Introduction
This document has been prepared, and is intended as a blue print for the plan of action that the SLP endorsed Candidate, along with your cooperation would like to see undertaken following the upcoming General Elections.
We have in the course of the past years taken the opportunity to hold dialogue with as many constituents as possible. We have spoken with as many of you as we have come across, and by now, we know that among your biggest concerns is the lack of representation that you have been a victim of.
We on this side believe that there is a need to truly provide adequate and appropriate representation to the people of this constituency. We believe in our candidate – Silas Wilson. His involvement in the community and by extension, his offering of service nationally qualifies him to be your parliamentary representative.
It is in this vein that we ask you to carefully consider this document, peruse its contents and the proposals therein. Allow it to be the basis for your decision in this coming election. It is important to remember that a vote is a decision to allow your future to be decided by one individual and his or her philosophy.
Statement of Principles & Values
The 2006 campaign of the Saint Lucia Labour Party in Micoud North believes that the ultimate goal of development must be people centered. This campaign and the objectives thereof is about creating an environment in which people can develop their full potential and lead productive lives in accord with their needs and interests.
We believe that people are the real wealth of the nation, and therefore development must be about expanding the choices people have to lead lives that they value. Building human capabilities is fundamental to enlarging these choices.
- Creating a new Economic Thrust
An important component of any future agenda for this constituency must include the creation of new economic opportunities. We recognize that Bananas once was the largest provider of jobs and revenue. However, the reasons for that change are the adjustments to the European Banana Market, in particular the removal of preferential treatment has forced changes to the structure of the industry. In light of this, we must now explore new avenues for the provision of employment and creation of wealth.
I believe that preserving our environment is essential to sustaining our natural resources. However, as we grow there will be some developments which will impact on the natural environment, whether positive or negative. We should, as a forward looking and progressive society, always attempt to embrace change, while we seek that balance between the environment and development. Let me therefore say, that while and understand the impact that the development will have on the environment, the natural environment was placed to help us grow, and not stunt or inhibit our growth.
The plan for stimulating economic activity is pursuit of eliminating poverty must be based on the following approaches:
- Encouraging youth involvement in Agriculture and creating additional value
- We recognize that young persons have not been actively involved in farming activities, and therefore need to modernize that sector to further illicit their interest and involvement.
- Efforts to encourage processing, using by products to create new products and to further encourage the development of micro enterprises within that sector would be pursued through the use of new training opportunities and support services to farmers and the entrepreneur.
- Finding new markets both locally and abroad for agricultural produce. This is necessary as we need to optimize the value of our resources and to also find a means of creating optimum opportunities for wealth within that sector.
- Expanding investments in tourism and related services throughout the constituency
- The imminent construction of the Le Paradis Hotel is an indication of efforts to bring tourism investments to this region of the island. The Le Paradis project will offer tremendous opportunities for the peoples of this constituency.
- We need to therefore encourage our people to become more proactive, to take advantages of the opportunities that will be presented to them in that development. The construction of a new jetty in Praslin will create new opportunities for a connection with the Hotel and Praslin community.
- Entertainment will always be a major component of the tourism product. There are signs of budding musical and vocal talent in the community. We must move swiftly to introduce programmes that will develop that talent, and provide support for marketing such for sale as part of the local tourism package.
- Creating linkages between agriculture and tourism
- The farmers of the community have formed an Eastern Progressive Farmers Association. They have so far met with the operators of the hotel to ensure that the community can provide most of the agricultural commodities for the resort. This module has the potential to succeed, our people can extract significant benefits from that approach, and so I would like to support the sustainability and growth of this approach.
- Promotion of cottage and traditional industries
- The role of small enterprise creation and self employment must never be taken for granted. We are aware of the work done by the Superior Broom Farmers of La Pointe, in relation to collectively trying to pool together to produce Latanye brooms.
- Giving new Value to Agriculture
· While Agriculture will no longer play that all important role that it used to play in this constituency, we must spare no effort to encourage our people to get involved in meaningful activity. The average age of a farmer is now past 55, and if that trend continues, our country will suffer greatly. It is in this vein that we must continue to encourage, particularly our young people to get involved in agriculture, as there must be some mechanism to create some employment for them. New programmes that will stimulate such interest, including new technologies and plant material will be introduced.
· Modernizing agriculture is about finding new and innovative ways of producing agricultural commodities. It is about introducing new technologies and modern ways of farming. It is unfair to expect a young farmer to carry on farming activities in the same way it was done many years ago.
· Consideration will be given to the development of a farm collectively operated by young people, through an allocation of crown property. Such a farm will be used for both gaining knowledge of running a farm and providing some form of employment. It is expected that these persons will later on move to operating their own farms as a result of that exposure.
2. Investments in Fishing Infrastructure
One of the more remarkable achievements of the SLP government has been its investment in modern fishing infrastructure. These investments have been either through the construction of jetties to allow for ease of fish landings, building of storage facilities to secure equipment belonging to fishers, and construction of reception centres.
