As Saint Lucia grapples with rising living costs and ongoing infrastructure challenges, the Saint Lucia Social Development Fund (SSDF) rolled out a timely economic intervention through its Christmas Stimulus Programme, also known as the STEP Programme, providing short-term employment and tangible community benefits across the island.
The initiative, which ran for a five-day period between December 17 to December 22nd, 2025, has employed more than 3,000 Saint Lucians, injecting much-needed income directly into households during the Christmas season.
The first phase of the programme focused on secondary roads in communities islandwide, with workers deployed to clear road verges, drains, culverts, and water channels. The effort is aimed at improving motorist visibility, reducing mosquito breeding grounds, lowering the risk of flooding, and enhancing the overall appearance of communities.
Residents and motorists exercised caution and cooperated when approaching active work sites as crews carry out operations.
Executive Director of the SSDF, Mr. John Victorin, says the programme progressed smoothly since its commencement, with strong participation and visible results already emerging in several communities.
“Since the programme began, we have seen tremendous engagement from participants and very positive feedback from residents,” Victorin said. “The work is being done efficiently, and communities are already noticing improvements in drainage, road safety, and overall cleanliness.”
Beyond its immediate environmental and infrastructural impact, Victorin emphasized that the programme plays a deeper role in strengthening Saint Lucia’s social fabric. “This programme is not just about clearing drains or cutting grass,” he noted. “It is about dignity, opportunity, and social stability. For many families, this income makes a real difference at a critical time of year, and for communities, it fosters pride, resilience, and shared responsibility.”
The SSDF head also underscored the programme’s broader economic significance, describing it as a strategic stimulus that ripples beyond individual households.
“When you employ over three thousand people simultaneously, the impact goes far beyond the work sites,” Victorin added. “That money circulates in local shops, markets, and small businesses, supporting livelihoods and strengthening the national economy.”
The Christmas Stimulus/STEP Programme is widely viewed as a pre-emptive and strategic intervention, reducing disaster risk while delivering immediate economic relief. As work continues across the island, the SSDF says it remains committed to initiatives that place people, communities, and sustainable development at the centre of national progress.
