The opposition United Workers’ Party (UWP) has raised fresh concerns about several national issues, including water shortages, the Citizenship by Investment Programme, public borrowing and the loss of visa-free access to the United Kingdom.
Speaking at a press conference on March 18, party representatives argued that the current administration has failed to adequately address critical challenges affecting citizens and businesses.
Opposition Leader and Micoud South Parliamentary Representative, Allen Chastanet, was noticeably absent from the press conference.
UWP candidate for Gros Islet, Marcella Johnson, described the ongoing water situation as a crisis impacting daily life, particularly in northern communities.
“Water is not a privilege. Water is a basic, very basic necessity,” Johnson said. “Families in the north have to endure daily rationing, emergency outages and the uncertainty about when water will run in their taps.”
She noted that the shortages are also affecting the private sector.
“Businesses in the north operate under disruption, creating many financial challenges. Communities are left in distress,” she said.
Johnson further criticised the government’s handling of the island’s main water source, the John Compton Dam, which she said has seen its capacity significantly reduced.
“The John Compton Dam has been burdened with millions of cubic metres of silt that has reduced its capacity by over 50 per cent,” she stated.
According to Johnson, efforts to address the issue had begun under the previous UWP administration but were halted after the change in government.
“Under the UWP administration, work had begun on the desilting programme. But when this government took office in 2021, they stopped the desilting work.”
Meanwhile, UWP candidate for Anse La Raye and Canaries, Dominic Fedee, raised concerns about transparency and reporting within the Citizenship by Investment Programme (CIP).
“It therefore means that this controversial programme which is globally monitored has now not seen two years of reports,” Fedee said.
He called on the government to release outstanding reports to restore confidence among international partners.
“I would like to take this opportunity to call on the government to come forward with the outstanding reports so that there could be a resurgence or repair of confidence in the management of our CIP programme,” he said.
Fedee pointed to available data indicating significant activity within the programme.
“A quick glance at the CIP website would show that between 2021 and 2024 the government has approved some 2,000 applications and received over 7,000 applications,” he noted.
He questioned the absence of updated reporting and called for greater scrutiny of the programme’s financial operations.
“The question that looms large this morning is what are the outstanding amounts in escrow accounts overseas,” Fedee said. “How much have developers collected, how much have they drawn down and how much have they spent on specific projects?”
Fedee also urged the government to provide an update on the proposed Rock Hall housing project.
UWP candidate for Babonneau, Titus Preville, said the party’s interventions are part of its responsibility as the parliamentary opposition.
“This press conference is not meant to score cheap political points,” Preville said. “There is an opposition in Saint Lucia and it has a duty and responsibility to speak to all Saint Lucians on issues that will affect them.”
Preville also raised concerns about the level of borrowing undertaken by the government, comparing it to figures from the previous UWP administration.
“Between 2017 and 2019, the United Workers’ Party accumulated a total borrowing of $370.4 million,” he said. “The average borrowing per year was about $123 million.”
He contrasted this with borrowing figures for the current administration.
“Between 2022 and 2024, the Saint Lucia Labour Party borrowed $921.3 million,” Preville stated.
He further highlighted that some of the debt includes government-backed guarantees, including financing linked to the Saint Lucia Air and Seaports Authority (SLASPA).
“The Saint Lucia Air and Seaports Authority is going to undertake borrowing in the region of $121.5 million,” he said. “Because the government will be guaranteeing that debt, it will be reflected as part of our national debt.”
Preville also questioned the rationale behind planned investments in port infrastructure, particularly in light of proposals to relocate cargo operations.
“With plans to move cargo operations to Cul-De-Sac, one must ask why SLASPA is undertaking such a significant investment on berth four,” he said.
He further raised questions about revenue arrangements tied to cruise operations and existing agreements with private operators.
The UWP said it will continue to raise issues of national concern as part of its role in holding the government accountable.