It is clear that our fishers in that constituency do not have any adequate and modern infrastructure to operate with. Fishing has been an activity conducted in Praslin and Micoud. It has been a source of income for quite a number of households and persons, and continues to remain such.
The situation is one which requires immediate remedial attention. I have spoken with the fishers from both these areas, and have come to the conclusion that they would like to remain in that sector. The impetus for them to remain is absent, and it appears difficult to encourage young persons to get involved in that sector. The time has therefore come when we must create the environment which will address this problem.
The following is being proposed to correct this anomaly:
- Building of new and modern jetties is Praslin and Micoud. This will allow the fishers to better secure their boats, be able to load and offload equipment better as well as to land their day’s catch easier and in a manner which makes the exercise more appealing to the consumers of that product.
- Demolishing and rebuilding the existing structure in Micoud which is used to secure the equipment of the fishers.
- Refurbishing the existing structure in Praslin which is used to secure the equipment of the fishers. This refurbishment must also include a new area to cater for fish landing and vending.
- Equipping the Micoud facility with an area for the proper landing of fish as well as the vending of fish.
- Introduce Programmes that will stimulate the interest of young people in that sector.
3. Investments in Community Infrastructure
The state of our roads in this constituency merits some concern. Roads are an important part of our community infrastructure, and serves as the tools for the community network.
It is important that we undertake to rehabilitate that essential road network. The rehabilitation must include the construction of new and durable drains.
We have examined the road network and have concluded that there must be some adjustments to that network. There is some isolation because of the one way in one way out in areas like La Pointe and Malgreoute. We need to see a direct connection between those communities through the road. This connection will ensure that those communities are closer integrated, that there is development beyond the traditional community to cater for the housing needs of the young generation.
4. Realising our Social Conscience
Those of us older folks in this community can vividly remember life when growing up. We have time and time again heard that it takes a community to raise a child. We remember a society which shares a common ideal, has the same set of goals and purpose, a society which embraced voluntary work and combining efforts to achieve a common goal.
We witness a significant shift today. It is difficult today to get the community involved in a worthwhile social project, even when it involves helping someone who cannot help himself or herself. Our community organizations and institutions have faded away, while all the while, the problems facing our community continue to exist, our youth are seeking now more than ever some direction.
Consequently, from the level of our political leadership within the constituency, we need to again rekindle that sense of community spirit and goodwill among our people. We need to find the sense of social conscience that at one point made our communities the envy of others around the island.
As a result, the following is being proposed to achieve this spirit of social conscience which at one time existed.
1. We need from a tender age to inculcate those civic and ethical values in our young people. Through a number of programmes at the school and community level, we need to implement programmes which will bring about that sense of community spirit among those young people. This must be accompanied by encouraging them to form organizations and to take responsibility for developing and implementing these programmes. The support of our business houses within the constituency is required for that initiative.
2. Festivals and community activities play a role in developing that social conscience. Christmas and other festivals are appropriate times when such festivals can be held and can help bond the community. As such, we need to ensure that our people can all come together in celebration of those festivals, bringing a new sprit of community togetherness and a new sense of community spirit.
5. Encouraging Youth and Community Development through Sports
There is an urgent need for additional investments in our young people. The community sporting facilities need to be attended to and upgraded. We have a rich sporting tradition, our communities have a great track record of producing outstanding sports personalities in a number of sporting disciplines.
Engaging our young people is sports and recreation is not only developing their physical talents, but those activities provide opportunities for their mental development, the inculcation of discipline and values, and an opportunity to take their physical talents to a higher level.
Despite the many remarkable achievements of our sports personalities, we have not been able as a community to fully optimize the available talent and energy of our people, neither have we been able to use those achievements to spur on the new and upcoming athletes. Our community has an important role to play in developing these young persons. There is more that can be done to encourage the wider community to support our athletes.
In light of this, we make the following proposals to improve the lot of our youth and sporting personalities.
- The Wenn Playing field is the largest playing field serving the constituents from Malgretoute to Praslin. While that is so, it has not been equipped with any modern infrastructure to make the athletes and spectators more comfortable. We need to include within that sporting complex change rooms, spectator stands and sufficient accommodation for parking of vehicles. Some form of lighting of that facility must also be included, so as to encourage persons who work late to take part in sports.
- The state of community fields in Praslin, Patience and La Pointe needs upgrading. The upgrading must include the expansion of these fields along with the laying of top soil to create a better surface. In Praslin, the developers of the Le Paradis Hotel have promised to work erect a new field, once a location has been identified.
- The state of young people in Malgretoute is alarming. To address this, we will attempt to erect a new Playing Field and Multi Purpose Court in Malgretoute. While this community is relatively the smallest in the constituency, the abundance of young persons who still live there must be provided with avenues for personal and community development. These facilities can help arrest the migration away from that community.
- In Micoud, the Multi Purpose Court needs to have lights reinstalled there. The absence of these lights has not helped particularly the basketballers and netballers.
