Prime Minister Freundel Stuart said the meeting’s focus would be on the fiscal deficit and foreign reserves while surrounded by (from left) Ministers Donville Inniss, Darcy Boyce and Dr. Esther Byer-Suckoo.
Acting Central Bank Governor, Celviston Haynes, moments before he gave his report to the partnership.
TOP PRIORITY
TWO groups forged from the Social Partnership are expected to report to Prime Minister Freundel Stuart in a fortnight on recommendations to address declining foreign reserves and the fiscal deficit.
Opening this year’s first meeting of the Partnership yesterday at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, Stuart outlined that the discussion would zero in on these two issues as they were of the most immediate concern to the country, and outlined that at the day’s conclusion, two groups would be formed to take a more in-depth look and to design a plan of action going forward.
“As a signal to the seriousness we have attached to the two issues, two working groups are going to be announced which will meet immediately after lunch to begin their own consultations on the issues of the foreign reserves and the fiscal deficit with a view of reporting to the Chairman of the Social Partnership in two weeks on actions that should be taken to confront these two issues and the challenges which they have engendered,” he added.
Speaking to the gathering of government, private sector and labour representatives, President of the Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados Cedric Murrell insisted that there must be “a laser-light focus” on debt, growth and productivity.
“When we met in September last, we knew these issues were urgent. Now today, we know the resolve that we have in what we have to do to address those issues has got to be imminent,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Barbados Private Sector Association Charles Herbert urged that there be frank discussions and an active openness to listening to solutions raised during the talks.
“Today, I believe is a day for dialogue when we each try to listen to the different perspectives and objectives of each other in the tripartite group. First, we must together agree on a common view of the situation that we find ourselves in. Secondly, we must agree on where we wish to go. Thirdly, we must seek consensus on the path that takes us there, and finally we must implement and monitor in a transparent way,” he said. (JMB)