In the wake of the Saint Lucia Labour Party’s decisive electoral victory on December 1st, prominent business executives have articulated their expectations for the new administration’s economic agenda. Three industry leaders shared their perspectives with St. Lucia Times, highlighting critical policy areas that could shape the nation’s development trajectory over the coming five-year term.
Michelle Samuel, founder of business development consultancy SLUDTERA Inc. and Programme Lead of BizConnect Caribbean, maintains a nonpartisan position while emphasizing the government’s digital transformation promises. Her organizations rely extensively on robust digital infrastructure to empower entrepreneurs and youth across the Caribbean region. Samuel specifically referenced manifesto commitments regarding ICT infrastructure expansion, AI adoption initiatives, and enhanced digital education from primary through tertiary levels. She stressed that policy continuity in innovation support and youth empowerment would significantly advance her mission of serving underserved communities.
Keen ‘The Mecca’ Cotter, a veteran music entrepreneur with over twenty years of industry experience, expressed approval of proposed reforms in the creative sector. He endorsed plans to reconfigure the Cultural Development Foundation into a Development and Training Agency for the Arts, noting that this institution would require a renewed mandate focused on industry-relevant training. Cotter particularly welcomed the establishment of an Orange Economy Unit dedicated to creative advancement, emphasizing that comprehensive arts scholarships should encompass business administration and music management alongside performance training. He characterized proposed inter-agency collaboration between cultural institutions as a long-overdue step toward unified creative sector development.
Julian Adjodha, CEO of the J.A.G. Group of Companies and recent Caribbean Global Awards honoree, addressed disparities in the tourism industry. The founder of Island Adventures/Sun & Fun Tours called for equitable incentives for local operators, arguing that foreign investors currently receive disproportionate concessions. Adjodha maintained that leveling the economic playing field would enable domestic enterprises to expand operations and generate increased employment opportunities, ultimately strengthening Saint Lucia’s primary industry through enhanced local participation.