While Prime Minister Mia Mottley outlined in her Budget a 15-point economy strategy, Opposition Leader Ralph Thorne used the same number to identify disincentives to investment in Barbados:

1. Excessive debt
2. High taxes
3. Austere economic measures
4. High costs
5. High inflation
6. Rampant crime
7. Significant poverty
8. Slow-paced digitisation.
9. A demoralised public service
10. Slow business facilitation
11. Poor roads and infrastructure
12. Marginalised churches and NGOs
13. Corruption
14. Eroded democratic traditions
15. Slow pace economic diversification

The post 15 Disincentives to Investment appeared first on Barbados Today.

Opposition Leader Ralph Thorne on Tuesday rubbished the government’s Budget declaration of a country abuzz with activity, confidence and positive economic indicators, as he warned that “extreme hardship and poverty portend” instead.

In an angry denunciation on the floor of the House of Assembly lasting close to five hours, Thorne’s reply to Prime Minister Mia Mottley’s Financial Statement and Budgetary Proposals delivered on Monday indicted the government’s handling of the economy, its spending practices, debt, foreign reserves, corruption, education, housing and its filling of top posts in state-owned enterprises.

“We are in an environment where this government is now employing the largest number of consultants ever in the history of political administration…and that may be a vain glorious government, but it causes the suffering of thousands of Barbadians who could have been employed with the same monies that support those few who live luxurious and opulent lives, at the expense of the people this government sent home last year; and many of them have not recovered without National Insurance.

“They wanted the money, they needed the money, but they wanted some respect as well. Is it too much for them?” Thorne said.

The opposition leader, who on multiple occasions apologised to House Speaker Arthur Holder for shouting in his direction while stridently attacking government policies and actions, painted a picture of doom and gloom in various productive sectors.

He spent a significant amount of time defending the right of the poor and marginalised to be elevated and better cared for by the government; he invoked a mantra that the reality is not what the government thinks about the state of the economy and the people’s well-being but rather what is being experienced.

An emotional Democratic Labour Party (DLP) political leader tore into the Mottley administration for last year sending home the 3 000 workers who were paid $500 per week to clean up the island in the aftermath of the freak storm and the ashfall from the La Soufriere Volcano in neighbouring St Vincent.

Thorne, a senior legal counsel, was particularly aggrieved at the act in light of the prime minister’s boasting in the Budget that this country had recorded 11 consecutive quarters of economic growth and was on the verge of a 12th.

He argued that those weekly-paid employees could have been rehired without necessarily troubling the state coffers.

The opposition leader contended that a government which insists it cares for poor people paid “a little-known” company – public debt management consultants White Oak – some $54 million to undertake a “simple” restructuring of the economy in 2019, and is giving $30 000 per month to the newest Chief Executive Officer of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, and $14 000 to the new finance consultant of the HOPE Housing Project at a time when she has a full-time job in St Lucia.

But what he termed the “squandermania” of taxpayers’ money which could have put the former general workers back in a job, is “for the first time in the history of Barbados”, the allocation in this year’s Estimates of $188 million for the Prime Minister’s Office to travel on expensive overseas trips and return with little to show.

He appealed to Mottley to cut the allocation to her office in half and help the retrenched employees to be rehired.

Addressing the Home Ownership Providing Energy (HOPE) housing project, Thorne expressed fears that employees of the National Housing Corporation will be sent home, claiming that the government was in the process of dismantling the NHC and handing its more than 50 years of outstanding service to Barbadians over to a private entity “masquerading” as a public enterprise.

The opposition leader told House that with the $60 million already paid to the project, only 131 homes have so far been built after two-and-a-half years when by now, about 5 000 ought to have been completed based on the government’s annual goal.

Thorne also lamented that the Ministry of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs, which deals with welfare cheques for the most vulnerable, has been allocated only $104 million. He queried whether the Barbados Labour Party had left its social democratic moorings.

Thorne’s speech also reported declines in non-sugar agricultural production, investment, real economic growth, and international business while cautioning the government to urgently push for diversification and stop its dependence on tourism.

He also outlined 15 features that act as disincentives to local and foreign investment including excess debt, high inflation, corruption and rampant crime.

The DLP spokesman also listed nine weaknesses in the economy, among them being a high trade deficit, an overtaxed economy, high levels of unearned foreign reserves received through borrowing, and a low labour force participation, particularly by women.

He contended that the government’s touted economic growth was really inflationary growth.

“Growth does not exist in Barbados,” he declared.

emmanueljoseph@barbadostoday.bb

The post Spending Slammed appeared first on Barbados Today.

University of the West Indies (UWI) economics professor Justin Robinson has questioned the creation of a new state-owned enterprise aimed at easing the way Barbados does business proposed in Monday’s Budget.

The academic has also expressed disappointment that the more-than-four-hour presentation by Prime Minister Mia Mottley lacked “fiscal arithmetic” or supporting documentation.

Professor Robinson, a professor of corporate finance and principal of UWI Five Islands, made the comments in his analysis of the Budget which places heavy emphasis on priming the pump for private sector investment.

Reacting to Mottley’s statement delivered in the House of Assembly, Professor Robinson said: “The 2024 budget speech and proposals are heavily focused on facilitating and incentivising private sector investment in a variety of traditional and emerging areas. I am of the view that such a focus is entirely appropriate and I applaud the government for such.”

But, while supportive of the overall focus, Professor Robinson expressed scepticism. “While I support and applaud the focus in the budget, I am not yet persuaded as to the efficacy of a number of the proposed measures in achieving the desired ends and the cohesion of the new investment and corporation tax regime.”

Professor Robinson has questions about plans to establish Business Barbados which the prime minister said will be a critical arm in the “investment architecture” of the country, focusing on ensuring all the services from pre to post-incorporation of companies are seamless.

