Today, Opposition Leader Mia Mottley held a Press conference in her office at Parliament.
Mottley said the country was in a crisis and we “cannot keep burying our heads in the sand”.
She said the debate this past week by the various trade unions was a futile exercise as it would not carry the country to “safety”.
Here are some key points from that address:
– Mottley asked all concerned Barbadians to lobby the groups which can help turn the crisis around.
– She will be making a ‘state of the nation’ address next month, and will lay out all of the facts.
– There is a need for the restoration of confidence in the office of the Minister of Finance.
– Barbadians must decide where they want to go.
– Sacrifices are being asked, but they must not be in vain.
– The Central Banks of Barbados must remain neutral.
– The Governor of the Central Bank must give monthly rather than quarterly reports given the grave nature of the situation.
– Government must stop the partisan approach to devising solutions.
– The Prime Minister can no longer remain silent.
– The Government needs to establish an Eminent Persons Group no later than January 6, 2014 to address the economic situation.
– This group should be given no more than four weeks to report back.
– Suggestions on who should comprise this group should come from the Government, Opposition and trade unions.
Mottley said there were three critical problems affecting the country. She said the fiscal deficit was uncontrollable, the foreign reserves were continuing to decline and the economy was not viable; not a single sector was performing.
The Opposition Leader said these three problems should be addressed as a matter of urgency by the Eminent Persons Group and this represented the last chance to turn things around. (SAT)
