A research facility needs to be set up within the tripartite Social Partnership structure tasked with examining the issues that are “most on their minds”.
That’s the view of Sir Frank Alleyne, economist and former Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences at the Cave Hill Campus of the University of the West Indies, who is adamant that such a mechanism is “absolutely necessary”.

“They are still too reliant on Government for information and you know how the system works, the Government will put its interests first. So I’m saying what I would love to see is that independent research facility answering to the private segment of the Social Partnership, taking instruction from them as to the research which is needed to be done,” he added.

His comments came yesterday as he spoke as part of a panel on a radio show, as he expressed concern that the Social Partnership was losing its footing and questioned what can be done to repair it.

“I think that it is most unfortunate that the country, which gave birth to the Social Partnership, is now faced with a situation in which the Partnership is not functional… I see it as a fractured Social Partnership. Remember when the Barbados Workers’ Union, under Sir Roy Trotman, withdrew the Barbados Workers’ Union from CTUSAB [Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados]. CTUSAB spoke in the Social Partnership on behalf of all the labour, now you have them scattered,” he indicated.

One of the hot topics on the programme was today’s planned joint march by the Barbados Private Sector Association, the Barbados Union of Teachers, the Barbados Secondary Teachers’ Union, the Barbados Workers’ Union and the National Union of Public Workers, which is scheduled to move off from Queen’s Park at 10 a.m. However, the economist has taken issue with the march, suggesting that the planned action by the unions and the private sector players is seeking to undermine the legitimate government. With that in mind, he voiced his concern that today’s event has the potential to cause social unrest in the country, if not properly controlled.

“The only body in Barbados that has the authority, the legal authority to determine what goes into a Budget is the Cabinet and the Chairman is critical. What I’m seeing is a negotiation of what should be in a Budget. Anybody who questions that and says no you can’t determine a Budget unless I agree to it, that is undermining the role of Cabinet Government. Only Cabinet can decide that. Cabinet, yes you can listen to different groups and so on, but in the final analysis the Cabinet has to make that final determination it must not negotiate it,” he contended.

Sir Frank further contended that rather than the “rush to judgement on the streets of the country”; he believes that a meeting of the full Social Partnership should have taken place first. During yesterday’s programme, it was indicated that such a meeting is scheduled to take place.

“Barbados in 2017 is not Barbados when the telephone company marched… The potential for social unrest in Barbados today is fundamentally greater than the telephone company strike… We have to be careful that if we decide that we have to pull people on the road to march, you might find you can’t manage the outcome of that march. That is one of my fears.”

Adding to his comments, Dr. Akhentoolove Corbin, lecturer in Management at the University of the West Indies and Chairman of the National Productivity Council, another of the panellists on the programme, warning that the world still looks at Barbados as a model of excellence as it relates to the Social Partnership, contended that there is a need for dialogue among the three members of that grouping. In fact, Dr. Corbin pointing to the essential role that the Social Partnership has to play in this country, maintained that it needs to be looked at seriously with a view of helping it to become much more functional. (JRT)

Food can be enjoyed however one should consume the correct portion sizes.

This point was made by Nutritionist, Nicole Griffith who spoke to The Barbados Advocate on the side-lines of Saturday’s Cook-Off. This annual event was held on the final day of the Diabetes Association of Barbados’ Camp Pride at the Springer Memorial School.

“It is all about portion size. You can have anything that you want but you need to know what portion to put it in and how much of it to eat…”

She added, “You should not be eating a piece of meat that is bigger than the palm of your hand. Your plate should contain more colours as in orange and green than the white. When I say white, I am thinking about potatoes, pasta, and those kinds of things. So your plates should have more vegetables than carbohydrates and less meat than carbohydrates.”

During the week-long Camp, participants were involved in cooking classes among other activities. At these classes they learnt how to make healthier versions of appetizers and party foods which they like to eat without compromising the taste. These foods included pizza, roti, subs and chicken and chips.

These classes led to the day’s Cook-Off which saw the younger campers (Team A) coming up against the older campers (Team B). In the end, Team A won with 29 points while Team B scored 28.5points. The dish prepared by Team A was “grilled potatoes, fish and sautéed vegetables”. Meanwhile, Team B prepared “scalloped potatoes and carrots, sautéed vegetables and pan seared chicken.”

Griffith expressed a hope that the 4 to 14 year old campers would not only enjoy the food on the day but would create these and other healthy meals at home.

“Every year, I hope that they can go home and do something different and they can encourage their parents to do something different because at the end of the day the parents are the ones preparing the meals most times or the ones giving the money to purchase the meals.”

She continued, “I am hoping that they can make alternative or better decisions when it comes to selecting foods especially the ones who have diabetes. I am hoping they will make better choices when they have to select from their school’s canteen and fast food restaurants when they go out. [Also,] I am hoping they will make positive decisions and good decisions as it relates to their health and meal planning.”

Barbados like many other countries grapples with a public health contextual framework of new commitments, both at a regional and global level, changing disease profiles, competing priorities and scarce resources.

This was the assessment of Minister of Health, John Boyce while speaking on the occasion of the third face-to-face meeting of the Country Working Group on the Sustainable Health Agenda for the Americas (SHAA) 2018-2030 held recently at Courtyard Marriott.

He explained, “The objectives of our deliberations over the next three days will be to solicit your input, views and expert opinions in the finalization of the draft SHAA document for approval.”

“It is indeed a pleasure for Barbados to host this third face-to-face meeting of the Country Working Group for the Sustainable Health Agenda 2018-2030. This draft document represents our shared vision for health and well-being of the countries of the Americas and appropriately responds and complements our global, sub-regional and national heath mandates which aim to achieve sustainable health development.”

Barbados has had the privilege to serve as vice chair of this Working Group along with Panama, all under the able chairmanship of the Vice Minister of Ecuador. Our countries have ensured that both public health management and planning perspectives have been reflected through the representatives who participated in the development process of the SHAA.

“I must commend the Member States of this Country Working Group as well as the Secretariat for your continued commitment and dedication to this process. I wish to give you every assurance of my Ministry’s continued support to such an important exercise, through the delegation which will attend this meeting and in the support which Barbados will lend in the run up to the launch in September.”

He recounted, “The process thus far has been an interactive and dynamic one, enhanced by two face-to-face meetings in Panama and Ecuador respectively, five virtual sessions and a platform for country reviews of the draft document.”

As such, a tremendous volume of work has been undertaken to ensure that our country realities have been adequately represented in this context.

“The SHAA I have reviewed offers us a prime opportunity to position our countries to achieve the optimal provision of quality health care through collective action in the true spirit of Pan American solidarity.”

“This draft SHAA is well written and comprehensive, with very ambitious goals. It sets the tone for public health work and seeks to correct disparities within and between our countries. It sets the goal of creating an environment for the development of regional public goods and will therefore drive the type of sustainable development that Barbados, our countries and the region of the Americas must attain by 2030.”

However, he cautioned, “...Our successful achievement of many of the targets will be dependent on multisectoral involvement and collaboration both within and outside of government. To the Secretariat I say, that this will require a well-coordinated and structured approach which I am sure you have taken into consideration within the mechanisms of operationalizing the SHAA.”