“It is not clear to me that the creation of a new entity, Business Barbados, which has to become operational and navigate a path around the existing entities is a surefire way to enhance the ease of doing business in Barbados, but only time will tell and I wish the new entity well,” the university principal said.

The 15-point economic strategy which Mottley outlined in her Budget emphasised economic growth, national resilience, and shared economic benefits. It includes public-private partnerships, modernising the tax system, unlocking the mortgage market, increasing access to financing for the private and public sectors, monetising illiquid and derelict assets in the public and private sectors, incentivising a vibrant creative industry and film industry, and unblocking renewable energy investments.

But Professor Robinson called for further clarity on the details of a number of the initiatives, especially those around unblocking investments in renewable energy, which he contended were presented in a “very general way” in the Budget presentation and supporting documentation.

The UWI academic again expressed “serious” doubts about the success of the proposals which demonstrated a major shift in the corporation tax.

His uncertainty also relates to the raft of tax credits “with a new regime around concessions or so-called tax expenditures and the introduction of probably the largest number of investment-related tax credits presented in a budget in Barbados”.

“I am open to persuasion,” Professor Robinson insisted, “but I harbour serious doubts about the effectiveness of corporation tax credits in stimulating investment in a context where the corporation tax rate is already at such a low level.”

The university professor added: “The 2024 Budget includes a number of fiscal measures which are important, well-intentioned and may well boost growth in the economy which is a key element in achieving the debt to GDP target. However,  I find the absence of any fiscal arithmetic in the budget presentation or supporting documentation somewhat disappointing.”

He grounded his disappointment in the fact that he was unable to assess the fiscal impact of the budget and in particular its impact on the achievement of the debt-to-GDP target and the financing needs of the government for the 2024/2025 financial year.

“The administration made a special effort to find fiscal space to provide some eases and incentives to residents of Barbados and this is to be applauded. The Budget rightly focused on facilitating and incentivising private sector investment, but there is scope for debate among reasonable people as to the efficacy and clarity of the proposed measures.

“I am not yet persuaded as to the efficacy of the combination of a low and highly competitive corporation tax rate, incentives targeted at reducing that already low and highly competitive effective corporation rate and the restriction of concessions on the high VAT and import duties.”

The prominent economist contended that only time will tell the effect on the ability of Barbados to attract and retain private investments.

“As a citizen, I am thankful for the eases at the personal level,” he concluded.

emmanueljoseph@barbadostoday.bb

The post Mixed Feelings appeared first on Barbados Today.

Opposition Leader Ralph Thorne on Tuesday sent a stern warning to the Mia Mottley administration not to touch the education system unless the proposed reforms are progressive.

He predicted that having lived through “class” in Barbados, voices will reverberate against any attempts to tamper with the system.

“We mean it when we say it, ‘do not touch education unless those reforms are curricular’,” he said.

Government has been promoting education reform in recent years and late last year, completed a series of town hall-style meetings to invite public input in the consultation on the proposed changes which include sweeping changes to the school system and the curriculum.

Thorne’s warning came early in his reply to the prime minister’s Budget delivered on Monday evening.

“I don’t know if it is embarrassment, but government intends to withdraw from the drastic reforms that it had threatened the freedom-loving people of this country, to dismantle the one institution that emancipated the lives of the oppressed, the dispossessed and the disadvantaged, especially in the 1960s and 1970s.

“If an institution has elevated large segments of this population, why do you want to dismantle it? Why do you want to interfere with it particularly when those proposed reforms were implemented in other countries and those other countries knew and accepted the folly of the reforms.”

A fired-up opposition leader told the House of Assembly that there is a large percentage of the population which understands what education has done for this country and would not stand by to watch it destroyed. He said large settlements in Barbados have benefited from the education system.

“Many of us did not read about race and class in any textbook. It was not an academic exercise. We lived it,” he said. (SP)

The post Gov’t warned against undermining education system appeared first on Barbados Today.

Two men have been remanded to Dodds Prisons after being charged with raping a 15-year-old boy.

Remy Rock, a 35-year-old photographer of Small Land, Bridge Gap, Black Rock, St Michael and sales representative Jerry Husbands, 54, of 1st Avenue Goddings Road, Station Hill, St Michael, appeared in the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday jointly charged that on August 22, 2023, they had sexual intercourse with the minor without his consent, knowing he did not consent or were reckless as to whether he consented.

Husbands, meanwhile, is separately charged that he knowingly allowed a male under the age of 16 years to be in his dwelling for the purpose of having sexual intercourse with him.

The accused were not required to plead to the indictable offences.

Station Sergeant Randolph Boyce said the two were not fit candidates for bail, pointing to the strength of the evidence against them, the need to protect children and that the matter involved two adults and a minor.

He said that Rock was on bail on a similar matter, had been in a position of trust, and could interfere with the witness.

Rock’s attorney Ensley Grainger argued there was no evidence that his client would not attend court, adding that remand would not serve any purpose and that bail conditions could be applied.

In addition, he said, the accused had previously been charged with buggery, the law against which has since been deemed unconstitutional.

Making a bail application on behalf of Husbands, defence lawyer Amoy Gilding-Bourne, appearing in association with Senior Counsel Michael Lashley, asserted that the serious nature of the offence cannot be enough to deny bail, saying that bail is a human right and there is a presumption of innocence.

She also highlighted that Husbands was not known to the courts and was willing to comply with conditions.

However, Chief Magistrate Ian Weekes remanded them both to prison and adjourned the matter until April 16.

The post Duo on rape charge appeared first on Barbados Today.

Opposition Senator Tricia Watson on Tuesday insisted that consumers must be given a fair deal and their rights protected as she raised concern about the direction of the island’s regulatory regime for utilities.

Speaking at the annual post-Budget discussion forum hosted by the Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry and PricewaterhouseCoopers, Senator Watson, a leading consumer advocate in the Barbados Light and Power rate hearings, warned that despite ongoing conversation about investment and other developments in electricity, it is still not clear how Barbadians will benefit.

