NDP Gov't does not have a grip on VI economy – Hon. Fraser
“We have more offshore companies than any other country with just short of 500,000 active companies…” Hon. Fraser said during an interview on the programme 90 Minutes on Radio St Lucia on August 2, 2013 and hosted by Shelton Daniel.
“We are at a crossroads now with our economy, our economy has been slipping since the November 2011 elections which brought the government of Dr The Hon. D. Orlando Smith into office and saw them slash public servants’ increments in half,” he argued.
The legislator also listed job losses and downsizing companies as contributing factors to the economic demise that he said some businesses are also blaming a shrinking tourism market for. “I am not satisfied that leadership has a grip on the Territory’s economy given their response so far and many residents are fed up,” he stated.
Hon. Fraser, a former Communications and Works Minister within the previous Virgin Islands Party (VIP) Administration further quoted statements made by two legislators within the NDP that he felt were unsupportive of their party’s stance on economic issues.
He observed that current financial times were terrible and the necessary leadership to take the Territory where it needed to be at this point was not being demonstrated.
Offshore tax haven and catastrophic restrictions
Hon. Fraser also commented on restrictions that the United Kingdom (UK) government may likely impose on the Territory following a recent G-8 meeting. This was also coupled with perceived attacks on the VI’s Financial Services Sector within international circles which labelled the Territory as an offshore tax haven among other things.
He described the potential restrictions as being catastrophic and said there was a tremendous amount of silence from the VI’s leader on the issue. He added however, that from what he was able to gather, there was a postponement of the decision until the G-20 has had an opportunity to review the situation. “We’re still at a critical stage right now, holding our breath and waiting to see what comes out of these meetings.”
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