Risk communication and the role and use of the media is another area for active consideration as viable vehicles for sharing and dissemination of information, galvanizing support in the implementation of strategies and securing buy in at all required levels.

“My final recommendation is for a strong emphasis on building capacity and providing models and best practices in the areas of monitoring, evaluation and in the collaborative efforts required for the effective execution of the stated initiatives. This will give the much needed support required to facilitate the successful implementation of this draft agenda...” (NB)

Government is being advised that introducing new taxes is not the answer to solving the country’s unfavourable economic situation.

Former Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Professor Emeritus Sir Frank Alleyne, stressed that Government must put policies that will accelerate growth in place.

“You have to grow yourself out of this situation. If you tax, tax, tax, you are going deeper and deeper…,” he said.

Sir Frank made the recommendation, yesterday, when he appeared as a guest on a radio programme.

Sir Frank indicated that Barbados has not yet recovered from the global economic recession which started in late 2008, finding itself in a situation where the economy has been stagnant for some time.

He also indicated that the economy has only grown by one per cent. The country’s fiscal deficit has gotten out of control, noting that “we can no longer allow that to happen”.

“The only way that we can turn around this economy is by reducing that fiscal deficit. And in order to reduce that fiscal deficit, you are going to have to trim expenditure wherever possible,” he said.

However, the Professor Emeritus raised concerns about the extended time it takes to get business done in Barbados, using the long lines in commercial banks as an example. He noted management of banks have a responsibility to the people who do business with them.

“All I am saying is that no government wishes to be in the situation that we are in at this time. It has never happened in Barbados since there was an independent Barbados.

“I am saying that we got to step back a bit and recognise that since you are on an advisory committee, you advise, but you can’t determine. You advise, but you can’t make the decision,” he said. (AH)

MINISTER of Finance and Economic Affairs, Christopher Sinckler, said yesterday that it is the right of any group or groups to protest government policy they don’t necessarily agree with.

As such, he finds it strange that people are talking about holding a march in pursuit of trying to get consultations with Government, which has had lengthy meetings with the groups and is always open to dialogue.

“The Government of Barbados has always been open to dialogue, review, and revision of government policy where such is appropriate,” the Minister said during an interview
with The Barbados Advocate.

Sinckler’s comments came as four trade unions – the Barbados Workers’ Union, the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW), the Barbados Union of Teachers and the Barbados Secondary Teachers’ Union – look to link up this morning with the Barbados Private Sector Association (BPSA) to stage the march.

The Minister pointed out that with respect to the National Social Responsibility Levy (NSRL) and the economy, he met for more than five hours with trade unions. That meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Freundel Stuart.

“Similar meetings were held with private sector groups for more than 20 hours, at which several of the issues were clarified,” the Minister stated.

According to him, “The public records will show that the private sector groups left those meetings, and spoke to the media indicating they had a significant amount of the issues clarified.”

The records will also show, the Minister continued, Charles Herbert of the BPSA telling the media that he Sinckler had told them that Government was pulling together private sector proposals presented at the meeting, into a document on which dialogue will be held daily.

“How is it now after those nice things were said, suddenly Government is not disposed to having dialogue?

“The position of the BPSA and its Chairman are inconsistent and the question has to be asked, ‘Why is this so?’” Minister Sinckler queried.

He also explained that an extensive meeting was held with the unions. Before the meeting started, the Minister remarked, the NUPW suggested that the NSRL should be cut to five per cent and that Government provide it with a coping allowance.

“We presented to the unions, the serious financial challenges Government is facing in financing its operations this year,” the Minister said.

According to him, “In the absence of alternatives for raising financing, to pay debt, and to provide other social service and meeting national security, it would be impossible for Government to lower the NSRL.”

Sinckler said that while Government understood the impact of the tax on workers and the wider community, increases for public servants would have to be done during negotiations.

He said that in response to a suggestion from the unions to the Prime Minister, Government agreed it would have to see how the NSRL performed in the first three months of its operations. If that performance is satisfactory, they could agree to look at the numbers for a pay increase.

“If we cut the levy, Government won’t get enough revenue and it may force the Central Bank of Barbados to have to print more money,” he said, while again dismissing the notion of Government not having dialogue.

Sinckler added that what Government wants to hear is a credible alternative to its policies to get the revenues to meet its obligations,” he added. (JB)

WHILE the trade unions and the Barbados Private Sector Association (BPSA) are partnering to march against Government today, former President of the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW) Walter Maloney has raised an issue with the unions going hand in glove with a sector which, he said, has made recommendations to Government to send home public workers.

Maloney, who was speaking on his radio programme yesterday, said he was reading from a document where the private sector outlined measures including privatisation, which would ultimately lead to lay-offs in the public sector.

“I don’t think you got to be a rocket scientist to understand once this is implemented; you are talking about displacement for workers in the public service.

“Now, I ask myself, how I can go hand in glove as a trade union with an association who is advocating that there should be a release of persons from their jobs in the public service.

“Where is the relationship where you and I are meeting on common ground? I am so sorry... I cannot understand,” he said.

Maloney questioned whether the BPSA would have marched with the unions to get a salary increase for workers across the country, causing an outcome that would lead to the owners of private-owned businesses also having to raise their employees’ pay.

Meanwhile, the programme’s co-host and social commentator Walter Blackman said while the private sector and unions reported that the objective of the march is to get Government to urgently meet with them at the roundtable, though Prime Minister Freundel Stuart has sent the BPSA correspondence informing them that he was willing to dialogue, the protest was still taking place.

President of the Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados (CTUSAB), Cedric Murrell, sent information to Maloney, which outlined that since late June, Prime Minister Stuart, by letter, set August 18 for a full Social Partnership meeting. Murrell said the unions and the Private Sector Association were made aware of the date scheduled for the meeting.

Blackman said, in his opinion, “A lot of these issues are political issues that should have political consequences.

“The electorate should have their say on whether or not the policies of the Barbados Government satisfy or impress them if there is a need for regime change,” Blackman noted.

“All of these antics by the union and the Private Sector Association suggest to me that there is one thing in mind – regime change; and not by the electorate, but by people who believe that they are powerful enough to bring this country to its knees as a result of their wealth.

“This is done by people who want to control as much as this society and economy as possible. We have to be alert of this fact and we have to be vigilant,” the social commentator added. (AH)

“Don’t give up!”

This was the message Chairman Darrell Gill delivered to those gathered at the Convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses, which was held on Friday at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre (LESC).

In keeping with the Convention theme which emphasised that same message, Gill told the masses gathered that they should draw from the various presentations delivered throughout the three-day convention as these sessions would encourage them to learn how they could endure in difficult times and cope with the various trials that life may bring.

Gill pointed out that for example, the evening’s symposium would show the Witnesses just how they could endure certain trials such as unjust treatment, prolonged illness, advancing age, the loss of a loved one and even persecution. He also pointed to another symposium that would be held that day, indicating just how Jehovah’s Witnesses could cultivate qualities that promote endurance, by building their faith, being virtuous, having knowledge and self-control.