She insisted that consumers are not preoccupied with technical discussions but simply want a consistent supply of electricity that they can afford.

“As far as Barbadians are concerned, whatever happens, they have to be able to get electricity and they have to be able to pay for it. And we are facing an immediate future where that ability to pay is diminishing every time a decision is issued by the Fair Trading Commission. These are the facts, no manner of political speech is going to change that fact.

“And when people want to know why my interventions are persistent, that is the reason why,” she said.

Senator Watson expressed the view that while authorities repeatedly talk of work being done including studies, consultancies, and papers to advance the sector, consumers are being left behind.

“We are still going full steam ahead with rates setting, tariff setting, doling out licences. How can you do that if you haven’t yet figured out how you are shaping the sector and when you are still trying to figure out the impacts of the work that you will be doing to shape the sector, particularly on consumers?…. That seems to me to be a rather tone-deaf approach to the situation.

“It shows a lack of planning. It shows a lack of consideration for the people who have to pay the bills, the consumers, and every time we hear the members of government speak about this sector, we hear about all of the stakeholder conversations and then consumers, the users who have to pay and who have to pay the inflationary costs of increasing electricity rates are mentioned as also-rans. That also does not make sense to me,” she said.

Senator Watson also warned that Barbados was behind the game in telecommunications reform. She said it was time for the government to review the services that are subject to regulation.

“The government needs to step up its game on its management of the sector, the quality of the network offerings, not just the end product that is offered to consumers but what is happening with the network that is causing the outages and the failings with Internet connectivity, etc. because that too is a critical economic vehicle and we are suffering right now,” the lawyer and former telecommunications specialist said.

“We are challenged with the performance and performance is in the hands of the ministry, not the Fair Trading Commission. That is a licensing issue. It needs to be addressed.”

Senator Watson also urged authorities to look at closer regulation of broadband connectivity, including pricing and performance.

In response, Minister of Energy and Business Senator Lisa Cummins said the government is clear that the protection of consumers has to be paramount.

She stressed that her ministry which holds responsibility for consumer affairs will balance all interests.

“Studying, revising, reforming, updating policy must be a constant activity of any government to make sure that we are fit for purpose and keeping pace with the times. That’s what we do. That’s how we govern, engaging with stakeholders to hear what their concerns are in real-time,” she said. (SD)

The post Watson demands consumer protection in utility regulations appeared first on Barbados Today.

Leader of the Opposition Ralph Thorne has launched a scathing critique of the government’s handling of housing policy, raising concerns about the direction of public resources and the fate of the National Housing Corporation (NHC).

Noting that the NHC has played a pivotal role in providing housing solutions for Barbadians, he expressed apprehension about recent developments, suggesting that the government’s actions were undermining the NHC in favour of private interests.

He said that after the housing agency had given “good service to housing in this country, not only as a landlord but as a builder, it appears as if this government is dismantling the National Housing Corporation in favour of private interests”.

“There are people in that National Housing Corporation tonight who fear that they’re not going to have a job in the near future,” Thorne told the House of Assembly.

“ . . . . This government is on a trajectory of dismantling or appearing to be dismantling the National Housing Corporation, the successor to the Housing Authority which served honest Barbarians over the last 50, 60 years. . . . A few years ago, this government incorporated something called HOPE [Home Ownership Providing Energy] and HOPE seems to be bringing despair to the employment rights of those in the National Housing Corporation.”

Drawing attention to a letter dated January 30, 2024, addressed to the Chief Executive Officer of a private entity named HOPE Inc., Thorne highlighted what he perceived as the NHC’s capitulation to private interests. The correspondence outlined the allocation of vast tracts of land to HOPE Inc. for a housing project, a move that the opposition leader characterised as a betrayal of public trust.

“….Total acres of lands to be conveyed to HOPE is in the sum of 478.2 acres of this precious Barbadian soil where the blood of the slaves irrigate trees and bear sweet fruit, and along comes a private company masquerading with a public status and a Parliament of this country hands it to that private company in masquerade. . .  . 478.2 acres, and the people in this country should be pleased, and the people at National Housing Corporation should be pleased that they are to be sent home eventually because that is what the government will do,” the opposition leader charged.

Thorne expressed further concern about the financial management of housing projects, particularly the disbursement of public funds, criticising the allocation of $60 million from the Housing Credit Fund to HOPE Inc.

“The housing credit fund exhausted its coffers in the amount of $60 million belonging to the taxpayers of this country, which has been paid to HOPE. And what has HOPE delivered? … That land at Lancaster was valued at 18 dollars a square foot. HOPE got the lands at $2.50 per square foot. Land reduced in value . . . . Lancaster is finding its land values reduced for the sake of a sale.

“The taxpayers of this country need to know this. And $60 million later from the housing credit fund, we have 131 solutions…. 131 houses and $60 million of the taxpayers’ money has been paid out,” Thorne said as he chastised the government.

Thorne also raised concern about the government’s spending habits, with large allocations made to the Prime Minister’s Office for the upcoming financial year, amid job losses. He questioned why the Office of the Prime Minister was receiving the third highest allocation in the Budget, $188 million.

“While the Prime Minister’s Office is allocated that sum of $188 million in one financial year, we are sending home people in this country. We are telling them they are not worthy to grace the fields of our employment,” Thorne told Parliament.

He also drew attention to travel for the recent climate change conference in Dubai, alleging that 67 people went on the trip at the expense of taxpayers, and questioning what the government had to show for it.

Thorne also took issue with the number of consultants on the government’s payroll, suggesting the current administration was “a government of consultancy”.
(RG)

The post NHC COLLAPSE? appeared first on Barbados Today.

By Shamar Blunt

The Budget’s support for the island’s dairy and crop farmers in the form of increased rebates is “crucial” for the growth of farming, two agricultural leaders have told Barbados TODAY.

