Government

$1/2 Million Assistance Package For Fishing Industry

Government has received a humanitarian donation of $500,000 from the CAF Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean to assist scores of fisherfolk whose vessels were damaged or destroyed following the passage of Hurricane Beryl.

The CAF donation represents the first injection of funds to a benevolent fund to be set up for the fishing community.

The package of assistance, among other measures to revive the industry, was announced by Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley during a press conference at Ilaro Court, recently.

Additionally, Ms. Mottley outlined other measures to be put in place for the industry. “Without prejudice to what’s being done by the wider public and wider donations [to be received], we have asked that a number of measures be put in place. One, those who paid National Insurance, will not be an issue…. Those who are not up to date [with paying] national insurance we are aware, and obviously, you are still suffering.

“Government introduced in the middle of COVID, something called a business interruption benefit, which is slightly less than what you would receive if you had paid national insurance and received a benefit, all will be entitled to receive the business interruption benefit over the next few months, until we can get the industry back on its feet,” the Prime Minister assured.

She further stated: “In addition to that, I have given instructions for us to work with financial institutions to establish and to raise the funding to establish a 30-year revolving fund that will be available to help fishermen finance any new boats.

“I have also agreed that we will give a grant…that will be available to fishermen to the tune of 25 per cent of the cost of any new boat or repair and the Government will carry the cost of that for them, therefore ensuring that access to financing would not become a major issue.”

Ms. Mottley also reported significant damage to the beaches following a tour of the coast from St. Lucy to the Bridgetown Port. She described the situation as “dread”.

“In the normal scheme of things…those things may be able to come back naturally. But as you’re aware, that is the coast that helps pay the bills in this country and therefore the damage has hit where it hurts the most,” she said.

In light of this, she is calling for a coherent approach to dealing with beaches, especially those on the west and north of the island, which took a battering from Hurricane Beryl.

“We believe that in the same way we have a unit to come to work every day to take care of the roads in MTW, we must have a unit that comes to work every day to take care of our beaches,” Ms. Mottley underlined.

Caption: Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley speaking during a recent press conference at Ilaro Court, where she announced an assistance package for the local fishing industry in the wake of damage caused by the passage of Hurricane Beryl. Looking on is Attorney General Dale Marshall.

Government

Barbados Votes To End Embargo On Cuba

Barbados joined the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in condemning the United States’ economic embargo of Cuba for the 32nd consecutive year, when the resolution entitled: “Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba” was considered during a meeting held on Wednesday, October 30.

The United Nations overwhelmingly passed the resolution by a vote of 187 (in favour) to two (against), with one abstention. Only the United States and Israel voted against it.

During the delivery of the national statement, Chargé d’Affaires/Deputy Permanent Representative of Barbados to the United Nations, Kereeta Whyte, informed the UNGA that: “The sentiments we express today are not new. They reflect the deep conviction we have articulated in this Assembly over the years. Indeed, since this resolution was first introduced in the General Assembly at its 46th session, in 1991.

“The Government of Barbados once again calls for an immediate end to the embargo and urges the removal of Cuba from the US Department of State’s list of alleged state sponsors of terrorism, a designation that only exacerbates the suffering of the Cuban people.

“We believe that dialogue is the path forward. Barbados values its strong relations with both the United States and Cuba and calls on the US Government to engage in meaningful negotiations with Cuba to normalise relations. This step would not only reduce tensions but also pave the way for greater peace, cooperation, and development in our region.

“Barbados will continue to advocate for the lifting of the economic, commercial and financial blockade, which is critical for the people and Government of Cuba to achieve full prosperity.” (PR/GIS)

Government

MORE WORK NEEDED TO ACHIEVE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

As the year 2030 quickly approaches, countries, including Barbados, need to speed up their efforts to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
This word comes from Minister in the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Investment Senator Chad Blackman, as he addressed Friday’s Validation Workshop for the Baseline Study on the Priority Sustainable Development Goals Indicators for Barbados at the Sagicor Cave Hill School of Business, where he insisted that countries had become too lax in meeting the necessary targets for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which adopted by all UN Member States almost a decade prior.

He said, “We are virtually at the end of 2024, which now leaves us just six years to that magic number of 2030. Whilst there are a lot of goals that Barbados has achieved, the world, including Barbados, has still not met a number of them in the way that we should. And, therefore, we have six years to really redouble, or some might argue, re-triple our efforts, so as to be able to tangibly achieve these objectives. But, we can’t do it alone.
He added, “The government can’t do it on its own; the private sector can’t do it on its own; civil society can’t do it on its own; it has to be government, private sector, civil society, the man on the street…. So that the entire society moves forward in a cohesive way…to meet these targets. Therefore, it calls for an out of box approach so as to ensure that we can meet these targets. Therefore, we have to use all our creativity. We have to use nonconventional ways of trying to help us to achieve these targets.”
Blackman noted that an “out-of-the-box” will be necessary for Barbados and other countries to effectively move the needle to reach the set targets.

Government

XVI Ministerial Forum On Development Starts October 30

The Government of Barbados, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) will host the XVI Ministerial Forum on Development in Latin America and the Caribbean, as a space to discuss opportunities to build resilience against future shocks that continue to challenge development in the region.

The Forum will be held from Wednesday, October 30 to Friday,1 November at the Wyndham Grand Barbados Sam Lords Castle. The event will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley, UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner, and ECLAC Executive Secretary, José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs, and is expected to have over 150 participants, including more than 20 Government delegations from the region. The full agenda is available here.

This gathering builds on the discussions initiated at the XIII Ministerial Forum in Antigua and Barbuda in 2021, which discussed disasters and social protection systems in the context of protracted crises. The XVI Ministerial Forum will discuss how the region can advance and protect social gains in the context of more frequent and intense shocks.

A Ministerial Declaration is expected to be the outcome of the Forum. The Declaration aims to be a roadmap for transformative policy action and impactful initiatives that transcend boundaries, ultimately steering the region toward a more equitable and resilient future.