WHEN LAST HAVE WE in Barbados seen a headline in any newspaper like last Thursday’s, bearing the glad tidings: IMF PRAISE?
The International Monetary Fund’s acknowledgement that progress is being made in economic reforms must be heartening news to all right-thinking citizens. The IMF believes that the country is about to make a turn for the better.
Those comments will factor into reflection of aspects of the recent debate on the budgetary proposals when some parliamentarians either raised or defended the idea that it was a so-called “election Budget”.
Even outside the chamber, the content of the Budget raised in the minds of some the prospect of an early general election.
What Minister of Finance Chris Sinckler adverted to was the fact that debt levels remain high and are still climbing, and that the fiscal deficit is too large, both of which would suggest no urgency in going to the polls. As long as these problems linger, it is reasonable to believe that a governing party will be reluctant to take the plunge unless the long-term prospects are gloomier.
On the other hand, with just about 18 months or so before elections are constitutionally due, the calling of elections will not be far from the thoughts of the man who alone will make the choice.
Our system affords the Prime Minister the right to decide to pick the most opportune time to signal a return to the polls.
In the upcoming 18 months a number of things will present favourably for an election before the eleventh hour that some persons feel is always going to be the preferred option for our incumbent leader.
The Budget may not have been an election one but, at the very least, it provides a platform for Prime Minister Freundel Stuart, should he need it. After all, this is the start of a season of advancement for the Democratic Labour Party. It has moved from the Budget into the conclusion of a successful annual conference.
In a month’s time, it is likely that the country will begin celebrations for the big jubilee of Independence at the end of November. Errol Barrow Day 2017 would then provide the Prime Minister with a first option of advantage.
But before then, as year-end approaches, all eyes will be on the ruling party’s finalisation of election candidates in ridings where they conceded to the Opposition in the last election. If there is no obvious haste in this respect, it will be reasonable to assume that option one is not being taken up by the Prime Minister.
The wait is not very long.