“We are going to again hear experiences from others that will help us to be able to have that confidence that Jehovah does give comfort and endurance to all of us. So that we have reason to rejoice. Even through the trials or whatever it is that may be challenging, we can rejoice because Jehovah does not forsake his servants,” Gill admonished.

“The quality of endurance brothers is needed now. It cannot be overemphasised. Look at what is happening in the world around us. Look at the trials of our brothers and sisters in some lands. We do need this quality of endurance and we are so thankful that Jehovah has directed his organisation, to tell every one of us, ‘Do not give up,’” Gill added.

Media Services representatives Leroy Worrell and Roger Holford, meanwhile told The Barbados Advocate that due to the unavailability of the Gymnasium and Kensington Oval, a decision was taken to have the annual Convention spread over two weekends at the LESC, to accommodate the 30 congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses on the island.

As such, following this weekend’s Convention which ran from Friday through Sunday, another session of the Convention will be held next Friday through Sunday, to accommodate those who were not part of the first session and for the benefit of the wider public as well. (RSM)

There has been much comment about the call from the Barbados Private Sector Association (BPSA) and the trade unions for dialogue with the Government of Barbados on the matter of the National Social Responsibility Levy (NSRL) and other concerns.
In a wide-ranging speech, the Prime Minister responded to those calls on Sunday, exposing publicly for the first time his experiences and interactions with both parties in recent months. He stated also that he would do nothing to stop the protest march on Monday July 24. 
In the public interest, the Prime Minister’s speech will now be published in two parts. Today we present Part one, with Part two to come on Wednesday July 26, 2017.

Thank you very much Senator Depeiza, the next Member of Parliament for the constituency of Christ Church West, when once a general election is held in Barbados. I want to thank you too Senator Depeiza for the excellent work which you have been doing in the Senate of Barbados to keep Barbadians enlightened and educated on the issues that beat in their breasts from day to day and thank you for preaching as clearly and as convincingly as you do the gospel according to the Democratic Labour Party.

I am very pleased to be here today and I want to thank the Chairman and the members of the Executive of the Christ Church West Constituency Branch and the members of Christ Church West Constituency Branch for once again having me here at their annual luncheon, a successful luncheon every year, always coincides with Soca On The Hill and I have been this consistently for the last seven years and I do no allow anything else to collide with this commitment, very pleased to be here to share this afternoon with you. This year's Christ Church West luncheon though comes at a time of some very intriguing occurrences in Barbados and I am very pleased to be here against that background because I have been observing what has been going on in Barbados. I listen very carefully to the things that are being said and observe very carefully the things that are being done and the things said and the things done remind me yet again, if I needed to be reminded, that in politics battles are never finally won you have to fight them over and over and over again as people in the United States of American who benefited from the Civil Rights Movement and the gains registered around the time of the Civil Rights Movement have realised that these Civil Rights were not to be taken for granted, you have to fight for them every single day because in politics battles are not ever finally won and that's the context within which I want to evaluate what is happening in Barbados today. In the fullness of time, in my time, I will speak directly to Nation on a number of things but I am addressing a party branch occasion here today and I feel myself under a moral compulsion, a political compulsion too, to bring you up to date on events in Barbados on the 23rd day of July 2017.

One of the malcontents at the centre of what is happening in Barbados today, reminded me recently that we just celebrated 50 years of Independence and we had all of these 50th anniversary celebrations, but that that person wanted to let me know that the year 2017 was also the 80th anniversary of the 1937 riots and that I had my celebrations and that they are going to have theirs. And I internalise that warning and I observed what was happening in Barbados. Now the 1937 disturbances broke out on the 26th day of July 1937 today is the 23rd day of July 2017 tomorrow is the 24th day and two days after that would be the 26th so we had the 50th anniversary celebrations already and according to what this malcontent told me there are some other celebrations to come. Now I am not going into any details on that here today because that is best dealt with where it should be dealt with and it is not to be dealt with here at any party branch luncheon. Every body knows that there was a global financial meltdown in the last quarter of the year 2007. Rich countries and poor countries were effected by that global financial meltdown. The countries of the Caribbean were all effected by it. Every single country in the Caribbean today, every single CARICOM country today is under financial and economic pressure, every single one. Those that have oil like Trinidad and Tobago are under pressure. In fact recently, the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago said at one of his/ the people's meetings that he has to give thought to the fact that the Public Service of T & T maybe a bit too burdensome on the finances of the country and he has to look at ways and means to deal with that reality. Guyana, which celebrated 50th years of Independence with Barbados last year has been under pressure for many many many years and the global financial crisis did not help in that regard. Jamaica, with its, and of course Guyana has bauxite, Guyana has timber and Guyana has a fast land area. Guyana is the same size as Great Britain. I have paid a visit to Guyana some time last year, the population of Britain is about 65 million now and Guyana, a country that is the same size of Britain or slightly larger does not have a population of 1 million yet, but they have bauxite they have land area, they have forestry, timber and they are under pressure. Fortunately for them, there has been a great oil find recently and I sincerely hope that that oil find can effect the kind of turnaround which that country has so desperately needed ever since its independence.

