Leader of Kingdom Government of Barbados (KGB) political party, Steve “The Sheriff” Hunte, believes that Prime Minister Mia Mottley made a mistake in approaching the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Mottley announced last week that the Government would be seeking the cooperation of its domestic and external creditors in order to restructure the country’s public debt. She said the plan was designed to attract balance of payments support from the IMF. A team from the fund was in the island this past week.
Hunte believes this was the wrong move by the newly elected leader of Government.
“We here can solve our problems internally. Our internal problems can be solved by those who have the power . . . . We have to turn to the good people of Barbados to bail us out of this problem so we can have a better understanding of how we can go forward as a nation,” he said.
He was speaking at a joint Press conference held recently by the Bajan Free Party and KGB at the Bay Street Esplanade.
Hunte unsuccessfully contested the May 24 General Election in the Christ Church South constituency where he got only 26 votes
He insisted that local resources were available to deal with the island’s economic predicament.
Agriculture is key
“Right now we need to put our heads together and work. I’m asking the administration to have hope and faith in the people; and if they want to turn around the local economy, my advice is to go into agriculture and we can grow economically. Our problem is not regional, international or global; it is a local problem we are going through. We need to have a perspective view on the way forward.”
Hunte also gave the Government a two-year deadline to turn the country around. (DB)
