Banker Robert LeHunte supports any economic plan that will revive this country’s financial fortunes.
LeHunte was responding to a call earlier this week from Sir Courtney Blackman, the first Governor of the Central Bank, to put a lid on public spending by imposing a freeze on public sector wages.
“I am supporting anything that will put us on the right track. If someone as eminent as Sir Courtney Blackman is putting forward that as a solution, it is worthy of serious consideration.
“These are crucial times and any solution that will help us to achieve the goal of economic recovery cannot be disregarded,” he said.LeHunte said that a wage freeze, increased taxation, or a combination of the above are all options that need to be explored.
“We just can’t do nothing. It can’t be business as usual. We have to work together to turn things around for Barbados,” he said.
LeHunte told the SATURDAY SUN that Barbados’ financial position had reached a critical position, adding that the time had come for the country to “put its house in order”.
He said that Barbados had much to build on like the success of the tripartite arrangement and the discipline of its people.
“Those are two strong ingredients that Barbados has had for such a long time; the relationship between labour, business and Government, along with the discipline of its people.
“The decision-makers have been able to sit down at critical times and chart the way forward. That has differentiated Barbados from many countries in the Caribbean and the world,” he said.
LeHunte said that if there was ever a time for the tripartite arrangement to reach optimal level, “it must be now”.
He stressed that debt levels must come down.