Business View Caribbean | October 2019

46 BUSINESS VIEW CARIBBEAN OCTOBER 2019 fisheries, and tourism sectors to create more wealth. In 1999, St. Vincent had a nominal GDP of 330 million U.S. dollars, now it’s in excess of 810 million. In five years, the average per capita GDP has moved from $2,700 U.S. to $8,000-plus U.S. “Under 70 percent of people had pipe-borne water in their homes, now it’s about 99 percent. There’s a similar situation with electricity. We’re well- served in public health; in primary healthcare, in secondary healthcare, and we have arrangements where we address gaps in tertiary healthcare to satisfy the peoples’ requisites. All the indicators show there is a significant forward movement, but we have to reduce the extent of unemployment. We have to make sure that the land is completely peaceful. We are an archipelago state – 32 islands with a wide seascape – and there are problems with the flow of small arms coming here. Even with the Coast Guard and radar systems, some get through. But we are tackling the large strategic issues in an efficacious way and getting good results. “As for infrastructure, the geothermal project has a $100 million U.S. cost and the financing is already arranged for that. The modern port is over $150 million and that is also arranged - $40 million is a grant from the British government. We have three private-sector hotels commencing construction or about to start, and two state-owned ones. And the Grenadines improvements are moving very well. So, we are in a good place to make ourselves more competitive and deliver better service to the people.” BVC: What are the most important points we should know about St. Vincent and the Grenadines? Prime Minister: “That St. Vincent and the Grenadines is a serious place undergoing socio- economic transformation - where incomes are rising; the economy is getting stronger, even in a fairly hostile world where there are a lot of contradictions. And that, globally, we are friends of all and we strive for a better world.” “Look at all the international indicators andyouwill see that our country is doing well and moving absolutely in the right direction. The majority of the people are behind us, that’s why we’ve been winning elections since 2001; because we have done good work and delivered for the people. When you’ve been in office for almost 19 years, someone will find a minor issue here or there to disagree with, but I’m not a person obsessed with side shows. I’m concerned about the main event.”