President of the Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados, Cedric Murrell.
Some of the participants at yesterday’s workshop on productivity for SMEs.
Even as greater focus is placed on productivity growth in this country, a leading trade unionist is suggesting that this year greater focus must also be placed on attaining economic growth.
So says President of the Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados (CTUSAB), Cedric Murrell. He made the call while delivering remarks at the start of a Membership Workshop on Productivity Improvements for Small and Micro Enterprises at the Accra Beach Resort, hosted by the Barbados Employers’ Confederation in conjunction with the International Labour Organisation and the Caribbean Employers’ Confederation, under the theme ‘Understanding issues of productivity and exploring ways of improving’.
“…The question of economic growth is pivotal in this country to whatever we are going to be able to gain. And while this year is designated by the National Productivity Council as the Year of Productivity, it is going to really be important, given the challenges that we face, for symposia also to be mounted with regard to economic growth,” he said.
He made the comments while noting that in recent years there were predictions that some aspects of the economy would exhibit growth patterns by way of investment, in particular the tourism industry, but Murrell lamented that investment is “yet to materialise before our very eyes”. This situation, he explained, gives CTUSAB “great cause for concern”.
“…Because the question of how we are going to reward our people both for production and productivity, hinges on the whole question of investment and a growth strategy. And so if nothing else, what I want to leave with you this morning, is that once you have completed this exercise, that it is going to be very important, if we are to face the real serious challenges that we have, that the question of growth be at the forefront of our thoughts, actions and plans,” he stated.
The CTUSAB president made the points just moments after telling those gathered that it is essential when looking at the area of productivity, to also focus on production. He is adamant that there can be no serious or calculable increases in productivity without the aspect of production. (JRT)
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