CASTRIES, St. Lucia, CMC –Prime Minister Dr. Kenny Anthony says Eastern Caribbean countries are being punished because of their socio-economic development. He was making reference to the decision by lending institutions and other organisations to label St. Lucia and other Caribbean countries as middle income nations thereby denying them access to grants and concessionary financing. Speaking at the launch of the post- 2015 St Lucia Consultations organized in collaboration with the United Nations System in the Eastern Caribbean, Prime Minister Anthony said St. Lucia still had “a stubbornly high poverty rate.