The Chamber continues to responding to Governments dynamic agenda to ensure that Members interest and wider national interests are addressed and the private sector and members’ interest are taken account of. Government continues to have an aggressive Legislative and Policy Agenda where priorities are changing and new issues continuously emerge. The Chamber keeps its fingers on the pulse of the Public Service/Private Sector Interface and so we remain flexible and responsive enough to address trending issues.  

 

 
  • Issue At Hand

    •  (1) Insufficient Consultation with all Interested Parties prior to Enactment

    (2) Not enough focus from the Public Sector on the need for implementation of all the provisions of Article 164.  
    (3) Interest only in imposing of Tariffs. Not enough attention and drive for the supporting measures.
    (4) Significant Price Increase will occur. Public may not understand the reason and may accuse retailers of unfair practices.  
    (5) Producers will only receive short term market price differential with tarification. They will not get the substantive support to improve their structural competitiveness. 
    (6) At end of period LDC producers will be seeking continued extension of Article and MDC’s will argue that Article I64 does not work and call for its end and LDC producer may be out of business. 
     
  • Action Chamber

    • Chamber wrote detailed letter to Ministry of Commerce expressing concern. 

     
    Chamber convened meeting to advance that full provisions of Article 164 needs to be implemented to ensure the producers get agreed financial and technical support. 
     
    Urged the GOSL to aggressively design program of support to producers and approach CDF and CARICOM to fund this obligation. 
     
    Alerted that prices of goods will rise due to Article 164. 
    Pointed out errors in the Statutory Instrument as goods that were not targeted were impacted resulting in higher prices to consumers. (Aerated beverages and non-white flour)
     
    Convened Meeting to urge GOSL to amend the Statutory Instrument. (done for waters not flour as yet) 
     
    Requested that impact on goods be monitored to assess the impact of the Article 164. 
  • Next Step

    •  Chamber is monitoring the progession

  • Issue At Hand

    • That Customs is seeking to change the method of charging for clearing containers to private sector after working hours. Customs and Excise are not showing sufficient interest in addressing operational inefficiencies.

     
  • Action Chamber

    •  Met with Customs & Excise Department to understand proposal. 

     
    Wrote to Comptroller disagreeing with proposal and made suggestions that a broader look be taken rather than just increasing costs to importer 
     
    Hosted a Luncheon on A New Paradigm for Import & Export: St. Kitts & Nevis A Case Study” to demonstrate the possibilities to St. Lucian Businesses. 
  • Next Step

    •  Chamber continues to monitor the situation.

  • Issue At Hand

    •  More wide spread use of e-documents by the Customs & Excise Department

  • Action Chamber

    •  Chamber engaged the Customs & Excise Department on this matter and progress is being made.

  • Next Step

    •  Chamber continues to monitor the situation.

  • Issue At Hand

    •  During the National Lockdown, firms not classified as “essential” could not conduct business and so incurred storage fees at the Ports.

  • Action Chamber

    •  Engaged with SLASPA on the matter. Chamber requested the waiver which was approved by SLASPA. 

  • Next Step

    •  Matter has been resolved.

  • Issue At Hand

    • The impact of Covid-19 on companies and how employers should treat with the shutdown period, requesting staff to proceed on vacation and employing lay off provisions.

  • Action Chamber

    • Engaged and convened a dialogue with the Labour Commissioner. The matter was discussed and members got insight into their options and rights.

  • Next Step

    •  Matter has been resolved.

  • Issue At Hand

    • The layoff period and the need to amend the law to extend it in light of the pandemic.

  • Action Chamber

    • Chamber engaged the Minister of Labour and the Department on the matter. 

    Chamber participated in consultations with Unions, and other private sector players and the Department on how the amendment should be implemented. Agreement arrived at and Layoff was extended for an additional 12 weeks. 
           
  • Next Step

    •  -

  • Issue At Hand

    • Chamber required more clarity on the subject and how it would operate.

  • Action Chamber

    • Chamber wrote to Ministry of Health. Chamber raised the matter with Minister of Commerce. Was informed that a white paper was being developed and that World Bank had agreed to fund the review of an approach to the NHI. GOSL has informed that the NHI will be administered through the NIC.

  • Next Step

    •  Chamber continues to monitor the situation.

  • Issue At Hand

    •  Chamber remains concerned over VAT apportionment Rule and the VAT on real estate services.

  • Action Chamber

    •  Chamber wrote to the Ministry of Commerce on the matter after discussing and explaining the issue, but GOSL has not moved on this matter.    

     
  • Next Step

    •  Chamber continues to monitor the situation.

  • Issue At Hand

    • New Board had been appointed and they are seeking to rationalize and improve the processes. 

  • Action Chamber

    • Chamber representative discussed member’s concerns with Chamber ED and has conveyed these to the Board. Meeting between Board and ED has been held and an action plan is being developed.

  • Next Step

    •  Chamber continues to monitor the situation.

  • Issue At Hand

    • Concern over the management of the landfills and the closure of the Vieux Fort Landfill as well as the plans for the sector. 

  • Action Chamber

    • Chamber convened meetings with the General Manager and Chamber Members so members could be updated and understand the plans. SWMA is to provide updates and plans so member may be able to synchronize their own plans with the Authority.

  • Next Step

    • Chamber continues to monitor the situation.

  • Issue At Hand

    • The standards for labelling repackaged food. 

     
    Standards issues affecting the private sector 
     
    Members were concerned with the enforcement and implications of these standards on operations. 
  • Action Chamber

    • Chamber engaged the Bureau and hosted a series of dialogues with members so they could better understand the standard and the process expected of them. 

     

    Agreed to work together and through the Chamber to address related issues. 

  • Next Step

    • Chamber continues to monitor the situation.

  • Issue At Hand

    • The Standard being proposed by CARICOM Health Ministers would affect members negatively since the proposed labelling is not used by members major trading partners, (UK and USA). 

  • Action Chamber

    • Raised the Matter with the St. Lucia Bureau of Standards. 

     

    Got advice from other Chambers’ such as Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica and used the CARICHAM Network to craft a similar position paper to each Standards Bureau. 

     

    St. Lucia Standards Bureau has shared the concern at the Regional Level 

     

    St. Lucia Chamber is being represented on a Regional Private Sector Technical Committee on Front of Label Packaging by Board Member Dr. Alison Gadajhar 

     

  • Next Step

    • Chamber continues to monitor the situation.

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St Lucia Chamber of Commerce, Industry & Agriculture
Orange Park Commercial Building, 1st Floor Bois D’Orange, Gros Islet, St Lucia

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