Opposition Leader Mia Mottley has indicated that she will be embarking on a plan she hopes will at least help Barbadians to feel better about themselves despite the economic challenges.
And she is calling on church groups, trade unions, other organizations, as well as the Freundel Stuart administration to join her as she prepares to “cross party lines” in an effort to carry out her plan.
Stating that she spent the past few weeks “reflecting on where we are as a country and what we need to do”, Mottley said it was important that steps were taken to clean up garbage across the island and help those who are less fortunate.
Opposition Leader Mia Mottley.
“We are going through difficult times but our resilience as a people will depend less on what Government does and more on our inclination to rise to the occasion,” said Mottley.
She was addressing the recent launch of the NISE 100 Improvements KAMS Aquarium Fish Shop Community Project in Browns Gap, Hothersal Turning.
Saying that there was no excuse for not keeping the country clean, Mottley said that over the next six weeks she would be starting a campaign in the Bridgetown area to encourage people to do more in keeping their surroundings clean.
Saying that she was ashamed of the state of the island when it came to cleanliness, Mottley said: “I am going to reach across party lines and reach out to every entity”.
The St Michael North East MP said there were also too many stories in Barbados about people not being able to cope, and she wanted that matter to be addressed.
“We need to make sure that nobody goes to sleep hungry . . . and while there is no direct symbiotic relationship between crime and unemployment, the truth is we all know that a person is more likely to take risk when they are desperate,” she said.
“And between churches, organizations, civic and political and families, we need to do better to make sure that as we find our way back to prosperity we are ensuring that no one falls off the edge.”
Mottley said there should also be a long-term goal for every child in Barbados was taught to read and swim.
She also called for Barbadians to be more respectful of and polite to each other.
“There is no doubt that we have a long road ahead of us. There is no doubt that there are serious problems that we face and there is no doubt that we will debate across the isle, but what I do know is that as Barbadians, you, me, everyone can bind together on those four objectives,” said Mottley.