Leader of SVG Green Party, Warrant Officer Ivan Bertie O’Neal BSc (Hons), MSc, MBA, is calling on the ULP Regime to put more revenue into the SVG Treasury, rather than give away so much in tax exemptions to Taiwan and the Migrants in Mustique and Canouan.
Without financial policy change, the ULP Regime cannot move SVG into prosperity.
The ULP Regime has had five terms in office in SVG, yet they have not been able to create a FISCAL SURPLUS for one year. The consequences of the ULP Regime giving away more revenue to their friends than they put into the SVG Treasury, are high poverty, high unemployment and fiscal hardship to the population of SVG.
Warrant Officer Ivan Bertie O’Neal BSc (Hons), MSc, MBA, who gained a BSc (hons) in Accounting and Finance and Economics at Oxford Brookes University, England, is highly qualified and has the ability to create the FISCAL SURPLUS needed to drive our country into prosperity. This would create new jobs and businesses for our young generation.
It is very important that we focus on growing what we eat and eating what we grow, to cut imports into our country and drive exports, and to help agriculture and create jobs and revenue.
The Singapore model of economic development is to focus on a knowledge base economy that can create jobs and a FISCAL SURPLUS every year. One of the best ways to create a strong economy is to have a highly educated and highly adaptable work force. This would give foreign investors and foreign businesses the confidence to relocate their businesses into SVG.
After 43 years of independence, SVG still cannot create a FISCAL SURPLUS. This shows our SVG economy is going in the wrong direction with tourism. Six Airports and a very strong focus on Tourism is outrageous and very short-sighted. The more our country focuses on tourism, the greater is the level of serious crime, high unemployment and high poverty in SVG.
Policy makers cannot see the short-sightedness of the focus on Tourism or comprehend that tourism can never create a FISCAL SURPLUS in SVG.
Also, after 43 years of independence, SVG still does not have its own University. This is absolute madness with respect to economic development. The Argyle Airport is draining our economy and does not make enough revenue to pay its light bill. Where is our country going?
SVG should go Green to achieve competent financial management and a strong Green economy. A Green government would appoint a university graduate in finance as the minister of finance. Competent financial management will create economic and social stability and attract foreign investment.
A Green government would focus on job creation and revenue creation by investing heavily in innovation, a university, Green industries, entrepreneurship and small businesses.
SVG needs a change of government. The longer we have a government that is virtually broke, the longer our people will suffer. The lack of financial competence is the core problem that is choking the SVG economy.