Barbados going in the right direction, says Tourism Minister

That’s how Tourism Minister Richard Sealy described the no confidence motion brought against the Democratic Labour Party Government on Tuesday.

 

According to Sealy, the motion is coming at a time when investor confidence is up, arrivals and arrival spend is up, employment levels are up and the economy is growing.

 

Additionally, he rubbished claims that the motion was sprung on Opposition Barbados Labour Party. “There is an established convention, whenever motions of censure whether a no confidence motion or otherwise are placed on the Order Paper they are prioritised and they are debated as soon as is practical. That is understood and has always been understood.”

 

“So I don’t get this business of the government springing this resolution. As a matter of fact because of the disagreement that was held over some of the text and presumably some of the negotiation that would have gone on with the Speaker, you had extra time. So I don’t get that point,” he told the Opposition Leader.

 

The Member of Parliament for St. Michael South Central described motions of no confidence as a political tool usually designed with a purpose to impact the feelings of the public towards the Government of the day. He charged that no alternatives were put on the table during the Opposition Leaders nearly six hour presentation.

 

He said little was said about the Central Bank Report released on Tuesday which suggested that the Barbados economy has expanded by 1.7 percent during the first quarter of the year.

 

“That little detail was omitted during the course of the six hours.... 1.7 percent thanks to another long tourism season. Thanks to another strong tourism winter season. Long stay arrivals up by 7 percent with continued improvement in the US and UK market. Unemployment for 2015 averaged 11.3 percent down from 12. 3 previous year.”

 

“We are going in the right direction. International reserves at April 30 stood at 938 million, the equivalent of 14 weeks of import cover, an increase of 11 million during the winter tourist season. We are going in the right direction. Far from having an motion of no confidence there should be a vote of confidence in the work that this government is doing,” he reiterated. (JH)