Jamaica, has gone through about six or seven IMF programmes since 1980 and is still experiencing profound economic pressure, that pressure made worse by the global financial meltdown of the last quarter of 2007. Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica and Barbados were always regarded as the far more developed countries of the CARICOM and all of them are under pressure. Barbados is has been under enormous pressure ever since the global financial meltdown as well because we have something called a service economy which depends significantly on tourism and on international financial services and international business and therefore a lot of what we are able to achieve here depends on what is happening in the countries on which we depend for tourists and on which we depend for international business and financial services. So the four NDCs in CARICOM are under pressure. The other countries called the LDCs, Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dominica, St. Lucia, St. Kitts, Antigua and so on are all under pressure as well and I have sat as head of Barbados at many recent CARICOM meetings and heard them say, heard their leaders say, that if they were not selling their citizenship, if they were not selling passports, their countries would be basket cases. So, they have citizenship by investment programmes in some cases the persons who are granted citizenship do not even have to come to the country in order to get citizenship or be able to get a passport. But those programme keep them going and allow them to pay their bills from day to day, from week to week, from month to month and so on. I have fought them at CARICOM over those programmes, and the Barbados delegation can confirm all of this because I say to them look, when you grant these people citizenship in your country and Barbados is not a part of the transaction those people become CARICOM citizens and have based on our freedom of movement arrangements the right to come into Barbados when they like and how they like although we don't know them. The most recent case of that according to the advice the security advice which I was given is that two persons from nowhere in the Caribbean but who became CARICOM citizens as a result of those citizenship by investment programmes came to Barbados to go to the American Embassy to get visas. The American Embassy turned down the applications for the visas but the persons involved said no we are not going back to where we came from we have a right to six months stay in Barbados and we what to stay here under our six months stay under the freedom of movement regime. I am not going to call the names of the countries from which they came I will only say this, you have to catch about six or seven different aeroplanes to get to where they came from but that is what is going on in the Caribbean because all of the countries of the Caribbean are under pressure. The English speaking Caribbean, the Dutch speaking Caribbean. Suriname went into an IMF programme and according to my advise failed the IMF exams and of course Haiti has always been under pressure. The Government of Barbados took the position, look this is a critical issue and we have to manage this issue in such a way as to make sure that we protect the households and the businesses of Barbados. Shield the households, and shield the businesses from the worst effects of this crisis. And we said look if you are going to shield the households there is no better way to shield households than by ensuring that you can protect as many of the jobs that people have as possible. So protecting jobs became our primary focus. You have heard all the calls in Barbados from varying quarters for us to solve the problems that we are facing by just cutting the Public Service. Now this is not a new call in the year 2001 a report was written for the previous administration which report said that the Public Service of Barbados was too large by about 10,000 and that the Government should look to reducing the Public Service of Barbados by about 10,000 persons by the year 2010. That did not happen we still have the Public Service bill and we are trying our best as a government as a caring governing, as a government committed to the stability of the households of Barbados to protecting the jobs of public officers in this country. Because when we were told to lay off people we were told that you cannot get the savings you want by laying off maids and messengers you have to go up the ladder and lay off some of the people at the top who earn big salaries and that is when you will get the savings that you want. The Government took a position that is not the route we want to go we want to protect the stability of the households of Barbados and we want to protect the stability of the households of Barbados because the issue we are facing in Barbados today, and you have heard this over and over and over again, is a fiscal deficit issue. We are spending more money than we are earning in Barbados. We have not increased the number of agencies that we have to spend money on. The present government, the government over which I preside and the government over which PM Thompson presided between the year 2008 and the tear 2010 did not create any agencies that are gobbling up more money than was previously the case. The agencies that are gobbling up the money are one that we came and found and we are determine that we want to protect jobs in Barbados but we say that if there is a gap between what we are earning and what we are spending we have to find other ways to makeup that gap. There is a gap between what we are earning and what we are spending not only because we have not been able to reduce our spending on employment the government wage and salaries bill and the government pensions bill are very very high, that is why people call for a reduction in the number of jobs in the Public Service. But one of the other issues that we had to deal with is that is that in the year 2007 before we came to office the Canadian government introduced a budget in which they took certain measures that would effect our international business and financial services sector and those measures took effect from around the year 2011 and if we did not respond to those measures business had already begun to leave Barbados and go and be domiciled elsewhere and a committee was set up to look at the issue and to advise the government and that committee had advised that if we are going to stop businesses from leaving Barbados, businesses in the financial services sector we have to lower the tax rate for the businesses at the top we took that advise businesses stopped leaving but the advice also told us that we would have to make a sacrifice of revenue in the short term. The sacrifice of revenue that we are talking about is that the government has had to give up $200 m per year or more every year for the last six years. Over a billion dollars in tax revenue over the last six years. So we are earning less but still had to maintain the obligations which we came and found.

Now historically when this problem has popped up in the past and it cropped up under the Tom Adams Administration between 1976 and 1986. It cropped up under the Sandiford Administration between 1991 of after around 1991 historically what we have done even though we had revenue problems we decided historically to solve revenue problems by expenditure means in other words even though we are getting fewer taxes we decided rather than trying to deal with the tax issue we will deal with the spending issue so we solve the problem by sending home people or by reducing salaries by 8% and so on and so on. My government took the decision that this time around rather than sending home people that we were going to deal with a revenue problem by revenue means. That is to get more taxes to come in so that we can continue to support the standard of living and the quality of life of our Barbadian population. And that is the context within which at one stage we introduced a municipal solid waste tax about which people marched we also introduced amendments to the Barbados Revenue Authority Act to get people to acknowledge those persons who owe the government taxes to acknowledge that they owe the government taxes and to agree to pay 10 cents out of every dollar in the short term and to enter into arrangements how they are going to pay the remainder and there was a threat to shut down the country over that whereas everybody else gets paid in full the government was saying if you owe me a dollar just pay me 10 cents, agree that you owe me pay me 20 cents and the other 90 cents you owe let us agree how you are going to pay it over time. And the place we nearly shut down over that. The lawyers complained, every body complained ... and then more recently in the year 2016. In the year 2016, the budget of that year we introduced a National Social Responsibility levy charged at 2% on imports into Barbados and on goods manufactured or produced in Barbados and we exempted from that tax any manufacturers or any production that touched the manufacturing sector, the agricultural sector and the tourism sector in their urge and in their remit to earn foreign exchange for Barbados. The tax performed reasonably well, with no major complaints about it and the government decided since the deficit problems were continuing to haunt us and since the Central Bank of Barbados was continuing to have to print money that is, to make up the difference between what we were earning and what we were spending, make up that difference that was left after the banks and the insurance companies and other entities in the financial sector did not contribute as much as was expected the central Bank had to make it up and that’s called printing money but the tax performed reasonably well and we decided to increase the tax not to introduce a new tax. The National Social Responsibility Levy is not a new tax. It was introduced in the year 2016 in the budget of that year and it was only increased in the year 2017 on the 30th day of May this year when Min. of Finance Chris Sinckler introduced his budget. We moved the rate from 2% to 10% in the hope that we could get the revenue . And we wanted the revenue not only to narrow the deficit or to remove it altogether but we wanted the revenue because Public Officers in Barbados had not got a salary increase since the year 2010 and had been working faithfully for the government from then until now. As recently as Friday night, Friday afternoon I started a heads of department meeting at Ilaro Court with my heads of departments PM Office at 2.30 in the afternoon and every single head of department sat down in that meeting until we were finished at nearly 11.00 Friday night. They work faithfully and we agree that they are entitled to some kind of reward for their loyalty for their commitment and to their attachment to the best interest of their Island home Barbados.

Now, so the government increased the rate at which the NSRL was being charged from 2% to 10%, increase it by 8%. Who tell the Government do that. Howls of protest could be heard across the land from the main opposition party and from some people in the Trade Union Movement and in the private sector who they sponsor or who sponsor them and the GOB was being asked to reduce the tax. Now let me make this point very clearly, I want to welcome the members of the media who are here today and I want to make this point very very clearly. Barbados is run and governed by a constitution. That constitution was settled in 1966 when Barbados got its Independence. That constitution guides the Government. Trade Unions are governed by the Trade Union Act and all the other laws that are passed to promote the interest of labour and that allow the Trade Unions to carry out their work without let or hindrance. Companies, companies are governed by the Companies Act, Chapter 308 of the Laws of Barbados and all of the other laws that parliament has passed over time to allow companies to protect and to promote the interest of their shareholders, but the government is sworn to protect the constitution of Barbados which is the highest law in the land a law to which every other law in this country is subject, a law to which every other law in this country is inferior. The constitution is the highest law. Now I say that because I want to remind all of you here and remind Barbadians at a time that I will choose that under the constitution of Barbados the only agency that can determine policy and that has final and principal responsibility for policy is the Cabinet of Barbados section 64 subsection 2 of the Constitution of Barbados makes it explicitly clear that the Cabinet is the principal instrument of policy and is responsible for the general direction and control of affairs in Barbados and is accountable of course to the Parliament of Barbados. So whether you are talking financial policy or social policy or any other kind of policy according to the Constitution of Barbados the Cabinet has principal responsibility for that.

