This island???s manufacturing sector has been lauded by Prime Minister Freundel Stuart, who said it is producing at a very high level.

Mr. Stuart showered praise on the sector over the weekend while touring BMEX 2014 at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre.

The Prime Minister told the media: ???I am pleased to see the work being done by Barbados??? manufacturers. For some time now, I have been concerned about the contribution which manufacturing has been making to the gross domestic product of Barbados. But, I am now seeing a very spirited effort on the part of Barbados??? manufacturers to correct that situation. We have a collection of young manufacturers, in many cases out of the Barbados Community College, who are using their creativity to marry production to the products of their natural environment and that is a very healthy sign.

?????? I think we are on the way to manufacturing recovery and I genuinely believe that manufacturing will get back to that stage where it makes a serious dent on the GDP of Barbados.???

He said that the traditional manufacturers had also caught the spirit and were producing at a very high level. He added that they were also focusing on production for export because the Barbados market was still relatively small.

Mr. Stuart expressed the view that some young people were not prepared to sit back and wait for someone to invite them for a job.

???They are now creating their own employment by using their own creativity. They understand the importance of entrepreneurial endeavour, and rather than wait for somebody to create a job for them, they are now starting their enterprises and creating jobs for other people. That???s a very healthy development???It is a step in the right direction and every encouragement that our manufacturers need in that regard, the Government is prepared to provide,??? he promised.

He added that the manufacturers were showing that Barbados is ???very much alive and well??? and he expressed confidence that the country would be back on track in the near future.

The Prime Minister also praised Roberts Manufacturing Co Ltd., saying it had made a very significant contribution to the local manufacturing sector. Roberts is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year.??

sharon.austingill-moore@barbados.gov.bb

Pin It on Pinterest