Pride and industry a right for all Barbadians
Wed, 05/11/2016 - 12:00am
Every Barbadian has a right to have a feeling of pride and industry when it comes to their careers and to have a sense of accomplishment where they believe that what they are doing is making a difference and is contributing to the society in which they live.
This is one of the messages that Minister of Labour, Social Security and Human Resource Development, Senator Dr. Esther Byer-Suckoo, gave to participants as she delivered welcome remarks at the ‘Breakfast Meeting to Discuss the Draft National Human Resource Development Policy for Barbados’ yesterday at the Radisson Aquatica.
“Everybody deserves to feel pride and industry; that what they are doing makes a difference and contributes to society. That I think – when you start to talk about that, that opens up a lengthy discussion about productivity in this country.”
She stated that this discussion on productivity is not one that she would be engaging in for this particular session, but it is one that would be debated by her Ministry and their Social Partners as part of this island’s 50th Anniversary dialogue on the way forward. They recognise that it is not just about reflecting on the past, but also on how productivity and its related theme of work can help this country continue to see the developments that it has made over the last five decades.
However, she did state that pride and industry is something which many Barbadians have been able to achieve as a result of our education system. Yet, some persons have not been able to attain this pride and industry for one reason or another and these persons also have a fundamental right to get there as well.
“That pride and industry that I talked about, many Barbadians have been able to feel that pride and industry and to chart their course thanks to the gift of education, but not all Barbadians and I believe that all Barbadians have to get there. As I said, I think it is their right and if they want it – that is another discussion – they should be able to get it.”
Furthermore, the Government, organisations and Social Partners have a duty to create the type of environment that would facilitate the creation of such opportunities for all Barbadians, said the Labour Minister.
“The role of Government and of employers, of Social Partners including our unions as well, is to be able to create that environment for such opportunities so that every Barbadian then, if they want, can reach for it.” (PJT)