CASTRIES, St. Lucia, CMC-Leader of the Opposition Stephenson King has written to Prime Minister Kenny Anthony, concerning the long-standing issue of Value Added Tax (VAT) on medication.
In a letter, King brought to the attention of the prime minister the number of citizens who complain about their inability to purchase medication in a timely manner due to the additional burden brought on by the tax.
Saint Lucia
CASTRIES, St. Lucia CMC---Civil Servants have ended their battle with government for a 9.5 per cent wage increase, with a stunning decision to settle for a wage freeze. After a heated extra-ordinary meeting Wednesday most of the over 400 members of the Civil Service Association (CSA) voted in favour of a 0.00 per cent wage proposal. The decision to forgo the increase followed the President's report that the Government’s Negotiating Team (GNT) was sticking to 4 per cent as its final wage offer, in addition to refusing the requested allowances.
CASTRIES, St. Lucia, CMC – One of the authors of the history of St. Lucia , Robert Devaux has died after a short battle with cancer. He was 79. Devaux, a field engineer by profession, spent his lifetime the history, ecology, landscape and culture of St Lucia. He served as director of the St. Lucia National Trust and wrote and published several books and articles, including the monumental St Lucia Historic Sites (1975).
CASTRIES, St. Lucia, CMC – The St. Lucia government will present the estimates of revenue and expenditure to Parliament next week. A government statement said that the presentation will follow the ceremonial opening of Parliament on April 24 when Governor General Dame Pearlette Louisy will deliver the traditional Throne speech outlining the government’s programmes for the 12 months. The estimates will be debated on April 25 and 26.
CASTRIES, St. Lucia, CMC- The three week old strike by Civil Servants has cost the country well over EC$3 million, according to Cabinet Secretary Darryl Montrope.
The Government started to assess the financial cost of the work stoppage, when the strike came to a halt on Tuesday.
According to Montrope, preliminary figures for the Customs Department alone indicate that the Government lost over EC$2 million in revenue at an average of EC$200,000 a day.
CASTRIES, St. Lucia, CMC - Civil Servants were returning to their jobs on Tuesday after voting on Monday to end a near three week strike in support of demands for higher wages.
Their decision to end the strike will also allow their union – the Civil Service Association (CSA) to return to the bargaining table with the government negotiating team (GNT) that had earlier indicated it would not be prepared to resume negotiations until the workers end their crippling strike action.
CASTRIES, St. Lucia, CMC-A planned protest march by Civil Servants failed to materialise on Thursday, as organisers were not granted Police permission to take to the streets.
Acting Police Commissioner Errol Alexander said in planning their march the Civil Service Association did not conform with the Public Order Act, which requires that permission be sought three days ahead of a march.
He also said the organisers did not indicate in their letter the number of persons expected to participate in the march as required by the legislation.
CASTRIES, St. Lucia, CMC – Civil servants have voted to take to the streets on Thursday in support of their demands for increased salaries of more than four per cent that the St. Lucia government says it is not able to pay.
The action by the Civil Service Association (CSA) also indicates a growing spilt within the Trade Union Federation (TUF) after CSA president Mary Isaac questioned the “solidarity” being shown by other public sector unions grouped under the umbrella body.
CASTRIES, St. Lucia, CMC - Prime Minister Dr. Kenny Anthony says the Windward Islands Banana Production and Marketing Company (WINFRESH) has a “moral” obligation to ensure the survival of the banana industry in the St. Lucia, Dominica, Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Addressing the opening session of the Windward Islands Agriculture and Bananas Technical Management Symposium, Prime Minister Anthony said WINFRESH has “a moral as well as practical duty to play its part in efforts to resuscitate banana production in the four islands.
26 CASTRIES, St. Lucia, CMC- Nearly eight months after its official launch the OECS Authority has scheduled a sitting of the OECS Assembly for March 26.
The Castries based OECS Secretariat has announced t hat in preparation for this sitting a seminar has been planned to facilitate discussion of the Rules of Procedure for the OECS Assembly and aspects of the Revised Treaty of Basseterre that support the work of the Assembly.