The President of the Dairy and Beef Producers Association, Annette Beckett, and Chief Executive Officer of the Barbados Agricultural Society (BAS) James Paul weighed in on the wide array of aid measures targeting the farming industry.

Beckett said that the announced rebate on cow purchases rising from 50 per cent (maximum $4 000) to 80 per cent (maximum $6 400) per cow, was a great sign for farmers.

“It’s not just a step in the right direction, it is a crucial step at this time, because we must get those cows in, in order to raise the production so that Pine Hill Dairy can have the milk to export. It’s a cycle,” she said. “We are elated that the rebate has been raised to 80 per cent…. What it is, is that whatever the cost of the cow that we are bringing in, $6 400 is going to be the rebate of the price, which is great. Cows usually cost about $9 000 now.”

Beckett also said the 45 per cent rebate on hay purchases for three years, including the 60 per cent rebate (up to $40 000) on forage harvesters, trailers, and other harvesting equipment, should improve the profitability prospects for farmers and increase milk production.

“In that Budget speech, [the prime minister] spoke [of] an incentive for hay, which is [good]. Overall it is a good package for the dairy industry because it covers several aspects of the industry. Also [incentives for] equipment [and] housing for the animals, that has also gone up. It is a total package that will redound to the efficiency and financial viability of the farmers,” she said.

President of the Dairy and Beef Producers Association Annette Beckett. (FP)

Paul backed Beckett on the rebates for forage harvesters, saying that nutritious forage for animals has been overlooked for far too long.

“One of the things in Barbados that we do is take for granted a lot, the quality of the forage that is provided to the animals … .The whole question of forage management is something that we need to pay attention to in order for this particular rebate to be successful,” he said.

“You don’t want a situation where the quality of the forage being provided to the animals does not meet the nutritional requirements for the animals at the same time.”

Some of the other rebates included in the Budget were a $1 000 incentive per young heifer for stock replenishment; rebate on establishing pasture lands increased from $202 to $1 000 per acre; rebate for infrastructure repair increased from 25 per cent (max $60 000) to 40 per cent (max $600 000) and 60 per cent rebate (max $60 000) for upgrading to innovative and digital technologies.

“Over the years, farmers have always been looking to introduce new technologies, so I would expect that with some research and some assistance we in the BAS can give to farmers, that certainly we want to try to take advantage of that particular rebate,” Paul said.

Meanwhile, the BAS head called for a refocusing of efforts to improve veterinary services, as the country currently lacks a robust group of professionals who can tend to large animals.

“One of the big issues we have in Barbados is the shortage of large animal vets. Many of the vets that are basically graduating from school today, a lot of them are just interested in pets. What we need in Barbados is a greater cadre of large animal vets,” he said.

shamarblunt@barbadostoday.bb

The post Farming group leaders back rebates for dairy, crops appeared first on Barbados Today.

Though small by comparison to the throng of Barbados Labour Party supporters who converged at Parliament on Monday, the welcome for Opposition Leader Ralph Thorne by the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) faithful was not lacking in enthusiasm as he prepared to deliver his reply to Prime Minister Mia Mottley’s Budget address.

Members of the DLP shadow cabinet, including party leader Dr Ronnie Yearwood and former foreign minister Maxine McClean, arrived at the Parliament buildings shortly after 2:15 p.m., dressed in blue and yellow party colours, and conversed with one another and party supporters while waiting for Thorne’s arrival.

As Thorne’s vehicle approached, the crowd almost immediately roared into life, screaming praise and support for what many of them believed was the needed opposition voice.

After hugging and gifting him with a flurry of hugs and a bouquet, supporters joined in on a prayer for Thorne, asking for divine protection and support for the opposition leader.

After Thorne entered parliament to deliver his reply to the budget, one elderly woman said a lack of focus on the plight of senior citizens and the cost of living in Mottley’s speech on Monday was disheartening.

“I’m a senior citizen and there was nothing in the budget for senior citizens or pensioners. It’s very difficult for us to survive under a harsh regime. A lot of us seniors, some of us are diabetic, some of us are hypertensive, and lots of other ailments that the seniors in Barbados have, and there was no provision made for us,” she said.

“I now come from in the supermarket to look at some prices, and the prices that were there last week, they are no longer there, they are much higher. [Thorne] is going to address the issues, he can’t address all right now, but whatever he does we welcome him.”

Another supporter chimed: “She [Mottley] also said it would be a no-tax budget but adjustments will be made later. What are those adjustments? It means you will have to pay something.”
(SB)

The post On Thorne’s side appeared first on Barbados Today.

The Sol Group, the Caribbean’s leading supplier of energy solutions has launched SolXtendTM, a game-changing fuel in Barbados. The company says that this new fuel gives drivers more miles per tank while protecting their vehicles’ engines and reducing engine maintenance.

SolXtendTM is available at all 14 Sol service stations across the island.

”SolXtend removes deposits from the engine and coats the intake system of the engine with a protective film to prevent further deposits from developing,” explained Rochene Yarde, Sol’s Regional Manager – Marketing Success. She added that the new fuel gives drivers a cleaner engine system which results in more miles and less engine maintenance.

Commenting on the effectiveness of the new fuel, she noted that because of the powerful cleaning effect of the SolXtend formula, engine deposits are significantly reduced after just 3 full tanks of this new fuel.

Yarde added that The Sol Group is committed to delivering only the best energy products in the markets in which they operate, and that the company has a long history of listening to their customers, and being innovative and proactive about constantly improving their products as technology advances and as the needs of its customers evolve.

She noted that this advanced fuel was developed after extensive market research, testing and development, and that they are satisfied that this fuel will not just meet, but exceed the expectations of customers.