6. Providing Training for Economic and Social Adjustment
In light of the new economic dispensation which we are attempting to usher, we must recognize that there exists a gap between the skills required to fill the jobs and what is available. In light of this anomaly, we must invest in additional training and reorientation of our people.
Again, in pursuance of this the following programmes will be introduced.
- An expansion of the programmes of the National Skills Development Centre through the Patience Centre. This will provide an opportunity for equipping our people, both in and out of the education system with the basic skills to seek employment in the new opportunities being created, or to also create their own employment.
- To cope with the decline in banana production, we need to train those previously employed in the banana industry to be able to find employment in the new areas of economic activity. Continuous training will be provided to make that adjustment.
- Utilising the constituency office as a hub for information on new job opportunities, new opportunities in education, scholarship offerings as well as other opportunities for self advancement.
7. Investments in Sports
It is one thing to develop facilities, but the absence of sporting programmes will not allow us to optimize the use of those facilities. It is undeniable that our community is blessed with natural sporting talent, but the true beauty of that talent will not be seen if steps to nurture and develop that talent are ignored.
We must therefore develop after school programmes to engage the younger ones in developing their sporting talent. These programmes must be developmental in orientation, must seek to instill fundamental techniques and an appreciation for discipline.
Additional emphasis must be placed on developing the less popular sports, for eg: women’s football, athletics. This is necessary as we must continue to find new ways of engaging our people and to provide that diversity of activities for their involvement. We need also to cater for the differently able community and our seniors, ensuring that too feel a part of our society.
The state of the Youth & Sports Council in Micoud is disturbing. Attempts to revive that council must be undertaken, through programmes that will reform and reactivate the clubs. In Mon Repos, we must endeavor to continue to strengthen the club structure to ensure that the council continues to remain alive.
There is a need for us to create that bridge between the sports and youth programmes of the schools in the constituency and the community programmes in existence. As a result, we need to integrate school programmes with the community programmes. This is necessary to get the wider community involved in shaping the lives of our young people. Within the school system, we must develop and implement development programmes and competitions which will get the entire community involved.
8. Improvements in Living Conditions
We are concerned about the state of housing and living conditions throughout much of the constituency. The current situation is the result of insufficient planning. We must therefore take the necessary steps to ensure that this is corrected, and to avoid a recurrence of this in the future.
Prior to the SLP Administration in 1997, persons living in the New Extension (park) and Volet could not have gotten access to water, electricity and telephone services. We have made some effort to address those living conditions, but much more is left to be done. Those persons have been squatting all their lives, and an end must be put to that situation.
The government of the SLP has through its PROUD programme made it possible for persons who have squatted to obtain those lands. We believe that the time has come when the same must happen in Micoud North, the persons who live in the New Extension and Volet. That process must be accompanied by the creation of footpaths, roads, expansion of connections for water and electricity, as well as rationalization of existing lands in those areas for housing development.
Within the village, a number of footpaths have traditionally been the means by which a large number of persons are able to access their homes. Some work has been done by the SLP to make such access easier. The Jn. Baptiste Hill is one such example.
In pursuance of this objective, the following will be undertaken:
· Intervention of the PROUD programme in the New Extension and Park area to ensure that the necessary amenities and infrastructure is provided for the residents.
· To undertake a comprehensive review of all existing footpaths in the constituency, and mobilize resources to rehabilitate such whilst adding street lighting to ensure the safety of the public.
· Provide street lighting throughout the entire constituency to ensure safety and security.
· Encourage WASCO to expand the water distribution network so as to ensure that all households have access to potable water.
9. Planning Housing Development for the Future
We cannot afford not to learn from past mistakes. The situation as regards accommodation for future housing development within the constituency must be viewed as a priority for future development. The vast number of young people within the constituency will tomorrow be settling down with their families, and we need to ensure that there is sufficient and appropriate land for housing stock.
Pursuant to this objective, we need to undertake the following course of action
- Identifying and making available for sale, throughout the constituency, housing lands, with the inclusion of utilities and infrastructure to ensure that modern day settlements are created.
10.Creation of a Development Foundation
It is without question that the goodwill of the people of this constituency has helped us to achieve some of the successes we have enjoyed. Our peoples have been blessed with some of the finest organizational skills in the country. Many different organizations exist within the constituency, some with similar objectives and others which have divergent interests. There however is not much synergy among those organizations, and we must find a better way to utilize scarce resources.
It is also noteworthy that some of the services of government and other agencies have not reached the persons they were intended for. That is also of concern to us, and must be addressed.
Additionally, there is a need for the community to unite its efforts and to assist the efforts of government in lobbying for additional assistance. Quite a number of the projects identified in this document, the funds will need to be sourced outside the coffers of central government.
We recognize that there is in existence a village council, but the scope of that council is limited to routine work around the Micoud Village. It does not have a presence outside the Micoud village.
As a result, there is an urgent need to give birth to a Development Foundation. This development foundation will be guided by the following terms of reference:
- To bring together all sectors and organ
| 
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
