SLASPA To Update Business Community on Major Intiatives
In a continued framework of regular dialogue and collaboration around toughissues, the St. Lucia Air and Seaports Authority will on Friday March 21stpresent a detailed update on its Major Intiatives of upgrade and problem resolution strategies to members of the St. Lucia Chamber of Commerce,Industry, and Agriculture at an Executive Luncheon.
ThisExecutive Luncheon follows a similar path of problem identification, solutiondevelopment and open dialogue on enhancement strategies that the Chamber haspursued with border agencies that directly impact trade, such as the Customs& Excise Department.
SLASPA will update the business community on their work, including plans for increasing the number of critical pieces of equipment, enhancing port operational efficiency and strengthening and improving the infrastructure atthe Castries Seaport. Specifically, the project to strengthen a collapsed berth that restricts access and hinders the speed of moving cargo from ships, will be a central plank of the presentation. SLASPA will also update the Business Community on the Hewanorra International Airport development Project, that has been long slated for expansion.
TheLuncheon is timely as the St. Lucia Chamber has been agitating for improvementsto SLASPA services and has sought a meeting with key Ministers, including, thePrime Minister, the Minister of Ports, Minister of Commerce and the relevantPermanent Secretaries to lobby for greater support and attention to SLASPA fromthe highest echelons of government. To date there has been no success in havingthis meeting.
Nonetheless,the Chamber continues to work with SLASPA and serves as an interlocuter betweena disgruntled membership and the struggling Authority weighed down, by interalia; old and failing infrastructure, insufficient equipment, outdated tariffsand regulations, cumbersome industrial relationships compounded by globalshipping issues.
TheChamber remains convinced that special, focused, bold, and decisive attentionneeds to be given to SLASPA at this critical stage. SLASPA is seen by theChamber as a major institutional clog in the economic engine of St. Lucia’s andif the Agency does not get the required support, it’s their difficulties canundermine the recent shoots of economic growth, negatively impacting the socialand economic welfare of citizens.
TheExecutive Luncheon will provide updates on SLASPAs progress in addressing theabove issues and its work plan for the major projects. The Executive Luncheoni is scheduled to commence at 12:30 p.m. at the Coco Creole Conference CenterRodney Bay Gros Islet. Members are invited to register early for this mostinformative event.
ENDS
For Further information Contact: BrianLouisy, 423165 or info@stluciachamber.org