Yarde invited Barbadian drivers to give the fuel a try. “If you’re already a Sol customer, you’ll immediately start benefitting from SolXtend. If you’re not already a Sol customer, we invite you to try SolXtend and experience the benefits for yourself,” she said.

Sol was introduced to the Barbadian market in 2005. General Manager of Sol (Barbados) Ltd Roger Barrow said the company was proud to continue to fulfil its commitment to delivering advanced, world class fuels to customers.
(PR)

The post Sol launches new fuel appeared first on Barbados Today.

Fire officers based at the Grantley Adams International Airport appeared to be off the job this morning. They are currently meeting with Chief Fire Officer Errol Maynard to discuss their concerns.

(More details as they come)

The post Fire Chief meets with officers based at GAIA appeared first on Barbados Today.

There has been a notable, more pro-business shift in the Budget that aligns with Barbados Economic Recovery and Transformation (BERT) II objectives, chairman of the Barbados Private Sector Association (BPSA) Tricia Tannis told a business community post-Budget forum.

Speaking at the forum sponsored by accounting firm PriceWaterhouseCoopers and the Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, Tannis told an audience of industry captains and academia that this year’s Budget ticked several boxes “in a much more compelling way”, compared to last year’s which she said missed the mark.

“Regrettably, due to the imposition of various restrictions brought about by the pandemic, there was lots of unfinished business in the first International Monetary Fund BERT I programme, notably the business facilitation and the reforms and the transformation needed, particularly in the public sector, to support those reforms. Therefore, BERT II essentially came with lots of imperatives that definitely created a lot more urgency around business facilitation and growth [which is] extremely important to BERT II,” Tannis said, noting that the Budget had addressed this.

“There is a sense that things are definitely very well in control as long, dependent, and caveated on the continued growth of the economy. And therefore, we are extremely happy with the majority of the content of the budget. We’ve been asking for several years, if not longer, for ease of doing business, business facilitation, regulatory transparency, and the like.”  

At the same time, Tannis called for greater coherence in legislative efforts but cautioned against unintended consequences stemming from disjointed policies. 

Citing the need for seamless integration across regulatory frameworks, she again returned to the controversial Labour Clauses (Concessions) Act passed last month to regulate the public money paid to businesses based on their adherence to minimal labour standards.

“I was listening last night, for instance, to see the connection or the nexus between the concessionary amendments that have been announced and the Labour Clauses (Concessions) Act. I didn’t hear it and maybe it’s something that we do need to highlight,” she said.

Expressing concern about productivity and diversification, Tannis lamented the closure of the Barbados Productivity Council, noting that measuring and improving productivity levels in the country were crucial markers of development. She also suggested that a deeper focus on economic diversification beyond traditional sectors was needed to enhance resilience against external shocks.

“With [the closure of the Productivity Council], we lost our capacity, however flawed perhaps, to at least attempt to measure productivity in this country. And as much as we speak about growth, if we don’t speak about productivity similarly and with the same level of passion, we are essentially going to be sub-optimising. However we grow, we are going to be sub-optimising, simply because we’re not going to achieve the multiplier effect of growing productively and sustainably,” the BPSA chairman said.

“There is a bit of urgency and impatience with essentially the investment climate, and that’s understandable. But I would also say that we do need to look more seriously at diversification, and not just diversification within the existing sectors but how do we actually diversify outside of the existing sectors to really bring a high level of resilience.

”Such that if we are hit with a climate catastrophe, we are not wholly dependent on perhaps a much more diversified tourism sector, but still a tourism sector, nevertheless, that is going to be negatively impacted, and catastrophically so, by climate impacts.”

The BCCI also gave a thumbs up to the budgetary proposals. President James Clarke said the initiatives outlined by the Prime Minister sought to “provide incentives in a more navigable regulatory environment to create simpler paths to unlocking private sector capital in the country”.

“The creation of Business Barbados and the digitalisation of all government services onto a common platform, coupled with the strengthening of digital space and skills in Barbados, is most welcome. And this will no doubt feed right into the burgeoning film industry, which utilises many of these same said digital skills,” he said. 

Turning his attention to the renewable energy sector, the chamber president expressed concern about inadequate storage capacity on the grid. Urging swift action, he contended an area of investment which required urgent attention was the restarting of the renewable energy market, which he said was currently stalled due to the lack of storage capacity on the grid.

“We understand that the government, specifically the Ministry of Energy and Business, is actively engaged in the procurement of such battery storage whilst the Barbados Light and Power are still awaiting a decision from the Fair Trading Commission regarding their clean energy transition rider application which will allow them to recover the costs associated with the green energy transition including the purchase of storage batteries.

“At present, there is about $60 million tied up in completed renewable energy projects awaiting the installation of storage batteries so that they can be connected to the grid. The time is of the essence to procure these storage systems, to restart the market and to meet Barbados’ clean energy transition goals. So, we all know that the proof of the pudding is in the eating and I certainly like a good pudding as much as anybody else,” Clarke said. (RG)

The post BPSA, BCCI praise Govt’s pro-business package appeared first on Barbados Today.

Health care in Barbados has gone mobile with the launch of the Ministry of Health and Wellness’ new accessible service, Healthcare on Wheels.

The mobile clinic, which hit the road earlier this month, will specifically target communities across Barbados, including schools and businesses.

It will be run by public health nurses and it is expected that the preventative and diagnostic care offered will include routine immunisations, checks for non-communicable diseases, and PAP smears.

Healthcare on Wheels was launched to assist in the provision of healthcare to Barbadians via community-based interventions.

This new and innovative service is intended to increase public access to primary healthcare services and engage members of the public who find it difficult to get to polyclinics.

The mobile clinic service will operate from the following polyclinics:

Randal Phillips, Oistins, Christ Church
Eunice Gibson, Warrens, St. Michael
Branford Taitt, Black Rock, St Michael
Maurice Byer, Station Hill, St Peter
There will also be collaborative outreach programmes with the other clinics.

