BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, (GIS) – Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley is insisting that her government’s third term in office will be “fully anchored” by the six national 2030 Missions which were established following consultations with the social partnership and the public.
Addressing the swearing-in ceremony at CARIFESTA House, Waterford, St Michael, Monday, the prime minister stressed that the focus would also be determined by the willingness to “remain faithful to the BERT 3.0 programme, which outlines the importance of competitiveness and productivity.
“A modern economy must do more than simply create jobs…. It must create decent jobs…, it must raise output…, [it] must raise incomes, and above all else, it must create opportunities for ordinary Bajans to do the things that would help lift them up,” Mottley maintained.
While emphasising that government would continue to protect the most vulnerable in the society, the prime minister challenged all Barbadians to match government’s effort by demonstrating more creativity by thinking “outside of the box” in their jobs and encouraging their peers to follow suit.
She believes that exploring new ways to do tasks is a step in the right direction. “The old ways of doing things simply do not work… and one of the cultural realities that we must confront as a people is that while we have been taught to stay comfortable in our position and to hold on to things like an anchor, we sometimes need in this world to raise ourselves above and…see how best we can do things differently, looking and thinking outside the box,” she stressed.
Prime minister Mottley further stated: “Barbados will only win…if we become more productive, respect each other, …reflect the kindness and courtesies which we were taught when we were young, and if we simply do the best that we can. Let me be frank, if everybody goes to work and does what they are supposed to do, life for everyone in Barbados will be so, so much better.”
Mottley announced plans for a National Competitiveness Commission to assist government in identifying and fixing the hindrances to productivity by sectors while exploring new avenues to boost efficiency.
“This is not intended to be an academic commission, and it will address the issues sectorally, both in the large sectors…like tourism, and in the very critical sectors of vending and hawking, because that is what keeps many a Bajan household alive in this country,” she underlined.
