Prime Minister Stephenson King - “the optimistic realist”

Even in an island paradise like St Lucia, there are clouds on the horizon. No one has a greater responsibility to face and lighten the darkening economic climate than the country’s prime minister, The Honorable Stephenson King. He’s a pragmatist with a firm belief that St Lucia will weather the storms and come out on top. That’s despite a raft of recent challenges.
“Last year, we had to cope with a number of extraordinary crises. Not least, the unprecedented increase in the prices of most food items and other basic commodities,” said Mr. King. “The government also had to deal with an increase in the price of fuel, the level and speed of which had never been seen before, nevertheless we maintained a price of $12.75 per gallon. There was the adverse and prolonged hurricane season, followed by this global financial storm.

Transformation
Notwithstanding, Mr. King is not faltering in his pledge to continue moving his country forward. “My aim is to carry on growing a successful and prosperous country, to create jobs, provide security, rebuild and transform our country, child by child, community by community, and village by village, while always caring for each other as is the St Lucian tradition,” he said.
The PM’s economic vision has recently been bolstered by St. Lucia’s being voted the number one country in Latin America and the Caribbean in the World Bank’s “Doing Business” report ranking. “Given the current climate, we must continue to strive harder to maintain that ranking,” he said. “And with improvements to our investment and business posture, we can do it.”

Easing the squeeze
The PM has encouraging figures on which to base his optimism. Despite the turbulences of 2008, the number of tourists arriving in St. Lucia increased and banana production has improved. Meanwhile the government’s efforts to “ease the squeeze, has seen the doubling of the number of items on the price control list and St. Lucians who receive public assistance have benefited from significant welfare increases.

“Call me an optimistic realist,” said Mr. King. “Our plans for 2009 will include addressing the anticipated decline in tourist arrivals and expenditure; the decline in remittances, as our relatives overseas feel the economic pinch of the recession in their adopted homes; the continued decline in foreign direct investment; all of which will have the impact on growth, employment, poverty, government revenues and the profits of the private sector. Nonetheless, in 2009, we expect that there will be a rebound in growth in the construction sector based on the planned implementation of a number of private and public sector construction projects.”

Calling Mr. Obama
In a direct message to Washington D.C., Mr. King said “We pray that the soundness of the policy initiatives to be pursued by the new Obama administration will inspire confidence in America and the rest of the world. I am sure all St. Lucians will join me in wishing President Obama every success, as he undertakes this most difficult task of leading his country and guiding the rest of the world.”

As to his own country, The Honorable Harrison King declares, “My vision is for a St. Lucia where there are high ethical standards in government; a country where we are tolerant of each other, and a place where crime is at a bare minimum … and a country where we maintain a high standard of discipline and accountability in every walk of life. These are the standards to which I subscribe; these are the standards that I am striving to achieve for our people; these are the standards to which I want to be judged.”