1. Overall Vision and Approach
SLP
- Focuses on continuity with projects already started between 2021 and 2025.
- Emphasizes gradual, long-term modernization toward a 2035 national vision.
- Prioritizes digital transformation, AI integration, and systems improvement.
- Frames development within existing fiscal and institutional structures.
UWP
- Proposes a rapid intervention model based on Relief, Recovery, and Reform.
- Emphasizes immediate cost-of-living relief and large-scale national upgrades.
- Calls for structural overhauls in governance, health financing, education, and security.
- Frames development around rapid change rather than continuity.
2. Economic Strategy
SLP
- Promotes economic modernization through technology, digital services, tourism stability, and youth entrepreneurship.
- Focuses on strengthening existing programmes such as the Youth Economy and investment promotion.
- Continues gradual expansion of tourism, infrastructure, and agro-processing.
UWP
- Proposes significant cost-of-living interventions, including fee and levy removals.
- Calls for broad economic diversification: manufacturing, agriculture, agro-processing, digital economy, creative industries, and care economy.
- Includes a major infrastructure recovery plan to stimulate growth.
3. Education
SLP
- Plans a full AI-integrated education transformation: smart classrooms, AI tutors, digital literacy curriculum, and expanded teacher training.
- Expands early childhood, special education, and tertiary modernization.
- Continues rolling upgrades to school infrastructure.
UWP
- Promises free tertiary education at SALCC.
- Prioritizes literacy and numeracy recovery, TVET expansion, and new digital skills training.
- Emphasizes affordability and direct access rather than systemic technological overhaul.
4. Health
SLP
- Expands universal health coverage through phased improvements.
- Continues upgrades to hospitals, clinics, and digital health systems.
- Enhances disease surveillance, mental health, and community health programmes.
UWP
- Introduces a National Health Insurance (NHI) offering annual coverage up to US$75,000 per citizen.
- Promises major upgrades to facilities and modernized electronic health systems.
- Proposes stronger management and governance reforms in the health sector.
5. Housing and Land
SLP
- Focuses on multi-family housing units, lease-to-own schemes, and discounted government land sales.
- Expands land rationalization efforts, targeting regularization for thousands of households.
- Advances planned housing projects in targeted communities.
UWP
- Proposes home-repair grants, first-time homeowner incentives, and rural housing development.
- Introduces “Land for the Landless” and broad affordable-housing initiatives.
- Emphasizes greater homeowner access through grants and incentives.
6. Youth Development
SLP
- Expands the Youth Economy programme with grants, training, and entrepreneurial pathways.
- Promotes youth participation in digital skills, AI, and modern agriculture.
- Continues community and sports-development programmes.
UWP
- Introduces youth relief measures, financial support schemes, and expanded training opportunities.
- Prioritizes youth inclusion in manufacturing, digital, creative, and care sectors.
- Includes youth-targeted social support under the Relief pillar.
7. Agriculture
SLP
- Establishes a HACCP-certified FRESH Hub and a national meat-processing facility.
- Focuses on agri-technology, youth agriculture, aquaponics, and value-added products.
- Continues farm-road rehabilitation, packhouse upgrades, and crop diversification.
UWP
- Establishes a national land bank and agricultural insurance schemes.
- Promises irrigation expansion, farm credit facilities, farmer pensions, and large agro-processing industries.
- Emphasizes revitalization of traditional crops such as bananas, alongside diversification.
8. Tourism
SLP
- Increases room stock by 1,000 through ongoing hotel projects.
- Promotes community tourism, local ownership, and stronger linkages to other sectors.
- Targets year-round tourism with festivals, niche markets, and upgraded cruise infrastructure.
UWP
- Proposes village tourism, sports tourism, and expanded wellness tourism.
- Calls for branded tourism sites, upgraded port and cruise facilities, and diversification incentives.
- Emphasizes expanding rural/community tourism initiatives.
9. Crime and Security
SLP
- Expands police recruitment, builds new police stations, and develops a modern training academy.
- Implements violence-interruption programmes and school-based interventions.
- Invests in scanners, surveillance technology, and community-focused policing.
UWP
- Establishes a national border security authority and expands forensic capabilities.
- Plans major CCTV expansion and anti-gang measures.
- Promises increased police mobility, intelligence systems, and judicial reforms.
10. Digital Transformation
SLP
- Creates a National AI Centre and expands cybersecurity, blockchain land registry, and government digitization.
- Increases free community Wi-Fi and subsidizes high-speed internet.
- Advances DigiGov into a fully integrated digital government platform.
UWP
- Proposes a Digital Academy for nationwide upskilling.
- Updates ICT legislation and expands internet access points.
- Promotes tech-driven SMEs through incubators and innovation hubs.
11. Water and Infrastructure
SLP
- Upgrades national water storage, pipelines, and climate-resilient systems.
- Continues the replacement of aging infrastructure and JCD desilting.
- Invests in roads, bridges, drainage, and community facilities.
UWP
- Promises major improvements in water systems, irrigation for agriculture, and rural water access.
- Emphasizes broad infrastructure expansion as part of economic recovery.
- Proposes large-scale national upgrades across multiple sectors at once.
12. Governance and Public Sector
SLP
- Strengthens oversight of CIP, improves public-service systems, and expands digital transparency.
- Emphasizes continuity, improved procurement, and targeted reforms.
UWP
- Proposes procurement overhaul, anti-corruption bodies, and a modernized public service.
- Promises reforms aimed at increasing accountability, efficiency, and citizen participation.
Summary:
The manifestos diverge most on four fronts:
- Approach to development
- SLP: continuity and modernization
- UWP: rapid relief and structural reform
- Education and health financing
- SLP: phased improvements
- UWP: free tertiary + universal national insurance
- Institutional expectations
- SLP: strengthen existing systems
- UWP: establish multiple new authorities and mechanisms
- Economic strategy
- SLP: technology, digital transformation, youth economy
- UWP: broad diversification, cost-of-living relief, and manufacturing revival