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The Ministry of Finance, Economic Affairs and National Development is responsible for guiding the financial, economic and developmental goals of the Government of Saint Lucia.

The unique position of the Ministry of Finance, Economic Affairs and National Development, as an integral and pivotal organ in the execution of Government business, demands that it maps a clearly defined set of objectives and outcomes geared towards enhancing the human and social condition of all Saint Lucians. The Ministry's motivated and competent staff is tasked with steering the country through the current difficult socioeconomic conditions. The Ministry of Finance, Economic Affairs and National Development has responsibility for macroeconomic management, economic planning and fiscal policy formulation and implementation. The Ministry has exerted tremendous effort in engineering a credible and sustainable fiscal framework that will engender confidence in local business partners, international investors, consumers and the international community.

The Ministry is eager to develop new relationships and sustain existing partnerships with the private sector, labour representatives and civil society in Saint Lucia; and to capitalise on it relations with regional and international development partners and lending agencies. This Ministry is fully cognizant of the need to pool resources where feasible and to learn from the experiences of its regional neighbours, international friends, therefore, harnessing these relations is an important element of its work.

The Ministry also recognises the centrality of Information Communications Technologies (ICTs) in the global political economy, and wishes to embrace these as a critical instrument in the execution of its mandate. This new website affords the Ministry the opportunity to showcase its works, share information with the people of Saint Lucia and alert the population and sensitise them to new government policies and how these affect them.

I am delighted to see that this Ministry has responded to the call of Government to enhance its service delivery mechanism by maximising the use of the new and emerging information and communication technologies. We live in an information age, and our people expect instantaneous access to government news, information and policy developments.

As Minister for Finance, Economic Affairs and National Development, I have full confidence in the ability of this Ministry to remain steadfast in its resolve to deliver a better standard of living for Saint Lucians through the implementation of various government policies, programmes and initiatives. I am heartened to see that through this new medium the Ministry is fostering a new level of engagement between itself and the people that it serves. For this I wish to applaud all those who have been intimately involved in the development of this website. This initiative is yet another step towards realising the Government's thrust to engage the public and to better meet the needs of the people of Saint Lucia.

May I encourage you to access the website and to nurture the habit of making it your first point of access in your quest for information on the economy and government's financial operations.

I extend my very best wishes to you, and may God richly bless you.