Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley is quietly confident in the investment projects in the north and across the island, as the vehicle to achieve growth in the economy, which is badly needed.
Ms. Mottley expressed renewed optimism in the island’s future prospects, while describing the re-opening of Archers Hall Design Centre as a signal of confidence in the economic potential of Speightstown. Her comments came during the official reopening ceremony last Wednesday.
She told the audience that the “projects will come and will be completed” adding: “Barbados, like the rest of the world, is going through a rough time but there are a lot of green shoots…There are a lot of rays of sunshine and it is up to the rest of us to embrace the future and to walk gingerly on that tight rope that can lead us to prosperity…”
The Prime Minister promised even more investment projects for the northern historic town; noting: “What you see today, is simply the private sector version of what the government has been doing in Speightstown, placing our confidence in the future of this town, to be able to provide jobs, to be able to earn for our people, but above all else, to be that place for the people of the north to gather and to be able to find their place not just for entertainment, or for food or for business and for all that you need with respect to being able to function in a rural society.”
She continued: “Rural societies need towns in order for business to flourish. And this is what Speightstown has been for nigh 400 years. We believe that there is a lot of room for further celebration of this heritage.”
Ms. Mottley emphasised that she wants to see Speightstown become the centre of arts and heritage in the region pointing out that her government had embarked on several projects such as the restoration of the nearby jetty and the Salt Pond Project to mitigate flooding in the area. “For me, the passion is there for the preservation of Speightstown as that key heritage town for Barbados…, We want it to be that place where people can find their creativity [ and where] people can find the distribution of the products which they have created and to be able to earn a living,” she proffered.