No IMF programme for Barbados – Finance Minister

(Barbados Nation) Not one iota of thought is being given to putting the country under any International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme or devaluing the Barbados dollar.

Minister of Finance Chris Sinckler yesterday dismissed as “mischief” suggestions that Barbadians should have any such fear.

“There is no IMF programme in Barbados; there is no contemplation of an IMF programme whatsoever by this Government. We do not need it and therefore, in the context of that, whether IMF or no IMF there is no contemplation, either explicitly or implicitly, of a devaluation of the Barbados dollar.”

He sought to make that clear in the House of Assembly after Christ Church West MP William Duguid raised concerns following the first reading of The International Monetary Fund (Amendment) Bill 2012. The amendment brings domestic legislation in line with changes to the IMF’s articles of agreement.