Comments on: From Dollars to Sense

By: Kay

Kay — Sun, 30 Mar 2014 04:18:22 +0000

Some excellent points. I much appreciate the feedback!

By: Beedie Baba

Beedie Baba — Fri, 28 Mar 2014 17:10:08 +0000

Bravo!! Bravo!! Bravo!!!!, this article has arrived right on time. Many talented St. Lucians abroad would love to establish and use their talents on their beautiful home island, but try getting through customs, it’s an almost a Nazi like ambiance as the custom officers start inventing tax duties. And by the way, I was under the impression that VAT was to replace the old duties, to me it as if VAT has just been added to the old process and has made importing materials into the island even more expensive. Right now doing business in St. Lucia is not viable, to costly and time wasting. Too much NICE and JUMP.

By: Katapol (Not The Last Trumpet )

Katapol (Not The Last Trumpet ) — Thu, 27 Mar 2014 06:56:31 +0000

Superbly written in bringing clarity to the Diaspora, But ! My experience as a St Lucian trying to set foot back home, is and still is a catastrophe ! par exellence ! Much too long to explain the incompetence of certain Custom officials, The lack of knowledge in the field is enormous, beyond explanation ! Plus the non coordination of SLAPSA AND THE CUSTOMS lead to great disappointments AND VERY EXPENSIVE by trying to get foot back home ST.LUCIANS ! We get treated like criminals, suspicious small minded CUSTOM AGENTS seem to know it all, slap some enormous self made prices on your belongings you have owned and harboured for years, forcing you to give it all up for lost in the process of…

By: Yasmin

Yasmin — Wed, 26 Mar 2014 22:08:06 +0000

Fantastic article Dr. Mortley. Last year, I, among others, was asked by the St. Lucia Embassy in Washington DC, to review and provide comments on their Diaspora document. Several of the points you touch on in your article were raised, including, for example, efforts to allow St. Lucians living abroad to vote in general elections via absentee ballots. I know Embassador Sonia M Johnny, continues to look for ways to engage the diaspora, mobilizing relief efforts here in DC, encouraging support for fellow countrymen living abroad, including Chef Nina, etc. However, it cannot be a single-lane road. As you have so succinctly said, the government at home needs to find more ways to tap into the…

By: galanjoseph

galanjoseph — Tue, 25 Mar 2014 20:12:20 +0000

All this can be out the door with our new associates Venezuela. Could the government now boast of remittances. We can now boast of our affiliation with Russia and the Russian Regatta instead of depending on the tourist dollars of expatriates. Isn’t that the focus now since we are busy asking “what the hell is America doing in our business’? Most of us tend to think that it is a one way street we can do what we want and still get aid and friendship. Rude Awakening

By: Jan

Jan — Mon, 24 Mar 2014 20:01:07 +0000

Excellent piece. You’ve captured the underutilization of the willing contributors that can be part of the “whole” and not just through remittances, barrels and aid.. There’s so much potential than can be tapped into way beyond immediate gratification. There’s a tangible benefit In utilizing the diaspora that has yet to be mobilized and realized… But we must also change the mindset of those at home who aren’t necessarily receptive and refer to those in the diaspora as “Johnny come lately’s” and think there’s a disconnected because people don’t reside on the soil and thus can’t relate… Again- great piece!