??
Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Chris Sinckler, greets President CGA Caribbean Reuben John, following the Leadership and Innovation Conference held by the Certified General Accountants at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre. (A. Miller/BGIS)??

Barbados’ economy is on a sustainable path towards economic growth.

This was emphasised by Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Chris Sinckler, as he delivered the feature address at the Certified General Accountants (CGA) Leadership and Innovation conference today at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre.

He said that in response to the economic challenges, Government had maintained its strategy to stabilise the Barbados economy and contain the rate of its most damaging effects. "We sought to articulate a comprehensive programme to restore a fiscal balance over a five-year period starting in 2010.

"…We have sought to devise programmes and initiatives to get our economic sectors going and out of the steep decline which they experienced, particularly in 2009 and into 2010," he stated.

Mr. Sinckler announced that job losses in the private sector had in fact stabilised, leading to an average unemployment rate of 10.5 per cent in 2010. He added that although foreign direct investment levels were not near pre-crisis levels, they were beginning to show signs of recovery.

"We believe on provisional evidence, which we have been able to gather thus far, it is clear that the government’s programme for recovery in the Barbados economy has begun to work. Growth …has returned to the Barbados economy…[there has been a] halt in the levels of decline in key economic sectors and a return of increase output in others," he underlined.

However, sounding a note of caution, the Finance Minister maintained that although the Barbados economy was showing signs of growth, there was still much work to be done if the country was to fully emerge from the aftermath of "this very dangerous economic crisis".

clashley@barbados.gov.bb

Pin It on Pinterest