Healthcare on Wheels operates from Tuesday to Friday each week, and various districts in the catchment areas of these four clinics will be serviced. The services are free, and all are welcome to access them.

It is part of the Ministry of Health and Wellness’ plan to improve service delivery and access to healthcare by meeting the needs of citizens.

Additionally, it will assist the Ministry in achieving Universal Health Coverage, as outlined by the World Health Organization, and strives to fulfill Sustainable Development Goal No. 3, which is ‘Good Health and Wellbeing for All’. (BGIS)

The post Ministry of health launches mobile clinic appeared first on Barbados Today.

“Rock Your Socks” Day is tomorrow, Thursday, March 21. This reminder has come from President of the Barbados Down Syndrome Association, Asha Alleyne-Renwick, who is encouraging Barbadians to support the initiative.

Mrs. Alleyne-Renwick, in an interview with the Barbados Government Information Service (BGIS), today, said: “We look forward to the support of all Barbadians, every year, for World Down Syndrome Day, as we all rock our socks.

“This year is no exception and we do so recognising the theme: End the Stereotypes, where we are hoping to dispel the many negative stereotypes associated with people with Down Syndrome.”

While noting that the sale of socks this year has been remarkable, with persons being “quite supportive”, she urged all persons to continue contributing to the effort by purchasing the socks from the Association and wearing and showcasing them on the various media platforms.

World Down Syndrome Day is observed on March 21, every year.  It is dedicated to raising awareness and promoting understanding of the neurodevelopmental disorder which affects both communication and social interaction. (BGIS)

The post “Rock Your Socks” On March 21 appeared first on Barbados Today.

The Ministry of Education, Technological and Vocational Training has advised that all public secondary schools will be closed on Thursday, March 21, and Friday, March 22.

According to the Ministry, this is to facilitate maximum participation in the Barbados Secondary Schools’ Athletic Championships (BSSAC), to be held over the two-day period. School will resume on Monday, March 25.

The post All public secondary schools to close for BSSAC appeared first on Barbados Today.

Armed with photographs as evidence, Senior Minister Dr William Duguid declared that empty land and a big hole was all the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) left behind on the site of what is now the Wyndham Grand Sam Lord’s Castle Resort in St Philip.

Duguid was hitting back at recent comments made by former Tourism Minister Richard Sealy that the Mia Mottley administration has been taking credit for the DLP administration’s success on various tourism projects.

Sealy recently told the DLP’s discussion forum, the People’s House, “I would think that six years on, that we should have a few new projects and that we shouldn’t be hearing from government ministers, ‘the project is about to start, the project is about to start, is about to start’. Since 2018, we’ve been hearing that. This is now 2024. ”

“You go down the list, Sam Lord’s Castle is about to be opened in 2024. In 2018, we had completed, certainly, the showrooms and a couple of the blocks. It should not have taken six years to complete. But anyhow, it’s here and we are happy.”

But Duguid told the Lower Chamber on Tuesday night during the Budget debate that nothing could be further from the truth.

“So I asked for the facts and I asked that they share with me information and some pictures about how the Sam Lord’s Castle site looked in 2018 when the Democratic Labor Party left office, that’s what they showed me. A cleared way land with a big hole in it,” he said.

Holding up a second photograph showing the completed resort, the minister said, “This is what Sam Lord’s Castle looks like today. A 422-room hotel operating and attracting guests.”

He further outlined that several changes were made at the site, including the development of a new back office and redesigned rooms that made another 17 acres available for another hotel next door to Sam Lord’s.

The senior minister reported that the resort which opened its doors in October last year currently has 80 per cent occupancy, employs 477 Barbadians and is projected to earn millions for the economy. At full occupancy, it can accommodate 1 000 guests.

“It is estimated that the facility could bring US$50 million into this economy annually once we ramp up to full occupancy…. And we haven’t talked about all the ancillary services, all the farmers that could sell their produce and are selling their produce. We ain’t talk about the taxis, the tour operators, all the people that will have opportunities,” he contended.

Minister Duguid said the property which has hosted two major conferences this year is set to host international events in 2025 as well. (SD)

The post ‘NOT TRUE’ appeared first on Barbados Today.

The 2023 Budget proposals outlined by the prime minister on Monday contain an impressive array of initiatives aimed at unlocking higher economic growth, facilitating investment, and transitioning Barbados into a digitally advanced and sustainable economy. From regulatory reforms to renewable energy integration, and economic diversification to business facilitation—the scope and ambition are worthy of praise.

But, as Barbadians—consumers and producers—evaluate these policies, we must be wary of two potential pitfalls: the Nirvana Fallacy of judging proposals against an idealised, impractical benchmark; as well as valid concerns around these policies’ affordability and implementation risks.

The Nirvana Fallacy manifests when critics dismiss good policies because they fall short of some conceived idea of perfection or utopia. Many positive elements deserve to be acknowledged: ongoing debt restructuring, a focus on growth, digitalisation thrust, and renewable energy transition being notable examples that also align with our nation’s sustainable development needs.

That said, the prime minister’s proposals are not exempt from scrutiny. Legitimate questions arise around costs and funding sources for a spending bill of $2 091 251 364 for the next fiscal year. We are concerned that new tax incentives and spending, such as refundable public-private sector partnership credits, could strain public finances without commensurate revenue-raising measures outlined. Despite highlighting debt reduction, the proposals involve several new tax incentives, credits and expenditures–50 per cent PPP credits, 100 per cent digitalisation credits, and financing renewable energy storage—which could strain public finances.

