Saying that he is speaking from experience Prime Minster, Roosevelt Skerrit, told St. Lucians on Sunday that their government’s decision to join ALBA and PetroCaribe is the best decision “taken in a very long time”.
“I can speak to the Dominican experience. I can tell you that ALBA and PetroCaribe have been good to Dominica,” he said during a St. Lucia Labour Party Convention in Choiseul.
Skerrit told the delegates that with funds from both agreements, Dominica has been able to initiate a number of projects and programs.
“With ALBA funds and with PetroCaribe funds, I have been able to create mortgages at interest rates of four and five percent in Dominica, four and five percent in Dominica. I have been able to put monies at the Development Bank for farmers to borrow at zero and two percent in Dominica,” he noted.
He further stated that ALBA funds have enabled the government “to outfit every single police station and police department with vehicles and equipment and tools of trade. With ALBA funds, we’re constructing an abattoir in excess of EC$10-million. With ALBA funds, we are currently constructing a coffee factory worth over $10-million in Dominica.”
“So I am telling you, do not let anybody fool you and to create in your mind this mystery and this evil about ALBA and PetroCaribe, I say to St. Lucia, go for it and take advantage of these two instruments of integration and cooperation,” he said.
Skerrit, who is among the first regional leaders to sign up to both accords, said if St. Lucia has signed up before, the island would have been in a better position to confront its challenges.
“Unfortunately, Dr. (Kenny) Anthony lost the elections and was not able to sign on to Petro Caribe in the months ahead,” he noted. “Had St. Lucia sign on to Petro Caribe back then, I can tell you that you would have had access, to about $300-million now at one percent interest to assist with the challenges confronting St. Lucia today. But as the saying goes, rather late than never.”
According to the Prime Minister, there has been much talk in St. Lucia which has to do with the island’s decision to join Petro Caribe and ALBA.
“I will say to you that this is one of the best decisions that the St. Lucia Labor Party has taken in a very long time,” Skerrit stated, adding that even the IMF and the World Bank have given their nod of approval.
“The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and some told us, that it will affect our debt,” he noted. “But today the World Bank and the IMF are saying to us that the Petro Caribe agreement is one of the best things and we must stick to it because of the revenue it is bringing to our economy.”
The UWP wished they had such a brilliant young man representing them he is ahead of the game please name me a much loved leader in the Caribbean today. Skerrit is the first among equals
St.Lucians do not trust Kenny and Skerrit we know they are Da Mal Wat. Remember Kenny is Minister of Finance food for thoughts.
We trust Kenny, just not outsiders in their failed states like Skerrit.
Blah, Blah, Blah!!!!
St.Lucians Joe Biden said on Sunday that the situation in Venezuela is alarming and accused Maduro’s government of using “armed vigilantes” against anti-government protesters. Alba is evil, keep away from those lunatics.
Skeritt told the St. Lucians how great ALBA has been to Dominica, but he did not tell the St. Lucians the secrecy which surrounded the joining of ALBA. Philbert Aaron also acknowledges in the Chronicle dated 7 March, captioned the Switch, the secrecy of the Skeritt led Administration joining ALBA. Knowing Mr. Lennox Linton, I am prepared to bet my last dollar, he will be more transparent then Skeritt and his Government. Change is definitely a must.
Skerrit would never address Lucians with his Dominican nonsense. That’s why he could only speak in the presence of handful of people in an auditorium.
He knows better.
St Lucia should not be advised to join this communist organization led by Venezuela!
Seeing what is going on again these days in this dictatorship, where political opponents are being harassed and killed.
Lucians, check brother Obama instead !
Dominica politics. You just have to love it! It’s hard-hitting every time.
food for thought
http://www.iht.com/2014/03/10/hunger-for-breakfast-venezuela-facing-chronic-food-shortages/
You living in Venezuela man? FYI the shortages they talking about is food that the government subsidize to make it cheaper for poor people to buy… so many people poor they running out all the time plus people int eh middle class going to the government stores and buying up all the food. There is no general food shortage anywhere in Venezuela! that is just more propaganda!
