The Failure of Saint Lucia’s 2.5% Health and Security Levy

The recent announcement by Minister of Health Moses Jn Baptiste that the Government is still working on a financing mechanism for healthcare is deeply concerning. This comes after the Government abandoned the National Health Insurance initiative which was started by the Allen Chastanet led administration and a year after the introduction of a 2.5% Health and Security levy on goods and services, which was explicitly justified as a means to improve our healthcare system. Despite this levy, which has placed an additional financial burden on citizens, there is no visible improvement in healthcare services.

Our health centres and hospitals are facing an acute shortage of medication, a situation that is unacceptable and puts lives at risk. Healthcare staff have been forced to purchase cleaning and protective supplies out of their own pockets, highlighting a severe mismanagement of resources. This levy, instead of providing the promised relief, has failed to address the critical issues within our healthcare system.

The public was led to believe that the levy would translate into better healthcare services, but the reality paints a starkly different picture. The quality of healthcare continues to deteriorate, and the funds raised by the levy seem to have vanished without a trace.

The Government’s failure to establish a clear and effective financing mechanism, despite collecting additional taxes, is a blatant disregard for the well-being of its citizens. It is imperative that the Government provides transparency and accountability on how the funds from the Health and Security levy are being utilized. The people of Saint Lucia deserve better—promises of improved healthcare should not be empty words but actionable commitments. It is time for the Government to step up and address these urgent issues.