St Lucian government rejects population finding

St Lucian Prime Minister, Stephenson King, is rejecting claims that nearly half of the population lives on less than US$2 a day.



That finding was released in a recent survey by the Washington-based Population Reference Bureau.



Prime Minister King says his government was aware that the survey was being conducted.



He says none of the necessary departments of government, which was capable of providing the kind of information that was required, was contacted.



The Prime Minister says it is quite unusual for an international organisation to conduct a survey in a country without even a formal contact with the Government.



The Population Reference Bureau said it based its findings on figures issued by the World Bank in determining that an estimated 41 per cent of all St Lucians survive on less than two US$2 a day.



The St Lucian government has already hinted that it may challenge the findings of the report.