And once again, cometh another Budget cometh the risk of overambition. Growth targets of four to five per cent in our permanently open, fragile economy are optimistic. This rosy forecast belies our dependence on tourism and big-ticket items like the Cricket World Cup to lay the proverbial golden egg. In the longer term, the goals for developing renewable energy still require a clear roadmap—particularly as the 2030 ‘year of green energy’ looms. The government’s proposed timelines appear to be overambitious given the requirements of integrating large-scale storage infrastructure, regulatory reforms, procurement processes and investment flows needed to facilitate this energy transition. And, as always, global headwinds and uncertainties could derail such lofty goals. What, then, is our Plan B?

But above all, an agenda this wide-ranging brings implementation challenges—and the risk of implementation deficits. From regulatory reforms across sectors to digitising government processes and supporting economic diversification, the administration is more than aware of the strained capacity of central government; after all, the introduction of multiple consultants suggests a skill and expertise deficit, as the administration keeps pointing out. These reforms may not deliver the anticipated results if not prioritised and introduced in an optimal sequence.

Barbadian economic transformation is an incremental process requiring pragmatic steps, not radical disruption. The government must strive to balance the scale and pace of reforms with fiscal sustainability and our capacity to absorb these sea changes.

The growth strategies’ heavy reliance on private investments and lending could disappoint while economic confidence remains tepid—sweeping regulatory changes, while well-intentioned, risk creating uncertainties that could deter the very investments being courted.

Here is a paragraph from a Barbadian newspaper editorial praising the government’s plans to smooth the mortgage process, while also seeking more details: We welcome the government’s announcement of measures to ease the notoriously slow and cumbersome process of obtaining a mortgage in Barbados. As a people deeply invested in home ownership, delays in excess of four to six months are unacceptable drags on our economic development and personal dreams of securing a piece of the rock. It took the government’s own frustrations as it sought to get the HOPE housing project off the ground; nonetheless, the government is now fully aware that too many prospective homeowners have had real estate transactions needlessly held up by rigid banking requirements, inefficient systems across agencies, and antiquated land tenure processes.

However, the lack of specific details leaves some questions unanswered. While amending the Crown Lands Act to provide indefeasible titles for state land transfers is a start, more clarity is needed on how the government intends to encourage our private commercial banks to modernise their mortgage lending practices and develop new products to facilitate affordable home ownership. With over $2 billion in investments already stalled, mere exhortations may prove insufficient in inspiring the financial industry’s cooperation.

The devil is in the details. We eagerly await a deeper and more thorough explanation of the policies and incentive structures to unclog this mortgage bottleneck. We contend that the rot began with the government getting out of the mortgage market with the sale of the Barbados Mortgage Finance Company. Perhaps it is time for a mortgage finance guarantee corporation to help put more Barbadians into more homes at a faster pace.

Barbadians ought to thoughtfully, maturely and soberly analyse and discuss the Budget proposals—neither dismissing them outright as imperfect nor blindly endorsing an agenda that could overextend our capabilities and resources. Nuanced policies that learn from global best practices while adapting to our unique realities would serve us better.

We suggest the administration should return to Parliament in the third quarter of the year with a progress report and propose tweaks to this ambitious agenda. On business facilitation, for example, the government is to create Business Barbados Inc. to grease the wheels of commerce; we need to know whether this and other projects on the administration’s laundry list have begun to work.

Economic transformation is a journey, not a destination. A measured approach implementing demonstrated solutions, while allowing room to course-correct, may yield more sustainable progress than attempting an overambitious overhaul. Yet, we are satisfied that the Prime Minister of Barbados—a woman in a hurry—appears willing to change tack when required. Nirvana? No. But we cannot dismiss the steps that are being taken to create a mission economy.

Striking balance is crucial as we build capacity, harness opportunities, manage weaknesses, and combat threats to secure broad-based prosperity for all Barbadians, current and yet unborn. Reasoned policies, together with our famed pragmatism, will steer us towards that cherished goal.

The post Balance, not drama, should be the path for economic transformation appeared first on Barbados Today.

The Ministry of Education, Technological and Vocational Training has advised that all public secondary schools will be closed on Thursday, March 21, and Friday, March 22.

According to the ministry, this is to facilitate maximum participation in the Barbados Secondary Schools’ Athletic Championships (BSSAC) being held over the two days.

School will resume next Monday, March 25.
(BGIS)

The post Secondary schools closed for BSSAC appeared first on Barbados Today.

Housing minister Dwight Sutherland has categorically denied that the National Housing Corporation (NHC) is on the verge of collapse, instead revealing that the state-owned organisation is being repurposed better to serve the country’s needs.

While speaking in the House of Assembly on Wednesday during the debate on the Appropriation Bill 2024, Sutherland said that the accusations made by Leader of the Opposition Ralph Thorne on Tuesday that the NHC was being undermined in favour of private interests were misleading at best, as the organisation is still playing a critical role in providing housing solutions to citizens.

He said discussions were currently underway with the unions to adjust the functioning of the entity.

“How can you want to shut down National Housing when we have forecast some $43.4 million from joint venture arrangements, and private-public partnerships to build houses in this country? We have here listed joint ventures for the National Housing Corporation for the year 2024/2025, projected revenue of $2.156 million.

“National Housing Corporation is a viable entity, and we have repurposed National Housing to focus on maintenance of estates, and we have started with discussions with the trade union movement; we have recognised both bargaining units – NUPW [National Union of Public Workers] and Barbados Workers’ Union. We’ve had preliminary discussions and NHC will be repurposed, and NHC will become financially viable without the drain and the strain on the Consolidated Fund.”

During his reply to the Budget speech, Thorne also sought to draw attention to a letter dated January 30, addressed to the Chief Executive Officer of HOPE Inc., the privately owned firm created by the government to build homes under the Home Ownership Providing Energy (HOPE) project. Thorne said the correspondence outlined the allocation of vast tracts of land to HOPE Inc. for a housing project which he saw as a betrayal of the public trust.

But, Sutherland lashed out at the notion that anything “nefarious” or “sinister” occurred, stating that the lands allocated to HOPE were all part of projects outlined in Parliament to be part of the ongoing construction of new housing solutions for Barbadians.

