Prime Minister Freundel Stuart wants Barbados and India to conclude a Double Taxation Agreement (DTA) and an Air Services Agreement, for which discussions started some time ago.
Mr. Stuart made this disclosure on Wednesday afternoon when High Commissioner of the Republic of India, Mrs. Murugesan Subashini, paid him a courtesy call at Ilaro Court.
He expressed the view that the development of these agreements would further strengthen Barbados and India’s relationship, which started in 1966.
He thanked India’s Government for giving several Barbadians the opportunity to study there.
The Prime Minister identified communications technology as one of India’s strong points and said he hoped there could be collaboration between the two countries in that area.
???All of the CARICOM countries are trying to improve their information and communications technology platform, so we do have some areas we can work on together,??? he stated.
The Prime Minister told the High Commissioner that Barbados was spending too much money on fossil fuel and that renewable energy was being pushed as the alternative to reduce the dependency.
???We are providing the renewable energy platform, but it will not change the situation overnight. Our dependence on fossil fuel is lopsided and we have not taken enough advantage of the sun and wind,??? he surmised.
Mrs. Murugesan Subashini said India was hoping to grow its economy by six per cent this year.
She pointed out that there were some challenges confronting the country, which has a population of 1.2 billion, but stressed, however, that great efforts were being made to take people out of poverty.
While here, the High Commissioner also met with a number of Government Ministers and she agreed with Prime Minister Stuart that there were issues identified on which there could be further collaboration between both countries.
sharon.austingill-moore@barbados.gov.bb