(Barbados Nation) That’s the group that will pull Barbados through the most crippling worldwide recession in the last half-century.
And according to Prime Minister David Thompson, he will be seeking fresh ideas from anybody, inclusive of the Barbados Private Sector Association, the public sector, Cabinet, the Social Partnership and all Barbadians to make sure Barbados emerges with as little damage as possible.
The Prime Minister made the Team Barbados call Monday as he wrapped up a one-day Public/Private Sector Economic Consultation at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre.
“No barriers will be put up,” Thompson promised. “We live in a very small place, and all Barbadians now have to do things in our national interest. There needs to be even more consultation to come up with what is best for Barbados,” he said to loud applause. “We want you to wrap all your decisions in the Barbados flag.
“I urge all Barbadians to sign up for Team Barbados to ensure our economy and society can reap success out of these tough times. We have to combine our decisions to make sure all objectives are met,” he added.
His remarks came on the heels of heated debate and presentations from some of this country’s most influential business people, including chairman of the Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados (CTUSAB) Sir Roy Trotman, president of the Private Sector Association Ben Arrindell, executive vice-president of the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association Sue Springer, Central Bank Governor Dr Delisle Worrell, and Government financial consultant Geoffrey Bell.
Noting that the words “wage freeze” and “moratorium” could now be banished from the Barbadian vocabulary, Thompson also promised there would be absolutely no attempts to circumvent the collective bargaining process when Government continues its meetings with CTUSAB.
