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Senator Jepter Ince, Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs. (FP)
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Government intends to pay closer attention to the impact on the National Insurance and pension systems in the wake of constant changes to the population demographics.

Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs, Senator Jepter Ince, made this disclosure recently, while delivering the feature address entitled Demographic Transition and the Economic Development of Barbados at the Barbados Statistical Services’ Technical Seminar on the 2010 Population on Housing Census.?? It was held at the Warrens Office Complex, St. Michael.

Admitting that changes would have to be made where necessary, he said: "We have an additional worry that due to the processes and flows throughout the region; on the structure of our population now embraces greater numbers of persons from the wider Caribbean and beyond, who now make Barbados their home".

Senator Ince noted that for decades, the international community had been exploring ways to slow the population growth rates and cited China’s one child per family policy and Denmark’s recently instituted fat tax as examples of initiatives that had been undertaken to effect this.

In Barbados’ case, the Parliamentary Secretary intimated that even though such policy initiatives would not be instituted, he revealed that government had already taken steps to address the island’s health concerns.

"We already know that these non-communicable diseases are seriously affecting the lifespan of Barbadians and we must all work together to ensure that we can make great strides in not only living a life that is healthy,?? but affording ourselves a chance to be a celebrated centenarian like so many Barbadians before us," Senator Ince underlined.

Alluding to the adoption of negative international cultures into the psyche of some Barbadians, he warned that this fad now called for additional time and resources to "positively impact on the outcome of the social and economic goals of the country".

He acknowledged: "The appeal of new technologies, fads, foods and behaviours, is one for policy makers to approach with caution given the vast interconnectivity with a person’s free will to choose [or make a personal decision], within the context of the law?? and a country’s desire to develop. However, at the same time, it is out of these insurmountable challenges that we must find a positive developmental path for ourselves and our children to follow…," Senator Ince surmised.

julie.wilson@barbados.gov.bb

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