Government, the private sector and the labour movement are committed to making a paradigm shift to create a ???true 24/7 society???.
This was revealed by Minister of Industry, International Business, Commerce and Small Business Development, Donville Inniss, during a recent media briefing at his Warrens office.
And, to this end, three committees have been set up and given an approximate time-frame of six months to agree on what was needed to achieve this.
The Minister, who chaired what he described ???as a productive meeting??? with members of the private sector, labour and Government representatives to discuss this country???s move towards becoming a 24/7 society, said that this step was necessary as it would increase productivity and efficiency.
Represented at the meeting were the Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations, the Barbados Employers??? Confederation, the Barbados Coalition of Service Industries (BCSI), the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association and the Barbados International Business Association.
With the various agencies in agreement, Mr. Inniss pointed out that each individual team would look at specific concerns that could get in the way of Barbados embracing a 24/7 culture.
He further indicated that one committee would focus on the legal and regulatory framework required for this country to become a 24/7 society, and any deficiencies that might exist, while the second committee would be led by the BCSI and focus on support services. The third committee will deal with information and communication technology, and will be led by the Ministry of Civil Service.
The Minister maintained that the discussion was not about having businesses open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, but about making Barbados the most competitive and productive society in the world.
theresa.blackman@barbados.gov.bb