He said: “[The letter] speaks to Branchbury West; Bright Hall, St Lucy, 40 acres; Colleton, St John, 27 acres; Cottage, St George; Golden Grove, St Philip; Guinea, St John; Harmony Cottage, St George; Lower Burney, St Michael; Lowlands, St Lucy; Marchfield, St Philip; Market Hill, St George; Nesfield, St Lucy; Padmore Village, St Philip; Shorey Village, St Andrew; [and] Colleton, St Lucy, 478 acres that can translate into 5 579 housing solutions for ordinary Barbadians, and he is referring to this as some sinister and nefarious document. Well, I have made it a document of the House.”

Sutherland further stressed that despite the opposition leader’s assertions, HOPE Inc. remained a state-owned enterprise.

“HOPE is a commercial state-owned enterprise, with the government being the only and sole shareholder of that state-owned enterprise, and it is not a private company. It has a board of directors that was set up by the Cabinet of Barbados. While we don’t intervene in the daily operations, it is similar to the Grantley Adams International Airport, it is similar to Barbados Tourism Investment Inc, [and] it is similar to the QEH.

“We know that it was grossly misleading and erroneous to the public of Barbados when the member for Christ Church South – and soon to be former member – got in this chamber and misled the public. He has to come back to the public and say sorry,” Sutherland said.

He also strongly denied that NHC was freely giving land away to HOPE.

“Land vested in NHC is converted or transferred to HOPE at a cost… $2.50 per square foot. But why are we doing this? We are doing this to keep the costs of homeownership down for the ordinary Barbadian. We recognise as a government, we have to subsidise, so we decided to cap the cost of services and the cost of land. We are not selling at market value,” he sought to explain.

Thorne also raised concerns about the financial management of housing projects, notably the flow of public funding, and criticised the allocation of $60 million from the Housing Credit Fund to HOPE Inc.

“And $60 million later from the Housing Credit Fund, we have 131 solutions…. 131 houses and $60 million of the taxpayers’ money has been paid out,” the opposition leader had said.

But Sutherland explained that money borrowed from the fund was all above board, unlike what occurred under the Democratic Labour Party (DLP): “The facts would have it that the Democratic Labour Party took $75 million from the Housing Credit Fund to build the Grotto, and to build Valerie, the money was paid directly to the builder, and to date they have not repaid the Housing Credit Fund.”

He added: “You know how much the Grotto and Valerie were built at? $653 per square foot, and one at $651 a square foot. That is Sandy Lane prices. You know what is $651 a square foot back in 2014? Look at inflation and see how much that is now. Ask me how much we are building at [under HOPE]…. We are building at less than $380 a square foot.”

Sutherland said the DLP also had to answer for what occurred at the General Workers Loan Fund when they were in power.

“The General Workers Loan Fund was a fund that any persons who are building a home – it was administered by National Housing Corporation – can indeed borrow money from that fund to put on a little toilet and bath, they can borrow the money to buy land, they can borrow the money to do home improvement. The Democratic Labour Party that the member for Christ Church South has hitched his wagon against spent $10 million of the General Workers Loan Fund money to the point now that it is bankrupt. That is what happened at NHC.”
(SB)

The post ‘Hope-ful’ appeared first on Barbados Today.

Former Minister of State in the Ministry of Health Dr Sonia Browne says Barbados urgently needs a new hospital.

Insisting that the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) is in need of attention, she said building a new general hospital was more urgent than a new geriatric hospital which is being constructed in Waterford.

“If I had a choice, knowing the ills within the hospital setting, the issues within the hospital – the infrastructure, pipes bursting, sewage pipes bursting and you can’t reach them because the wards are full, [we need a new hospital],” the St Philip North MP said on Wednesday as she contributed to Budget debate in the House of Assembly.

“In order to fix some of the issues we would have to empty a ward, which is darn near impossible. In my view, we need a new public hospital, probably a little more urgently than the [geriatric hospital].”

The medical practitioner, who resigned from her ministerial position in January after two years on the job, suggested it would have been better to build a new public hospital and relocate elderly patients to the QEH location.

“My vision would have been to build a new public general hospital, renovate the old [QEH] for the elderly – the elderly do not need as much care as the general hospital; they don’t need theatres; they don’t need labs in-house particularly; they won’t need the office space, they won’t need a lot.

“So, If I had to be president for a day – and I say president on purpose – this is one of the things I would really look into. The hospital really, really needs help and we cannot get a lot further in the building as it is,” she said.

Minister of Health Senator Dr Jerome Walcott, during the Estimates debate last week, said the government is moving ahead with plans for the expansion of the QEH to the former Enmore Clinic complex, with the hope that it can be completed within the next two to two-and-a-half years.

Though expressing a preference for priority to be given to a general hospital, the government backbencher said she was “glad in some ways about the new geriatric hospital”.

Construction is being done in two phases. The first will feature 300 beds in a three-storey main building. There will also be ten lounges and two treatment rooms per floor, rehabilitation and daycare facilities, an isolation ward, and a pool for therapy. In the second phase, 105 beds will be added.

Dr Browne said she expected there would be a need for more than those total 400 beds.

 She expressed concern about the growing problem of Barbadians leaving their elderly relatives at the QEH and called for legislation to address it.

The former minister indicated that in some cases, “well to do” families were engaging in this bad practice. She gave an example of a 90-year-old man whose family had left him at the QEH and were living in his house and refused to take him home.

“In my time [working at the QEH] we would put him in an ambulance and take him home where he belongs. But this is not happening. So I’m hoping to see legislation enacted that will have some sort of control in [cases of] these elderly people being dropped off at the hospital for care,” Dr Browne said. “After they’re well they need to go home or find a more suitable facility.” (DP)

The post New hospital needed, says Dr Browne appeared first on Barbados Today.