SLP faces criticism over SLASPA revenue loss in Stephen Fevrier GPH statement
CASTRIES, St Lucia — United Workers Party (UWP) candidate for Castries North Stephen Fevrier has issued a forceful GPH statement, accusing the St Lucia Labour Party (SLP) government of betraying the nation’s interests through what he called a “travesty” of a port agreement that cripples the St Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority (SLASPA) and enriches foreign operators at the expense of the people.
Stephenson King under fire for SLASPA deal in Stephen Fevrier GPH statement
Fevrier charged that responsibility for the agreement with Global Ports Holding (GPH) rests with Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre, Finance Minister Ernest Hilaire, and Senior Minister Stephenson King, who oversees SLASPA. He said King, entrusted as custodian of St Lucia’s ports, stood by while “strategic national assets were given away.”
“The port is not functioning as expected, resulting in long delays in the clearance of goods, adding costs and frustration to doing business,” Fevrier said. “And it is you, citizens of this country, who are paying the price for his failures.”
He likened the port deal to the government’s broader neglect of infrastructure, pointing to deteriorating roads and a water supply crisis that has left communities struggling. “Why is this administration not taking care of our infrastructure and our people?” he asked.
Loss of revenue for SLASPA
Central to the Stephen Fevrier GPH statement was his breakdown of how cruise passenger head taxes are now distributed. Before the Global Ports Holding agreement, passengers were charged $6.50, of which $1.50 went to solid waste management, and the remaining $5 was split between SLASPA and government. Today, passengers are charged $12.50, yet GPH receives $10, SLASPA $1, and Solid Waste $1.50.
“Why would Stephenson King, with responsibility for SLASPA, allow a deal that robs SLASPA of a critical revenue stream and gifts a foreign company $10 per passenger?” Fevrier said. He noted that SLASPA’s balance sheet was already under pressure, and this deal “starved the port authority of much-needed revenue to cover liabilities, maintain staff, and invest in infrastructure.”
Fevrier referenced SLASPA’s 2022–2023 financials, showing that without the Airport Development Charge, which grossed $37 million but cannot be used for operations the authority would have suffered a $4.4 million loss. “The financial position of SLASPA is likely to have further deteriorated in 2023–2024,” he added.
GPH borrowing raises questions
Fevrier dismissed government claims that the deal represented sound foreign direct investment. He said GPH used local financing to pay off a $17 million debt originally taken by SLASPA for construction of dolphin berths at Pointe Seraphine.
“Why did GPH not use its own funds? Why did it have to borrow our money?” Fevrier asked. “A foreign investor acquires an asset and then uses it to borrow from local banks. Does this sound familiar? Remember, Cabot St Lucia, once vilified by Labour leaders for relying on the same financing model, yet today there is a deafening silence.”
Fevrier accused Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre and Deputy Prime Minister Ernest Hilaire of hypocrisy, reminding St Lucians that when the UWP government facilitated the Cabot St Lucia project, Labour denounced mezzanine financing from local institutions as a betrayal of national patrimony. “Now, when GPH does the same, they defend it,” he said.
He added that Cabot’s presence in St Lucia remains significant, even earning international recognition, as highlighted in Cabot St Lucia ranked among Golfweek’s Top 5.
Exclusion of Vieux Fort and stalled development
Fevrier questioned why Vieux Fort Port was left out of the agreement, suggesting it undermined the UWP’s plan to develop it into a home port to drive economic growth in the south. “Instead, the GPH deal has made SLASPA a passive observer to Saint Lucia’s development,” he said, adding that the agreement effectively blocks opportunities for cruise expansion in Vieux Fort.
His criticisms echo wider concerns over government inaction and stalled national projects, explored further in Saint Lucia Stalled Progress.
He further warned that the agreement blocked critical investments and left the authority responsible for sourcing $80 million to repair Berth 4, despite losing revenue to GPH.
Decline in cruise arrivals
The Castries North candidate linked the deal to a decline in cruise ship passenger arrivals, arguing that higher passenger taxes have made St Lucia less competitive. He said other Caribbean destinations are now attracting ships that once docked at Port Castries, cutting into the earnings of taxi drivers, tour guides, restaurateurs, and market vendors.
“Who will compensate our people for their loss of income because of lower arrival numbers?” Fevrier asked.
Summary of criticisms
Fevrier summarized the GPH deal as follows:
- Government revenue from head taxes reduced from $6.50 to $2.50.
- The transaction executed despite advice from SLASPA and the Ministry of Finance.
- GPH borrowed more than $40 million locally to complete the deal.
- Vieux Fort excluded, stalling southern economic opportunities.
- Increased head tax reduced St Lucia’s competitiveness.
- SLASPA forced to fund $80 million in upgrades to Berth 4.
- National port assets leased for $1 per year for up to 40 years.
“This is not a deal; this is a steal,” Fevrier said. His concerns mirror earlier warnings that the lease itself posed long-term risks for St Lucia, as reported in Saint Lucia port lease concerns ignite alarm over Global Ports deal.
Call for accountability
Fevrier accused King of being complicit, saying the minister who once campaigned as an “independent voice” has since become silent. “We have heard nothing independent from Minister King on this outrageous GPH deal nor on any other matter over the past four years,” he said.
He charged that King now “toes the line of the Labour Party government and enjoys perks at the expense of this nation,” calling the agreement a travesty and a clear example of mismanagement.
Fevrier urged citizens to make their voices heard, insisting that the matter would be fully investigated under a future UWP government. His stance aligns with earlier opposition to the deal by UWP leader Allen Chastanet, who distanced himself from GPH by refusing an invitation linked to the agreement, as reported in Allen Chastanet declines GPH invitation.
“Saint Lucia, we call on you to make your voices heard, to fight for this country and to restore good governance. The time for change is coming,” Fevrier said.
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