Prime Minister Hon Allen Chastanet has hailed a multimillion dollar expansion project by Saint Lucia Distillers as a clear indication of the resilience of the local private sector and the Island by extension. Speaking at the official opening ceremony of the new facility, Prime Minister the Honourable Allen Chastanet noted that the occasion offered an opportunity to take a pause and reflect on the impact of COVID19 not just on a personal level, but on the business community and the country. Noting the positive strides taken since the pandemic, the Prime Minister indicated that one should look forward to the future with optimism. Hon. Chastanet welcomed the $US30 million expansion.

Noting the timeliness of the project the Prime Minister said given the direction in which the country is moving, there are significant benefits to be had across the various sectors. “This project is special for Saint Lucia because it crosses three very important sectors; Agro-processing and I know that we’re starting to plant back some sugarcane and that’s a very good sign, manufacturing in terms of processing and then tourism. In order for us to reach the economies of scale to succeed on a global basis we must blend those three components.”

Hon Chastanet announced plans to take advantage of the waste from the distilling process. This he said will benefit not just the company but the island as a whole. “I have recognized that there is a substantial part of your input that is going to waste and that is energy you are creating from the distilling process. I was very heartened to see that Barbados recently announced that it had reached an agreement with its electricity company which will allow the company to focus on the distribution of electricity and not the production of electricity. What does that mean for manufacturers? The output of your manufacturing process that is going to waste, not only potentially can supply the energy for your plant but also to be able to supply a cheaper source of energy into our national network. The legislation to enable this is being drafted. Hopefully very soon you will be able to benefit from being able to provide your own energy as well as selling energy onto our grid.” Other manufacturers and plant operators will also be able to benefit from this initiative. Prime Minister Hon. Allen Chastanet reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to creating a facilitating environment where all sectors are able to thrive.

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