Government and the private sector have met and agreed to collaborate to move the country out of its current economic morass.
Chairman of the Barbados Private Sector Association, Alex McDonald, emerged from a two-and-a-half-hour meeting with Minister of International Business Donville Inniss yesterday, confident there would be a more productive relationship between the two with in the future.
“Very serious and real concerns were raised; what was being said was genuine and true . . .,” McDonald said at a media conference afterwards.
“The private sector is committed not to any sectoral view, we are committed to our nation and it is dialogue like this that helps our nation grow. I think that the spirit of our talks which, done in an atmosphere of honesty and truth, an atmosphere that did not have a veneer of caution, can only do us well,” the head of the private sector agency said.
In turn, Inniss, who summoned the meeting, said: “I think one of the problems we have had in the past is a lack of effective communication between us as stakeholders, and what I am seeking to do through my ministry is to make that something of the past by ensuring there is regular, constructive dialogue between government and the private sector.”
“I have to operate on the premise that the Government is not the one to have all of the solutions to all of the issues. But what we must do is be prepared to listen and to generally work in a partnership with others.”
He said the discussions were “useful” and helped to identify some of the lingering challenges that the private sector faced in doing business in Barbados, as well as identifying some solutions he thought could be worked on quickly.
“We recognise and celebrate the importance of the various sectors to economic development and there is that commitment that we will continue to work together in addressing these challenges,” the minister said.
McDonald said the meeting was very timely as the private sector had always maintained the way out of recession was “constant, deep and meaningful” communication. (GC)
