MINISTER OF FINANCE Chris Sinckler says he will not be selling off Government entities “left, right and centre” just because there is a perception that the private sector can run them more efficiently and affordably.
He said the type and amount of services they offered meant that agencies like the Sanitation Service Authority (SSA), Transport Board, Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation and School Meals Department would only achieve “marginal” efficiencies and savings if corporate Barbados got its hands on them.
Government is divesting the Barbados National Terminal Company Limited to the private sector and recently former Prime Minister Owen Arthur renewed his call for the state to pursue more private sector partnerships as a way of improving the operations of state-owned agencies.
Sinckler, who was responding to media questions after the opening of a regional procurement conference yesterday at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, said Government was prepared to work with the private sector to improve service delivery. (SC)
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