Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley speaking at a recent press conference at Government Headquarters while the IMF’s Deputy Division Chief for the Caribbean, Bert van Selm listens attentively. (M. Elcock/BGIS)

Barbados’ economy is passing the right road signs on the journey to success and transformation says Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley.  She expressed this view today as she spoke at a press briefing with officials from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) at Government Headquarters.

She told the media: “We have a few more road signs to pass, but as long as the people of Barbados stay the course, I assure you that we shall be successful in being able to overcome what really was a very turbulent and difficult legacy….”

Ms. Mottley said she was grateful for the encouraging report, but stressed that the country had to stay the course.

“I would be jubilant and ‘skinning cuffings’ when I see Barbados having to import labour; … when I see…the transformation of Carlisle Bay and Speightstown and Oistins.  I would be jubilant when we have created, as I will shortly announce, a new deal for public servants in housing in this country.  I would be jubilant when we restructure the unjust common entrance exam; when we finish restructuring the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, geriatric hospital and all of those other things.  In other words, I will be jubilant when Barbados has reached the first signs of transformation.”

The Prime Minister stated that there were some other structural changes that had to be done, several of them being legislative.  However, she noted that major layoffs were not coming, even though there would be some cleaning up in some state-owned enterprises (SOEs).

The IMF’s Deputy Division Chief for the Caribbean, Bert van Selm, said Barbados continues to make strong progress in implementing its ambitious and comprehensive economic reform programme.

He stated that international reserves, which reached a low of US$220 million or five to six weeks of import cover at the end of May 2018, had more than doubled since then.

He added that the rapid completion of the domestic part of the debt restructuring had been very helpful in reducing economic uncertainty, and the new terms agreed with creditors had put debt on a clear downward trajectory.

In addition, he continued, the authorities had started the reform of SOEs by tightening reporting requirements and shedding excess staff.

“All programme targets for end of March, under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF), have been met, some with wide margins. The programme target for Net International Reserves, for example, and the target for the Central Bank of Barbados’ Net Domestic Assets. The targets for the primary surplus, central government grants to SOEs, central government domestic arrears, and social spending were also met….

““The Barbadian authorities continue to make good progress in implementing structural benchmarks under the EFF, including those that contribute to an improved business climate, such as a new Planning and Development Act passed in January 2019, and a Sandbox regime to regulate fintech start-ups, set up in October 2018.  A new Public Financial Management Act passed in January 2019 introduced wide-ranging measures to strengthen fiscal transparency and accountability.

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