The other point I want to make is this that Parliament the Parliament of Barbados is given power under section 48 of the Constitution, that Constitution to make laws for the peace, order and good government of Barbados. Parliament makes laws for the peace, order and good government of Barbados. So when a Minister of Finance stands up in a Budget it doesn’t matter if the Minister of Finance is Chris Sinckler, or David Thompson or Owen Arthur, or Erskine Sandiford or Richie Haynes, or Tom Adams or Errol Barrow. When ever a Minister of Finance stands up in the Parliament of Barbados and imposes a tax, that tax becomes law from the time he is finished speaking the last sentence and remains as law until within four months or so an actual law is passed under the Provisional Collection of Taxes Act. You are entitled to collect any taxes he imposes until he gets around to bringing a Bill to parliament. That is the constitution of Barbados and that is the PCTA. That is what a budget speech means whether Barrow delivers it Tom Adams delivers it or St. John delivers it, Sir Harold St. John, Erskine Sandiford, Richie Haynes, David Thompson, Owen Arthur or the present Min Chris Sinckler. So once the tax is introduced once the rate was increased we took the decision that since there should be no misunderstanding on the part of businesses or workers or anybody else we would not make the tax effective on the first day of June or at any time in June. We would give a whole month so that we would consult with all of the state holders in the economy explain to them what it intended remove all of their doubts remove all of their anxieties remove all of their fears although they should have no doubts anxieties or fears because the tax was not new it was just an increase in the rate of an existing tax. So we did that. We met with the Private Sector and we met with the Unions. I did not attend the meetings with the private sector I left that to the Ministry of Finance, the Minister of Finance and his staff and the Central Bank people and so on. But I determined that I was going to attend the meeting with the Labour movement. That meeting happened on the 23rd June. That meeting lasted for six hours. Friday 23rd June that meeting lasted for about six hours from about 3 in the afternoon until just after 9 in the night. And we explained why we had to increase the rate. We explained to the labour movement that if we are to be able to pay the increase that they are asking for we have to have the revenue from which to pay it. I chaired the meeting and I said to them look when we pay civil servants we don’t pay civil servants by prayer we pay civil servants with money we don’t pay them with prayer we don’t pay them with wishes, we don’t pay them with hopes we pay them with money and that money has to be earned has to be brought in so that we can pay the Pubic Officers the increase that they are asking for and so we can deal with the other problems that we have. A proposal was then put on the table not by the Government, not by the Government. A proposal was then put on the table by one of the delegate of NUPW. That delegate said PM, OK, we understand you can’t make a decision on salary increases now but after 3 month you should have some idea how the new tax is working would the Government be prepared after the end of September to have a look at giving Public Servants some kind of increase however small that increase may be. I said sure, sure, sure. That proposal did not come from the Government it came from a representative of the delegation, a delegation from the NUPW. We said look there are some issues that have nothing to do with salary, that the Trade Unions can continue to discuss with the Ministry of the Public Service and at the end of September we will look and see how the tax is performing and then once it is performing as we confidently expect it will perform we would be prepared to look at some kind of increase for Public Officers The none salary issues that I was talking about for example one issue has been that for years you could have Public Officers working and working long enough for their pension rights to accrue after 10 years or what ever it is 10 or 12 years, you become qualified to get a pension but if after having been qualified to get a pension you were to run into trouble with the police and get a criminal conviction as a result of some felony you committed during the course of your duty as a public officer even though your pension rights had accrued because you got a criminal conviction you could lose all those pension rights and go home empty handed and the government said look the government has been saying look that is not right if your pension rights accrued and you get into trouble after that you would have to leave the Public Service yes but you should leave with your pension rights intact because the pension rights would have accrued before the commission of the criminal offence. That’s just an example of one of the none salary issues that we were talking about and on which the government is convinced and which the government was prepared to concede with the Trade Unions. But there are other none salary issues for example if a post gets abolished, if a post gets abolished when you are aged 30 should you have to wait until age 65 to start to get your pension? These are the kind of issues, that, the none salary issues that we were talking about. But we said look at the end of September when we see how the tax is performing as long as it is performing in accordance with our cherished expectations we would be prepared to look at the issue of a salary increase. And I left the meeting, I told the Min of Finance look the Press waiting downstairs, go downstairs and just let the Press known where we are on this issue, the Unions would speak to the Press as well but I think we have make some progress on this issue. At least everybody understands that we need to get the revenue in order to pay salary increases but certainly also to narrow the fiscal deficit.
You have heard, I believe, that you are hearing all of this for the first time. You would not believe that this happened in the presence of the Minister of Finance, the director of Finance and Economic Affairs.

( To be Continued...)

Over 20 000 people turned out yesterday for the joint trade union-private sector march, led by the island’s four main trade unions and the Barbados Private Sector Association.

Official estimates given to The Barbados Advocate by the Royal Barbados Police Force, placed the number at 21 000 at the end of the march, which got underway from Queen’s Park after 10:30 a.m., and proceeded through the island’s capital of Bridgetown, with a number of symbolic stops being made along Broad Street and in front of the Parliament Buildings.

Several businesses in the private sector closed their doors until about 1 p.m., to allow workers to attend the march and workers from both the public and private sector used that opportunity to turn out in their numbers, armed with placards, to show their support for the unions’ call to reverse or reduce the National Social Responsibility Levy (NSRL) and the private sector’s call for further dialogue on the matter.

General Secretary of the Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU), Toni Moore, President of the Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT), Pedro Shepherd, President of the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW), Akanni McDowall and President of the Barbados Secondary Teachers Union (BSTU), Mary Redman, along with Chairman of the Barbados Private Sector Association (BPSA), Charles Herbert, rallied their members from Queen’s Park, urging them to embark on a peaceful protest, while stressing throughout that there was no political agenda, where the march was concerned.

“This morning, I would like to encourage you not to be distracted from the reasons why we are here. This is not about any political agenda. This is about an issue that has been clearly identified over the past few weeks. We certainly do not have to remind you, the fact that you are here means you have understood clearly the message” CEO of the BPSA, Anne Reid told those gathered, after offering up prayers at the start.

BWU General Secretary, Toni Moore encouraged participants to follow all orders given by the RBPF. She then sought to dismiss any notion that the day’s events were designed to cause any “social unrest”.

Meanwhile, NUPW President Akanni McDowall was quite vocal about the alliance between the unions and the private sector.

“We are gathered here today to make sure that we demonstrate our disgust with the way that the government has been running its affairs. We have been constantly asking for dialogue. Unfortunately, the government has not acquiesced to those requests for dialogue and therefore we are here to demonstrate that that is not acceptable” he stressed.

“Regardless of how many times they would have met before, the point is, that the partners are uncomfortable now, so you have to take steps to do whatever is necessary, to bring this to some amicable solution” McDowall said.

Pressed about the next steps, given that Government may not be backing down from full implementation of the NSRL, Toni Moore would only say that the unions are “taking it one day at a time” and focusing on the immediate task at hand. (RSM)

SPEAKER of the House of Assembly His Honour Michael Carrington will be asked today to adjourn Parliament on the basis of a Definite Matter of Urgent Public Importance.

Opposition Leader Mia Mottley told the media during a press conference yesterday that the move is seeking government’s willingness to convene an urgent meeting of the Social Partnership before the next meeting scheduled for August 18, and to “diffuse the tension and industrial protest” which has been seen in the country over the last week as a result of the increase of the National Social Responsibility Levy.

