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Pillar four of Saint Lucia’s Economic Recovery and Resilience Plan is geared at Building Resilience of the Private and Productive Sectors in the economy. Policy intervention number twenty-four, outlined under this pillar, seeks to support the business environment by fast-tracking legislation to increase access to finance by MSME’s.

The stakeholder engagement for updating Saint Lucia’s Medium-Term Strategy (MTDS) 2021 – 2026 got off to an encouraging start with stakeholders from the public and private sectors, NGOs, and Civil Society Organisations.  Permanent Secretary in the Department of Economic Development, Claudius Emmanuel, said due to significant changes in the socio-economic landscape locally, regionally and internationally, and taking into consideration the priorities for the new administration, it has become necessary to update and strengthen the MTDS over a longer period. 

The Government of Saint Lucia has approved a one-year Tax Amnesty for taxpayers with existing tax liabilities.  The Amnesty programme commenced on May 1st, 2022, and will end on April 30th, 2023. Taxpayer Services Supervisor at the Inland Revenue Department (IRD), Lisa Goodman said the department is encouraging taxpayers to take advantage of this opportunity.

The month of May is observed as Blindness Awareness Month where increased attention is focused on the successes, challenges and strides of the blind and visually impaired segment of the population. The theme for this year’s Blindness Awareness Month is “I am more than what you see.”

The National Competitiveness and Productivity Council (NCPC) encourages innovation and innovative thinking to boost national productivity and competitiveness. The Anse La Raye Infant School is being highlighted by the NCPC for its innovative approach to student learning.    

The Procurement Administration Unit in the Department of Finance is finalizing regulations to the new procurement legislation enacted in June of 2021. Ag. Director of Procurement Administration, Anthony Jean, said the impact of procurement on the estimates of national expenditure is significant as government is the biggest procurer of goods, services, and works on the island.   

The National Competitiveness and Productivity Council in the Department of Finance is charged with monitoring the initiatives implemented by the Government of Saint Lucia under the Economic Recovery and Resilience Plan (ERRP) which were designed to combat the socioeconomic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Strong institutions are considered to be the essential foundation for the SDGs and the national development pillars. In fact, SDG 16 recognizes that weak institutions are a threat to Economic Development.”

These remarks were delivered at the commencement of a professional development session by the Permanent Secretary in the Department of Economic Development, Claudius Emmanuel.