Chastanet Says SLP Policies Increasing Poverty

Opposition leader Allen Chastanet has accused the ruling Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP) administration of contributing to increased poverty in Saint Lucia. In this regard, the former Prime Minister cited the SLP Government’s ‘deliberate decision to keep fuel and cooking gas prices higher than they should be.’ Chastanet observed in a Facebook post that the fuel prices and the introduction of Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre’s 2.5% tax contributed to the increase in poverty. In a video accompanying Thursday’s post, he declared that a government that feels entitled and has no ideas to stimulate the economy will always resort to increasing taxes. “This has always been the SLP way,” the United Workers Party (UWP) leader asserted. “Once again, they have decided to impose an additional tax of two and a half percent on our already struggling population,” Chastanet lamented. At the same time, he accused the SLP of ignoring the advice of civil society groups such as the Chamber of Commerce, which warned against ‘this burdensome tax.’ “The consequences of this action are the poor continue to get poorer, further expanding the poverty margin,” Chastanet stated. However, the opposition leader noted that a ‘selected few’ within the SLP’s inner circle...