Government is looking to Guyana to assist with the provision of healthier inputs to be added to the current school meals menu, to control the rising cases in childhood obesity.
Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley yesterday pledged to deepen cooperation in this area with Barbados’ CARICOM neighbour, during a courtesy call with senior officials from Banks DIH Limited at Ilaro Court.
Ms. Mottley emphasised the importance of healthy eating habits in children, and mentioned the role that the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Nutritional Security can play in reducing the spend at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital to treat diabetes and obesity in the future.
“We need to start to change the way in which our children eat at every level and I have asked Agriculture to be intimately involved based on the produce available,” she stated.
The Prime Minister recommended to Banks DHI’s Sales and Marketing Executive, Carlton Joao, that his company should pursue all available investment opportunities in Barbados, adding that she and Guyana’s President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, had done much to promote the region as “one singular environment and one singular investment space”.
In turn, Mr. Joao congratulated Ms. Mottley on her selection as one of TIME Magazine’s 100 most influential people of 2022.
He praised her for representing the interests of Barbados and the region on the world stage, and promised to lend assistance to Barbados wherever possible to achieve healthier meal alternatives for children.