LABOUR LAUNCHES MANIFESTO

INTRODUCTION 

LABOUR’S EMPLOYMENT ACTIVATION PROGRAMME - LEAP

Inject $100 million immediately into the economy for job creation and reconstruction activities.

Provide an Employment Tax Credit for new companies that create a minimum number of jobs above a specified salary level.

Stimulate the growth of the local business sector and increase its employment generating capacity by reducing the rate of Corporate Tax and providing incentives to facilitate greater competitiveness and export-readiness.

Encourage new employment opportunities by exempting Small and Medium Size start-up companies from the payment of tax for their first 5 years.

Establish a Land Bank to provide land for agriculture and food-related services.

Create immediate employment by undertaking the comprehensive rebuilding of our country’s infrastructure that was damaged by Hurricane Tomas.

Introduce a grant programme for businesses to encourage them to provide on-the-job workplace skills training for secondary school students.

Develop the Creative Industries to create exciting new employment areas.

Create a Renewable Energy sector to generate employment at all skill levels.

Develop the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector and make wireless internet freely available in all community centres so that the power of technology can be harnessed for economic development and employment creation.

Initiate a Home Help Programme for the Elderly to provide employment for Single Mothers.

Re-establish STEP to provide employment for people who have difficulty finding employment in the established sectors.

Create more jobs by reviewing our investment regime and re-engineering our business services to make Saint Lucia a more attractive place for investment.

Establish a Job Placement Centre that will match available skills with local and regional demand for labour.

Provide support for private sector youth entrepreneurship initiatives like the Junior Achievement Programme and the Saint Lucia Youth Business Trust.

Increase the availability of technical and vocational training in our formal school system and ensure that during their time in Secondary School our young people acquire the necessary soft skills, analytical skills, entrepreneurship skills, and professional skills.

Upgrade existing vocational training centres and develop new centres in rural communities.

Ensure that more Saint Lucians are trained to Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ) level and are able to compete for attractive jobs regionally and internationally.

Provide support to CARE and help them to establish a fully-resourced Learning Centre to assist at-risk youth and young people who need a second chance.

Introduce a National Youth Mentoring Service to provide guidance to young people.