While Barbados??? Social Partnership has been deemed a success by Acting Prime Minister, Richard Sealy, he stressed that it was a still a work in progress, whose continued development required the support of all stakeholders.
Speaking this morning during the signing ceremony for a six-month extension of Protocol Six at Government Headquarters, he acknowledged that while the partnership has had its critics, the model has served Barbados well for some 20 years.
The Acting Prime Minister reiterated that the local tripartite system has been praised across the globe, with several countries now seeking to implement similar structures.
In this regard, Mr. Sealy revealed that Cabinet had given its approval for a local delegation to visit Singapore for its 50th anniversary celebrations, to offer insight on the workings of Barbados??? tripartite partnership model.
He added that while the Social Partnership had completed several of the objectives outlined in Protocol Six, this extension would allow the body to focus on and continue work in some critical outstanding areas.
???The social partners have placed a priority on some troubling social issues such as Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases, which are having a serious impact on the welfare of our workforce and our citizens.
???The partners have committed themselves to work with the National Commission on Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases and related entities to see how we can mobilise and educate towards preventative health care and healthy lifestyles,??? Mr. Sealy said.??Several representatives of Government, the private sector and the trade union movement took part in the signing ceremony.
These included Minister of Labour, Senator Dr. Esther Byer Suckoo; Minister of International Business, Industry, Commerce and Small Business Development, Donville Inniss; Head of the Private Sector Association, Alex MacDonald; and President of the Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados (CTUSAB), Cedric Murrell.
Protocol Six was first signed on May 1st, 2011, and this latest extension will run until March 2016.??Mr. Sealy said he hoped that by that time the drafted Protocol Seven would be completed.
andre.skeete@barbados.gov.bb