“We do not know anything that is more urgent facing Barbados today than this issue that has led to the cessation of commerce, that has led to the withdrawal of labour and has led to harsh words being said across a Social Partnership that has served us well now for over 25 years.”

“We have seen go-slows, we have seen the shut down of the Barbados Port, buses not available...and now today we have seen a crowd that I believe the police have estimated at 30 000 take to the streets of Bridgetown...”

During a press conference held at the Opposition’s Office in the West Wing of Parliament, the Opposition Leader revealed that the letter was sent to the Speaker by Member of Parliament for St. James Central Kerrie Symmonds to the Speaker to have discussed pursuant to Order 18 of the Standing Orders.

According to Symmonds, “The rules of the House of Assembly allow us to request the adjournment of the ordinary business of the House by way of a motion of Definite Urgent Public Importance.”

“Today (yesterday) I have filed with his Honour the Speaker an application for the House to be adjourned having arisen and requesting his Honour to allow Parliament to have discussion on this matter. Quite clearly the specific matter is the deepening impasse between two members of the Social Partnership and the Government of Barbados. That impasse is so deep in fact that it is fair to say that the Social Partnership is now fractured.”

“And we as legislators and part of the governmental apparatus of Barbados feel that there is a role for the Opposition to play in this matter. That role simply put is to try to as best as possible, urge upon the government to return to the table for the purpose of having discussions about the very austere and burdensome NSRL.”

According to Symmonds, it is a matter that is worthy of serious discussion by government again. “We note as well on a previous occasion with the Municipal Solid Waste Tax, the government heard the cry of the people, they responded to the cry of the people led by the Opposition, and we would want to think that a caring and genuinely interested administration would once again understand what is happening in Barbados.”

“His Honour the Speaker tomorrow will be asked to tomorrow (today) make a determination as to whether in his view and it is only the Speaker who can make the determination as to whether this satisfies him that it is in fact urgent.... As long as he is satisfied and allows us to raise this matter for discussion, we as an Opposition will be urging government [to] convene a meeting with the Social Partnership, certainly before the August 18 because we genuinely do not believe that this matter can be allowed to fester for another month,” he said.

Opposition members recalled that the last time this Standing Order was invoked was in 2014 when then Opposition Member of Parliament for Christ Church West, Maria Agard raised the challenges facing the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Prior to that Member of Parliament for St. Joseph Dale Marshall raised the Standing Order back in 2010 when it was discovered that CLICO continued to sell insurance policies. Mottley recalled that at that time, she along with Member of Parliament for St. Andrew George Payne were put out of the House of Assembly.

Parliament is expected to go on summer recess today. (JH)

THE present Government of Barbados did not take into account the feelings or the situations of the citizens of this island when they instituted the structural adjustment measures.

This is according to General Secretary of the Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU), Toni Moore, who delivered remarks at the conclusion of a joint Barbados Private Sector Association (BPSA) and trade union march yesterday at Queen’s Park.

Furthermore, this is nothing new to Barbados as similar measures were introduced back in the 1990’s and all persons have to do is to go and look at the website of the Ministry of Labour to find out for themselves whether or not what she is telling them is the truth or not.

“Firstly, on the matter of the Social Partnership. If you go to the website – don’t take my word, if you go to the website of the Ministry of Labour, you will find that there are some … references to the origins of our Social Partnership in Barbados as dating back to the 1990’s. You will read there that … and this is a quotation, ‘When during the crisis of the 1990’s Government introduced some structural adjustment measures, the Barbadian public rejected some of the measures proposed.’ You will read that they did not adequately take into account – that they being the Government of the day – they did not take into account the negative social consequences for the population nor did they equitably distribute the burden of the adjustment measures.”

The BWU general secretary stated that back then just as the situation is now, the people of this country felt that the ruling party did not consider that there would be negative social consequences coming out of these measures and she asked those gathered at the event to see if they noted these similarities.

“Now I want to repeat that because we are drawing all kinds of similarities with things that preceded us. The anxiousness and the frustration of the people of Barbados back in the 1990’s was because they felt that the Government did not adequately take into account the negative social consequences for the measures being introduced for the population nor did they equitably distribute the burdens of the adjustment measures. Can you draw any similarities to where we are now? And the next question: Can you draw any similarities with the 1990’s to where we are now?” (PJT)

IT appeared to be business as usual for a number of stores, which remained open yesterday while the march, led by the Trade Union movement and the Barbados Private Sector Association (BPSA), took to the City streets in protest of the hike in the National Social Responsibility Levy.

During a joint press conference held between the Barbados Workers’ Union and the BPSA last Friday, head of the BPSA said that the body was “asking all private sector companies to close their businesses to allow their employees – on full pay, to attend the march”.

Thousands of Barbadians turned out to yesterday’s march and rally, which started and ended at Queen’s Park, proof that members of the business community and wider Barbados answered the call to support the action. When The Barbados Advocate visited Carlton & A1 Store in Black Rock yesterday, several shoppers could be seen approaching and peering through the closed glass doors of the establishment for signs of activity. Shortly thereafter, a sign was placed on the door stating that the store was closed in order to attend the march in Queen’s Park and would be reopened at 1 p.m. SurePay was also closed.

However, other stores in the complex were open including the Barbados Public Workers’ Co-operative Credit Union and the Carlton pharmacy.

In the busy Warrens town centre around 11 a.m., Massy supermarket was opened and in the neighbouring Dome Mall, Up Beat and Promo Tech were the only two stores that were closed to attend the march.

Over at Welches, Marshall Trading and Automotive Art were closed. Cost-U-Less was open. The majority of the stores in the Walk Shopping Plaza were also busy, however, Up Beat and Carter’s were closed.

The Barbados Advocate understands that some stores across the island gave employees the option to show solidarity by attending the march, but remained open if employees did not express an interest in marching. Others however closed their doors until 1 p.m. or 2 p.m., whether their staff were attending or not.

A cashier at one of the stores when asked by this newspaper if she would be attending the march answered with confusion etched on her face, “What march?” (JH)

THE tactics that were employed by Prime Minister of Barbados, the Right Honourable Freundel Stuart, are geared for the “simple-minded” and not for intelligent people.

So states the General Secretary of the Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU), Toni Moore, who delivered remarks at the conclusion of a joint Barbados Private Sector Association (BPSA) and trade union march yesterday at Queen’s Park.

She said that her primary goal here was to give the people all of the information and then they could go away and decipher what is the truth and what is not.

“I didn’t refer you to any history books because when the elements in the society speak, and we the other elements in society speak, you must have sufficient information so that you can filter for yourself what makes sense and what is the truth. So what took place here today where we had the members of the private sector, I believe that there were members of civil society, trade unions marching together with a common purpose against these measures that we think are non-tenable and which were introduced to us is nothing new of Barbados.”

It is with this in mind that she wanted to know exactly what Stuart was referring to when he spoke of lions and lambs at a recent Christ Church West luncheon.

“So when we hear that there are references being made to lions and lambs… these are things that are being used to play with the minds only of the simple-minded. But for people who know – because many of you have been there – and for people who can think independently, you are the people I am speaking to.”

