisis of confidence in Government’s relations with the tourism industry. Three years after the General Elections there has been no policy statement on the general direction for our country’s tourism industry. 

The UWP is concerned that further policy errors and inaction by this Government in the Tourism sector will impact negatively on jobs in the industry – an industry which, among other things, employs a significant number of women in our society. Mistakes can not be allowed to be made in this industry.

The UWP, like stakeholders in the tourism and the general public, is extremely concerned about a level of crime in Saint Lucia that has reached proportions not seen in Saint Lucia before. The safety and security of both nationals and visitors alike are under threat. The Prime Minister’s adhoc approach to crime has failed and this stands to ruin the industry touted as the leading sector of the country. 

It is simply unacceptable for a Government to conduct the affairs of its police force by begging for handouts from the tourism sector or any other sector. It is obvious that there has been a serious failure of coordination between the Ministry of Legal Affairs, the Ministry of National Security and the Ministry of Finance in respect of assessment of needs and the allocation of financial resources for police force.

The United Workers Party calls on Government to demonstrate that it has the capacity and capability to restore law and order in Saint Lucia. This is critical not only to nationals but also for the international perception of Saint Lucia. And the international perception of St.Lucia is critical for the survival of our tourism industry.

The UWP also takes the view that Government has failed to sustain the momentum behind the vital nautical – marina and yachting – industry created in St.Lucia in the 1980’s and 1990’s, so as to maintain our country’s competitive edge in the face of strong competition from other Eastern and Southern Caribbean destinations. 

The UWP calls on the Government to immediately review and implement as appropriate, the recommendations made since 1997 by the Special Yachting Committee.

Finally, the UWP believes that there is need for an urgent review of the role of the St.Lucia Tourist Board. The recent statement by the Board is unsatisfactory. Since the advent of the  Labour Administration, the work of the Board has been reduced to overseeing a marketing budget provided by Government. The Board has effectively been stripped of its policy functions so that those who really interact with tourism officials both in and out of Saint Lucia are in no longer in position to effectively develop policy for the industry.

It is obvious that the lack of a well thought out approach to the Tourism Sector is affecting the industry’s direction and development. The United Workers Party recognizes that the present Minister for Tourism is simple overwhelmed by the job before her. 

The United Workers Party therefore calls upon the Prime Minister to take the necessary decisions that will restore confidence in the critical Tourism Industry and safeguard the livelihood of all persons either directly of indirectly involved in this vital sector.