has seen a dramatic rise in the cost-of-living under the Unity Labour Party (ULP) government. The surge in cost-of-living has caused significant hardship for Vincentians.
Cost-of-living is skyrocketing and our economy is shrinking. Most families are struggling to make ends meet and to put food on their tables. In this regard, the government has not made any progress on a plan to ease the cost-of-living crisis in the country. In light of this, the NDP has issued a press statement calling on the government to implement measures to ease the cost-of-living crisis that is affecting Vincentians.
The following is the release: ‘The New Democratic Party has called on the government to take action on the crippling cost of living crisis that Vincentians are experiencing. Chairman of the NDP, Honourable Daniel Cummings said, “It is clear that most Vincentians are suffering as a result of the cost-of-living crisis and yet the government continues to fail to take action. Parliament this week presents the perfect opportunity for the government to address this critical issue.”
St Vincent and the Grenadines’ economy has been struggling for years and was exacerbated by COVID-19, the eruption of La Soufriere, and most recently by Hurricane Beryl. Hundreds of people are in the most vulnerable state that they have been in recent history.
The NDP is of the firm view that Hurricane Beryl justifies the intervention of the government to help ease the pressures of the cost-of-living crisis on Vincentians.
As opposed to waiting or hoping for the crisis to resolve itself, the NDP will take action. An NDP Government would act immediately to reduce VAT from 16% to 13% and reduce the Custom Service Charge to make goods cheaper for the consumer.
Furthermore, an NDP government would increase support for lower income families by expanding existing support payments for a six-month period. The NDP is committed to easing the cost-of-living crisis in the country.’
Reduced food production
We are of the view that when agricultural land is lost or poorly managed, food production is reduced. The reduced local food supply can cause prices to increase for a number of products. This imbalance often leads to higher costs for consumers, who may then face with increased food bills. Undoubtedly, this is another factor that we believe has contributed to the cost-of-living crisis that Vincentians are experiencing.
The failure of the ULP government to implement policies regarding land use has contributed to the problem of food insecurity which the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries alluded to last month, and to the cost-of-living crisis in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Further, there has not been an agriculture census for almost thirty (30) years, so the ULP government does not know where our farmers are, what they are growing, how they can help them improve their yields, or even what land is available for food production.
The NDP will introduce a land use policy that will give better direction for land usage as we try to make maximum benefit from the limited lands available to us for food production. We will make more lands available to farmers through the Land Reform Program. We will designate areas for raising small livestock such as goats, pigs and sheep and for root crops to bolster our nation’s food security, which will assist to reduce the cost of food. A land bank will be created in collaboration with landowners locally and abroad of un-utilized and under-utilized lands, to make them productive.
We recognize the importance of strategic management of land use. It is critical in enhancing agricultural productivity and sustainability. By adopting innovative practices that prioritize soil health, optimize resource use, and integrate modern technologies, we can significantly increase output while preserving vital ecosystems. By producing more food, it will aid in reducing our food import bill which is spiralling out of control. We are committed in developing the agricultural sector as an economic pillar of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Recently, the Parliamentary Representative for East Kingstown, the Honourable Dwight ‘Fitz’ Bramble, attended a conference Which focused on broad issues related to sustainable land management.
The following is a press release about the conference: ‘Honourable Dwight Fitz Bramble, the Parliamentary Representative for East Kingstown, has called for increased investment in sustainable land use, emphasizing its critical role in the economic growth and development of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. His appeal comes after attending the Global Changemaker Academy for Parliamentarians (GCAP) Conference in Bonn, Germany, which focused on influencing G20 countries to enhance resource flows into restoration efforts.
Bramble said, “The main issue I wanted to draw attention to, is the insufficient attention paid to sustainable land use and the importance of preserving and restoring our land resources, particularly in developing countries such as SVG.”
Expressing concern about the extremely high cost of living and the large amount of money Vincentians pay for imported food, Bramble said, “Our food import bill is now around $500 million per year. It is crippling our economic growth and development in SVG. If we don’t pay proper attention to how we use our land, we will be facing the highest food prices in history very soon.”
At the conference, MP Bramble highlighted a ‘Community Vegetable Garden’ project he started in his constituency and called for similar initiatives to be encouraged and supported.
Bramble was one of 24 parliamentarians from around the world who was selected via a competitive application process to attend the conference. For which over 300 parliamentarians from 70 countries applied. The NDP is committed to raising awareness for the need for proper use of our land and marine resources to address issues with our food security and reducing the high cost of living faced by Vincentians.’
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