Bajan PM: No decision yet on layoffs

(Barbados Nation) Government has not  taken a decision to lay off public sector workers but will take whatever action is necessary to make the Barbados economy stable and viable.

This is the word from Prime Minister Freundel Stuart who, in response to media questions on the recent statement by the National Union of Public Workers that there was the possibility of layoffs following talks with the Minister of Finance and Governor of the Central Bank, said that layoffs would be a last resort.

“First of all, I don’t know who could ever give an assurance that there would be no layoffs in the public sector unless you have some kind of control over the future.

“I’ve heard that said. I do not know who said it, but what I do know is that the Government has always taken the position so far as is possible that resort to layoffs would be a kind of last option when every other option has failed,” he said in an interview at Hilton Barbados yesterday.

“We have not taken any decision at the level of the Cabinet of Barbados on the layoff of any people in the Public Service. That is an issue which we are discussing within the context of the state of the economy of Barbados,” he added.