Greater competitiveness needed
MINISTER of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Maxine McClean, anticipates that Barbados will soon be a part of a trade facilitation agreement to which member countries of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) have been asked to become signatories.
She made the comments during the debate on the Notaries Public Bill in the Upper Chamber yesterday, where she stressed the importance of the ease of doing business and the need to be competitive in the global marketplace.
According to McClean, “We are expected as part of the WTO membership to commit to what we see as free trade and trade liberation. All of that leads to competitiveness. As we look to make domestic policies, we are doing so against the background of being required to operate according to certain kinds of standards.
“There is a trade facilitation agreement to which member countries are asked to become signatories. I was informed that only this month two-thirds of the members had to ratify so that it has to come into force, and only this month it has been ratified.
“Barbados is actually in the process of getting final send-off. The Foreign Trade department has provided the necessary documentation, which will go to Cabinet and which is being considered at the level of the Ministry of International Business as well as the Solicitor General. So I anticipate that very soon Barbados will be signatory to that trade facilitation agreement.”
As a signatory to that agreement, the Leader of Government Business says this means the country must be able to deliver. “And being able to deliver is about finding ways to ensure that we minimise any stumbling blocks, any constraints to effective business activity. This is one area in which that will become important,” she said.
Minister McClean added that the question of expanding the number of notaries public is one element of a total package of reform and improvement, with the view of facilitating business in Barbados. She said the other side of the equation is the role of the business community.
“It is often very easy and very popular to be critical of Government’s limitations. ‘The legislation can go further, we need more staff at Corporate Affairs, we need to bring our systems into the new age of ITC, etc.’, and as we try to do that we also have to say to the business community, they themselves have to bring themselves into that age as well.”
Beyond the technology, Senator McClean stated that greater focus must be placed on the individuals providing these services, which involves investment in training.
She said the piece of legislation being debated is essentially part of an ongoing strategy and roll-out of programmes to ensure that the quality of work undertaken is improved while realising a greater level of efficiency and effectiveness, which will improve competitiveness. (JH)