Saint Lucia: The Community Tourism Agency of Saint Lucia recently signed a financial agreement with the CARICOM Development Fund under the guidance of Ernest Hilaire, the tourism minister of Saint Lucia.

The agreement between the two authorities of Saint Lucia and CARICOM is intended to develop some tourism projects to revitalise and promote community tourism in the nation. The four major projects are also announced which will be focused on in this venture.

Under the conditions in which the agreement is signed by both parties, the government of Saint Lucia will contribute around 385 thousand dollars to the development of the project. Meanwhile, the CARICOM Development Fund is said to be adding a sum of 2.4 million dollars as per the commitment.

This agreement between CARICOM and Saint Lucia is a part of the planned package that will be injected into the community tourism sector of the island nation, which is set at around eight million dollars.

Minister Ernest Hilaire, in his statement, expressed his gratitude towards CARICOM and thanked them for supporting the cause of the government of Saint Lucia to transform the tourism sector that could help in the betterment of community tourism.

Ernest Hilaire said, “We are encouraged by the support of the CARICOM Development Fund. We did not get all that we asked for, but we will continue to pursue the projects that were not supported because we have the conviction that the ideas can work.”

“Therefore, we’ve asked the government to provide assistance. During the upcoming Estimates, the prime minister will allocate for the financing of some of those projects.” He continued. The agreement between the CARICOM and Saint Lucia is part of the plan of the government to benefit locals in the growth of the nation.

Rodinald Soomer shared his words on the agreement in which he expressed his willingness to actively invest in the sector of community tourism. He praised the concept of community tourism followed by Saint Lucia and hopes to adopt the concept in the entire Caribbean.

Rodinald Soomer, the Chief Executive Officer of the CARICOM Development Fund, said, “We would like to adopt this as a model program across the Caribbean region because of the way it integrates so many important elements of product and service development for tourism.”

Soomer added in his statement, “e It focuses on bringing the benefits of tourism to communities so that the multiple effects begin at the community levels rather than having the benefits trickle down to communities. And through product development, the program provides opportunities for the creation of new livelihoods and the enrichment of existing ones.”

On multiple occasions, tourism minister Ernest Hilaire talked about the betterment of tourism on the island nation. He disclosed the plans of the government on which they are working to bring the communities into the mainstream of the development of the nation.