I’m also happy St. Lucia is interested in joining the organisations. But its too late for them… they’ve sold most of their Island and business to foreigners. Trying to establish state owned and Private citizen owned and run businesses is something you have to do in the beginning or during the stage of development… which Dominica is doing now. We were the last to start the process of development in the Caribbean, so now we can see from experience those who have done it right others who are hopelessly sold their sovereignty for the mighty $$$.
Mr Skerrit did you tell them about the 18 requests Vezuela has made TO YOU ( you are the labour Party)for their money? Did you tell them you LIED TO DOMINICANS ABOUT ALBA, when you told them it would bring down the cost of energy here in POOR DOMINICA? St Lucians must be out of their minds to have you to address them.Hope you told them it is the last time you are addressing them as PM, because you will surely be KICKED OUT at the next election.
IT’S TIME FOR CHANGE.
As I always say, people as you have a twenty-twenty vision and can foresee the future. Wait and see.
So Skerrit goes to St Lucia beating his chest about ALBA, is ALBA money that do this and do that, went as far as telling Kenny Anthony that joining ALBA is the best decision that Kenny has made in a long time. Whoa! Is Skerrit rude or he just does not think of what he says?
I would feel insulted if someone tells me as Prime Minister of my country that this is the best decision that I have made for a long while.
Now Skerrit, with all the magic of ALBA, how much money does Dominica owe Venezuela? You mentioned that if St Lucia had joined ALBA sooner they would have had access to $300 million, is that US$ Skerrit? so where the money gone? For sure the containers at Layou Park and the Housing Devolution is far from that, even if you add the coffee plant to it.
Where de money gone? and you have guts to go and beg Maduro for more money to employ people to work for private sector, even when you see Venezuela burning because they doh have paper to wipe after they poops.
Skerrit please call the elections!
Skerrit does not or cannot think and evaluate a situation. that is why he was first to jump and grab Alba. I find him very much out of place to tell St. Lucia that that was the best decision they made. Who is he to decide what is best forv St Lucia. I look like he personally benefitting from Alba. It shows in his face. soon he will burst.
Skerrit is a failed leader, leading a failed state (Dominica.)
And we hope he never sets foot back in St. Lucia.
Lucian, are you a fool our just wicked.
In the words of John Scully, “The future belongs to those who see possibilities before they become obvious.” You have exemplified that Mr. Prime Minister. Visionary move to China and Alba…Now all the other islands are following.
Talk is cheap,the PM boasting to the st lucians
.when we ask a simple question,how come the living standards of Dominicans has not improved.What the PM is saying does not add up .this is bobbol yes bobbol Dominicans feeling the pain can tell you,”theres no jobs in Dominica”.I here the toilet song,look joke.
Alas Lucian don’t bash our PM nuh
“With ALBA funds and with PetroCaribe funds, I have been able to create mortgages at interest rates of four and five percent in Dominica, four and five percent in Dominica. I have been able to put monies at the Development Bank for farmers to borrow at zero and two percent in Dominica,” he noted.
Is it really YOU Skerrit or the Government?