Moore continued, “So when I hear scriptures being used conveniently, I know that that is generally a tactic of those who are floundering to appeal to the senses of those who have a spiritual upbringing.”

Speaking briefly of her own Christian upbringing, Moore showed that she could also quote scripture as she referred to the Book of Isaiah which recognised that aspect of many creatures such as the wolf, lamb, lion, leopard and the ox living as one.

Similarly, Barbadians too must join as one and show the ruling administration that they will stand up for what is right.

“Barbados today needs all hands on deck and whether or not you are a worker, whether you are an employer, whether you are a supervisor, whether you are a Government official, whether you are a member of the Opposition, you are a citizen of Barbados, and as citizens of Barbados, we need to stand for what is right and we have to stand for ourselves and we have to stand for our future. So what Isaiah is showing that under ordinary circumstances, what wouldn’t seem likely is likely when the forces are pushing to make it happen and today, we want to thank all of you trade unionists, all of you employers, who were not derailed by the comments (of the Prime Minister). In fact, I think that it may have inspired more of us to participate and I thank you for this.” (PJT)

Reports are that a date has been set for a meeting of the Social Partnership in August, but a call has been made for the date to be moved up urgently, given the industrial action being led by four main trade unions who are calling for relief from Government’s austerity measures and calls from the private sector for more dialogue on the matter.

Chairman and Founder of Williams Industries Inc., Ralph “Bizzy” Williams, made the call as he slowed his pace in yesterday’s joint trade union-private sector march, for an interview with The Barbados Advocate.

“Of course (the date should be moved up). I would like the meeting this week. Why would we need to leave it until August? If you are waiting until then and the industrial action continues, then you could as well forget about Crop Over. You need the meeting this week. That is what we need,” he commented, though adding that it is up to the Government to decide what to do.

“We just want to make it clear how we feel. That’s all,” he said.

He meanwhile outlined his reasons for joining the march and for closing the majority of his businesses, to allow his private sector workers to attend.

“I decided to come here, because I don’t want Barbados to be shut down by industrial action. That is the reason I am here,” he commented.

“We have Crop Over coming up and I want to find a way, through dialogue, to bring the parties together and even if you have to give a little bit to make people satisfied that they have actually achieved something (fine), but let’s do it by dialogue,” he maintained.

“If we even bring in an independent arbitrator who is non-partisan to work between the parties and the Government, to try to reach some sort of settlement and providing of course the unions agree to call off the industrial action while discussions are going on, so that we can get through the Crop Over and after that, if there is no settlement and everyone is still dissatisfied, then we can start talking about industrial action. It is not good for the country and at this stage when our economy is so vulnerable. We cannot afford this foolishness,” he stressed.

“My only reason for being here is to try to show the unions that we care about them too and that we don’t want them to shut down the island. Let’s talk! I wish Prime Minister (Freundel Stuart) would just put aside everything else and meet with the people and the Minister of Finance (Christopher Sinckler) too and try to talk to the people ‘man to man’, instead of talking down to them,” Williams concluded. (RSM)

Chief Executive Officer of the Barbados Port Inc., David Jean-Marie, is giving the assurance that the Bridgetown Port has contingency plans in place to deal with industrial action.

He made the comments while responding to a question from the media regarding last week’s go-slow at the Port, as part of stepped up action by the Unions protesting an increase in the National Social Responsibility Levy. His comments came as he spoke at a press conference yesterday morning at the Port’s office to announce plans for the 47th Annual General Meeting of the Caribbean Shipping Association (CSA) to be held here from October 9-11.

“We only have one Port in Barbados and it is heavily unionised, so if there is industrial action it would impact heavily on our operations here; that is a fact. We do have our contingency plans in place, to deal with extreme circumstances because we don’t want any industrial action or any withdrawal of labour to be prolonged,” he said.

Jean-Marie noted that last week’s action obviously had an impact on their customers, as 90 per cent of goods coming into Barbados comes through that port of entry. As such, he said there were delays and “a bit of congestion” at the facility, but he said there were not similar problems yesterday when the unions and the private sector staged a protest march through the streets of Bridgetown.

Questioned then about the financial impact the recent go-slow had on the facility, the Chief Executive Officer did not go into detail, contending that their main concern was not necessarily the financial impact on the Port, but on getting the goods which were imported, processed, and out to the respective entities.

“We are not overly concerned about the impact on the Port per se, we are more concerned about the Port functioning efficiently for the benefit of all of our customers,” he insisted.

Meanwhile, he dismissed rumours that cruise passengers were being charged a shuttle fee to get out of the Port, since the recent demolition of the Bridgetown Port’s Main Gate, which has seen that access point to the facility closed. He made it clear that no such fee is being charged for the service they have been providing to passengers who are now utilising the Cargo Gate. But, Jean-Marie explained that even though the service is in place, the passengers have shown a preference towards walking. (JRT)

Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Christopher Sinckler, has announced good news for the island’s small business sector.

Introducing the Value-Added Tax (VAT) (Amendment) Bill 2017, in Parliament, yesterday, the Minister of Finance said while previously, businesses which earn BDS$80 000 annually were required to register, that threshold has been raised to BDS$200 000.

Minister Sinckler said the move to significantly raise the threshold to omit small businesses from having to register to collect, or pay VAT, was taken because it was believed that the former threshold was too small, given the nature, size and growth of the economy.

“It means that a lot of small business people in Barbados, who are currently now having to battle through with all the paper work on VAT, will not now have to do that so long as they do not reach or surpass that threshold of BDS$200 000 of business being undertaken within a single reported period for the year in terms of their annual accounts.

“That gives an ease because it allows them to have a little bit more cash flow. It allows them to be able to not have to expend resources in areas ... they could then transfer those resources into other areas of the business to grow the business or to do other things,” he said.

The intent of this change is to make the overall administration of the regime easier.

However, persons who are not VAT registered may not reclaim any VAT that they may incur in their operations. These small businesses will not bear this VAT and will likely pass this cost on to consumers.

“In the practice of the VAT, when it was first implemented, of course we recall that a very low threshold was set at BDS$60 000 originally for persons to become VAT registrant and to participate as intermediary tax collecting agencies or tax collectors on behalf of Government. It is a voluntary tax system.”

He continued, “You register if you are in the line of collecting tax on behalf of government. You register officially where your accounts would have to be submitted. You would have to do a VAT filing in relation to what would have transpired in the previous month.

“I believe the filing is done on the 21st day of each month for the period covering the previous month. That is then reviewed by the VAT department and you are then told whether you would get a refund or if you were owing to the government,” the Minister explained.

He further stated that due to the outgrowth of the economy, both in terms of size and the value of business transactions, the economy would
have expanded exponentially.

The Minister said this development then led to a mismatch between the size required for the threshold at BDS$80 000 and the value of businesses and the growth of the economy.

“And because of that mismatch, it meant that a lot of what we call small business people and individuals, who were operating within the economic space, because of the law, are required to register and go through the processes which any other VAT registrant, medium or large size, would have had to go through. . .,” he further explained. (AH)

“Our 19 borrowing countries are underperforming significantly.”

