Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley will be meeting with the Social Partnership and civil societies shortly to set into motion the five main goals which should unite Barbadians in becoming a world class nation by 2030.
She made the announcement during her public address at the 56th Independence Day parade to the hundreds of people gathered at Kensington Oval, and others listening via the livestream on Wednesday morning to celebrate the first anniversary as a parliamentary republic.
Mottley said that while the goal of making Barbados world class by 2027 was delayed to 2030, it cannot be denied.
“Like with life there are obstacles, and when we have obstacles, we refocus and reset the mission. Now that we are out it is time to ensure that the COVID comatose mindset is put behind us and that we refocus and reset the mission. “We do not believe that the Government has the only perspective on what these goals should be, but I share today the five that we will put before the Social Partnership and civil society that within the next two months that we can settle such that we can apply our efforts in the public and private sector towards achieving these goals” she said.
These goals are as follows:
Green Barbados: Ensuring the protection of biodiversity in Barbados and food supply.
A healthy and safe Barbados for everyone on the island.
Utilising the platform of education to create a knowledge and innovation hub.
Leveraging geographical advantages for the betterment of Barbadians by being an entrepot for the western and southern hemispheres.
Economic enfranchisement of all Barbadians.
Mottley, who was instrumental in the decision for Barbados to become a republic, continued saying “I ask you to remember that we (Barbadians) do not need certificates to pass on that wisdom. We need care and commitment to each other.
“This country may have a statistic that one out of every five persons is living below the poverty line and that is unacceptable. But the corollary to that is four out of every five are living above it, and if we use the example that guided us safely through COVID that we must work together –public and private sector, men and women, young and old, across every division, across every grouping and sector – then I know we shall make it safely.”
She concluded by saying: “If we are to be truthful to the journey which we have travelled then it must not be simply for capital to get returns but if we share the burden, we must share the bounty with labour because we must be labour not just by name, but by all that we do and by nature.”
Barbados became a parliamentary republic state on November 30 last year and President Dame Sandra Mason officially took office after being named the island’s first President on October 21.
Wednesday’s ceremony was also the first time the parade was held outside with social gathering since the COVID-19 pandemic hit Barbados in 2020. (JC)