Is he talking from experience as it relates to the revenue received from these companies($300 million).If you click on the link then this will make a lot more sense to you. We need a proper minister of Finance.(Mad Scientist Financing)
Had St. Lucia sign on to Petro Caribe back then, I can tell you that you would have had access, to about $300-million now at one percent interest to assist with the challenges confronting St. Lucia today. But as the saying goes, rather late than never.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4KuZPoN5E4
mr skirret we in fond st jean /fab need some of the alba money for our roads while visiting for carnival i saw my village roads at fond st jean /fab roads a very bad .the people in the village have voted the government for so long ,why are we being treated so badly .i will certainly influence my family and friends to to vote against dr darroux . he has fail the people from fond st jean /fab/he should not return to the people to ask them to vote for him he is a disappointment to us we believe in him but next time it will be different skirret help us up there with some alba money
p/m can u give dr darroux some of the alba money to vix the fab road . i am a dominican diaspora more specifically from the scenic village of fond st jean .i must complain about the very poor state of the road leading into fond st jean road up to reti reau /fab at least we have voted for the government for so long .why are we treated so badly.i will certainly influence my friends and family to vote against dr darroux.he has failed the residents of fond st jean and fab ,he should not return to people and ask them to vote for him he is a fail parl rep i visited my country for carnival and was very much disappointed to see the state of my village roads.skirret please help us in this village with some alba money
did I hear o% to farmers? and aid bank is lending to farmers at 6% well lets investigate which bank
You never heard of the Agriculture Investment Unit? Go to the Ministry of Agriculture and get the info… Maybe if you pay more attention to your country and less on Skerrit you would know whats happening right in your face on island!!!! Guess you haven’t heard of the ABATTOIR either??
I really have no idea why our Prime Minister (the Right Honourable Dr. Kenny Anthony,) saw it fitting to align himself with Skerrit (whose a failure) and a failed state like Dominica, under Skerrit’s leadership.
And no one really knew of Skerrit’s presence in St. Lucia.
To us. Skerrit is extremely insignificant.
Why would you know? You are probably a flambeau anyway. You can NEVER be en Rouge with that attitude
Why would you know? You are probably a Flambeau anyway. You can NEVER be en Rouge with that attitude.
St. Lucia is the failed state sot. Don’t let your eyes fool you. All the businesses and products you buy and sell are owned and come from foreigners. Failed state? Even the water you drink comes from Dominica… if we didn’t ship water to you allu would be drinking and cooking with seawater. Besides the hotels, resorts and businesses and gambling that are foreign owned in St. Lucia… The IMF has to provide funding for allu infrastructure and banking system. You have allot of guts calling DA a failed state when DA is the most independent Country in the Caribbean in regards to land ownership, debt, education, taxation and our legislature. Go and borrow money from the IMF to buy your water from Dominica. SOT your country is just a shopping mall for Dominicans. UDOHREADYET!
Don’t blame us (St.Lucians,) for your lack of development.
Water? You mean the very same water you can’t even provide adequately to your own people?
Dominica is a joke with poor infrastructure.
By the way, i love Dominican women
talk as a Dominican because I know who you are .you are a supporter of Lennox Linton and the UWP so don’t pretend to be Lucian, YOU ARE NOT.
your ip address shows you are not no where close to St. Lucia
Coming from an UWP suporter, that is a low blow. Pretending to be who you are not.
That is not true, I just checked the ip address and i get castries.
This presentation gives you the impression that Dominicans are very well off. While this is not the case we must guard ourselves giants propaganda and misinformation. It begs the question therefore, why are there so many red clinic clients still today?
Skerrit where does Dominica stand with the Ukraine crisis u better side with the WEST if u know what is good for you. Obama is our friend.
The benefits are tremendous. Our PM demonstrated his ability to lead when as the World’s youngest PM he severed ties with Taiwan and signed an agreement with the People’s Republic of China. He further exemplified his leadership traits by making Dominica part of ALBA, this is all the doing of a brilliant leader. We will never trade our Government for role players who do not live what they preach. Dominicans, keep your eyes on the prize!
Wow, now he goes spreading his lies all over the Caribbean. What is wrong with this man? What is his agenda? What good has ALBA and PetroCaribe brought Dominica. We were promised lower gas, petrol and diesel prices. It never materialised. However, this entire circus has benefited the DLP, Skerrit, his ministers and advisors. All of them benefited greatly in financial terms…
Did you disclose to the PM of St Lucia that Dominica now owes ALBA about twenty three million dollars and that Venezeula made twenty eight request for repaymenr?
Very well said. PM is right. Before Dominicans bash the ALBA and Petro Caribe initiatives, take a look at the benefits. It is because of this the AID Bank can lend at 4% where I have my mortgage. Housing, small business to NDFD etc.