Planning without plans and the neoliberal state

This paper presents a critique of the aims and achievements of planning in St Lucia during the postcolonial era. St Lucia seems to have moved from a position of having plans but no clearly identified process of planning to the reverse situation today. Currently, there are more clearly defined procedures for planning but great ambiguity about the status and role of the plans that have been produced. This state of affairs appears to leave all options open for politicians, especially in the all-important areas of tourism and manufacturing, where the predisposition is undoubtedly to attract foreign investment at any cost. This process is closely associated with the contracting out of development planning to the NGO and private sectors, and with wider economic liberalisation and deregulation. But despite this ‘rolling back’ of the state, the government maintains a powerful influence over all development and planning issues.