That is according to Dr. Justin Ram, Director of Economics at the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), while speaking yesterday at the Central Bank of Barbados 37th Annual Review Seminar, ‘Practical Solutions to Strengthen Economic Growth and Adjustment in Small Open Economies’ at the Radisson Aquatica Resort.

“Compared to comparative groupings around the globe, we are underperforming significantly. Yes, we are small open economies, but when you look at other small island developing states, they are performing. Maybe there is something structurally wrong. The question is, ‘How can we move beyond slow economic growth?’”

It was further stated that, “In a nutshell, we have low growth and high level of debts. We have high levels of unemployment, but youth unemployment is even higher. As policy makers, we should be concerned also about the possibility of social problems related to high youth unemployment.

In addition to this, we have low levels of productivity and competitiveness; this is not new information. Furthermore, we live in a bad neighbourhood in terms of natural disasters, which impact the level of debt because of the recovery from natural disasters that often means that we are building up levels of debt.”

Dr. Ram added, “We ranked our countries with respect to their debt to GDP ratio and Barbados has the highest debt to GDP ratio in the Caribbean, previously it was Jamaica, now Jamaica in the last few years has taken steps to ensure that their debt to GDP ratio is going in the right direction. However, that is not the case for most of our borrowing member countries, although Barbados is at the top now, we also have other countries that are also on the wrong trajectory. Trinidad and Tobago is also on the wrong trajectory. The lessons learnt from Jamaica and perhaps Grenada, show that we can turn things around if we take the right policy measures and steps.”

According to him, “A lot of projects are not finding their way to implementation, but why do we have implementation deficit in the Caribbean... as serious policy makers we need to start doing something about it. In addition to this as we look at foreign currency reserves, many of our borrowing member countries we have reserves that are well below the benchmark level of three months of import cover …Trinidad has a lot of foreign exchange reserves... But if you are in Trinidad you can’t seem to get foreign exchange, something has gone wrong in the market.” (NB)

While not saying whether the previously scheduled date of the full Social Partnership meeting will be moved up, Prime Minister Freundel Stuart has stated that it will be done “in the full glare of the public”.

“Whenever that meeting is held it is not going to be held in secret. It is going to be a nationally televised meeting where Barbadians can hear what the government is about, what the private sectors are about, both the labour movement and the private sector,” he assured.

The meeting is scheduled for August 18th, but members of the Opposition insisted that the date be brought up, especially in light of Monday’s march where 20 000 members of the unions and the private sector showed their solidarity in demanding consultation with the government on the economic woes affecting the island.

“The meeting requested, I have promised it. It is going to take place! But as I said, it is going to take place in the full glare of the public. I will communicate as I said in my reply to the head of the Private Sector Association, I would communicate to him and the other social partners when that meeting is to take place, but I know this, it is not going to take place in secret. It is going to take place in the full glare of the public so that Barbados can see where it is where we are going,” Stuart insisted.

The Prime Minister also assured the public that the rule of law was intact in the island and that the government continued to be committed to the best interest of this country.

“All of the theatrics that has come from the other side … can do nothing to deflect the government from its course of trying to make Barbados a better place for the labour movement, for the private sector and for every household in Barbados and to that commitment the government remains profoundly attached and nothing can deflect us from this course,” Stuart added.

As he joined the debate on the motion brought by the Opposition on a matter of public importance, he claimed that there has been “a Niagara of falsehoods making the rounds in Barbados in respect of the government and other members of the Social Partnership”. (JMB)

Opposition Leader Mia Mottley is urging government to meet with the trade unions and the private sector as soon as today to discuss the concerns arising from the National Social Responsibility Levy.

“…Not on August 18, which is four weeks away, but that which lies within our purview is a meeting (today). In the same way that we can find time to treat to other urgent matters, understand as the union said on the night of June 23rd when they spoke to the press and indicated that there was no agreement, they said that their people would starve if they were forced to wait,” she stated.

She also accused the current administration of not acting in the interest of workers in this island.

“I say to this Chamber, let us not be those who purvey rhetoric on behalf of workers and shed false tears, but put the interest of workers at the back. When the workers issued an ultimatum that was perhaps ill-advised, 48 hours, to the Prime Minister, he took umbrage and he has not spoken to them. When the private sector issued the same ultimatum to the Prime Minister to give him until Monday afternoon 4:30, he spoke to the private sector. How do you come now cursing the private sector, but in all your actions you are catering to the private sector and putting the workers to the back of it?” the MP for St. Michael North East stated.

She said it was time to look at what can be done to protect the economic viability of this country at this time and to stabilize the conditions of Barbadians finding it difficult to make ends meet due to a draconian tax increase.

“It cannot be found in a Prime Minister taking an adversarial attitude in the context of a partisan political event to respond to legitimate concerns of two of the three social partners of this country. This debate is for us to say to the Prime Minister there are times all of us know when we may believe in our heart of hearts that we are justified in holding a position, but I trust and pray that the Prime Minister would learn from a previous leader of the Democratic Labour Party that there is no merit in being adamant,” she stressed. (JMB)

SOCIAL Activist David Comissiong is cautioning Barbados’ major trade unions that “it is not everybody who marches with them who really is committed to them and the fundamental interest” of the country’s working class.

Yesterday, reflecting on Monday’s march where an estimated 21 000 private sector workers, along with trade unions and business owners, took to the streets of The City to protest the controversial National Social Responsibility Levy (NSRL) and to call on Government for urgent dialogue, Comissiong said he sensed that “the Barbadian establishment has fixed upon this very backward idea that the way to solve the economic problems of Barbados is to retrench public sector workers and engage in forms of privatisation”.

“Now, to me that is a very backward idea. That is an idea that does not subscribe to the concept of our nation being a family where we have to look out for the best interest of each one.

“A family where nobody is thrown on any dump heap and simply made a scapegoat and left to suffer. But, I hear this sentiment being expressed. I hear this sentiment coming from political elites. I hear this sentiment coming from private sector elites,” he said.

The activist administered the dose of advice to the unions yesterday, following a public rally in Golden Square, The City, to commemorate the country’s Day of National Significance – the date of the 1937 people’s uprising.

Comissiong also warned the leaders of the labour movement that they are going to have to fight a serious battle as they stand up for workers, in the coming months.

“I see that battle coming and I would just want to urge the trade union leadership to prepare for it and to think about the alternative, the philosophical and programmatic alternative to that backward way of thinking.

“Of course, there is an alternative that says that Barbados can solve its economic problems without savaging public servants and without throwing people on the dump heap of unemployment.

“There is an alternative that says that the fundamental economic strategy of this country has to be upon educated, trained and empowered people,” he said.

“Within that context it is therefore counter-productive to be throwing people onto unemployment. It is counter-productive to be making it more difficult for people to acquire education and training. So there is an alternative, but it calls for effort and unity of thought and purpose of coming together to work out that alternative,” the President of the Clement Payne Movement said.

Comissiong said, in his view, the massive march was an expression of people power, noting that leaders of the country are temporary holders of some of the power that the people repose in them.

“So if the people decide that they need to through coming out on the streets to give an expression of their power and of their views and of their feelings, then we should all applaud it,” he said. (AH)