During a recent broadcast of Star Radio’s “On the Record,” Unity Labour Party (ULP) opposition members Carlos James and Keisal Peters delivered a scathing critique of the current New Democratic Party (NDP) government, pointing to economic stagnation, canceled sports programs, and questionable national security policies.
In response to what they described as a worsening cost-of-living crisis, the opposition figures unveiled a comprehensive 10-point economic relief plan.
The hosts painted a grim picture of the local economy, describing the streets of Kingstown at month-end as “empty and dry”. Callers into the program echoed these sentiments, with one caller from Rose Bank reporting that she had been working as a daily paid cleaner for two months without receiving her wages.
James and Peters accused the current administration of failing to spur economic growth and sidelining experienced, technically trained civil servants in favor of partisan posturing.
Arguing that the NDP’s recently announced cost-of-living task force lacks concrete initiatives and timelines, James laid out a 10-point plan designed to provide immediate and long-term relief to Vincentians. The proposed measures include:
Salary Increases: Immediately implementing the 2026 public servant salary adjustment previously promised by the former ULP administration.
Regional Food Security: Intensifying the “25 by 25” initiative to reduce the regional food import bill by 25% through increased domestic agricultural production.
Zero-Rated Goods: Expanding the list of zero-rated supermarket items to lower the cost of essential sustenance for working-class families.
Fuel Clause Subsidies: Absorbing at least 50% of anticipated increases in the fuel clause adjustment.
Neutralizing Shipping Inflation: Shielding consumers from rising global shipping and insurance costs by calculating customs duties based on the “Freight on Board” (FOB) rate rather than the “Cost, Insurance, and Freight” (CIF) rate, or by capping the CIF calculation.
Care Packages: Reinstating the “Love Box” program to distribute locally sourced food packages to vulnerable and elderly citizens.
Zero Hunger Trust Fund Support: Utilizing the Zero Hunger Trust Fund to scientifically assess and support vulnerable families facing food insecurity, in coordination with the Ministry of Social Development.
Fuel Tax Caps: Placing a cap on the excise tax and Value Added Tax (VAT) on fuel to prevent price spikes at the pump from devastating consumers and the local manufacturing sector.
Reverse Tax Credits: Increasing the reverse tax credit for low-income earners to ensure blue-collar workers receive larger tax rebates.
Resource Mobilization Strategic Framework: Establishing a long-term framework to successfully navigate and unlock millions in international development and climate finance, an area where the hosts claimed the current government lacks expertise