PM: Wages took 50 per cent

GOVERNMENT had to take urgent action to protect the economy of Barbados because over 50 per cent of its earnings went to salaries and wages.
Prime Minister Freundel Stuart made the comment after the start of 3 000 temporary public workers being issued with letters of termination yesterday, starting with employees of the National Housing Corporation.
Stuart, who was fielding questions from the audience at Hilton Barbados during the Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s first luncheon for the year yesterday, said there was a school of opinion which felt that action should have been taken earlier.
He, however, said he wanted to protect the vunerable as long as it was “humanly possible” and did not regret that stance.