St. Lucian Opposition United Workers Party (UWP) has criticized the Philip J Pierre Administration for not making tourists pay a 2.5% Health and Security Levy, which is set to start next month.
During his 2023-2024 budget statement, St. Lucian Prime Minister Philip J Pierre said that the new levy will not apply to food, medicine, and some building materials.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday, the UWP said, “When a leader says they will put their people first, it is reasonable to expect policies that put the people’s well-being first.”
But the UWP says that Prime Minister Pierre’s decision to spare tourists from the new 2.5% tax raises questions about how much he cares about the well-being of Saint Lucians.
According to the Opposition, even though the government might say that tourism is an important part of the country’s economy, it’s important to remember that the people who live there should be the main recipients of any policies meant to help the economy grow.
