The committee set up to monitor the performance of the Barbados Economic Recovery and Transformation (BERT) programme has recommended that Government re-engineer its process of layoffs when retrenchments are over.
Speaking on behalf the BERT Monitoring Committee on Friday at the Wildey offices of Sagicor, co-chair Ed Clarke suggested that the way the process is managed must also change.
He said that process should include appropriately equipping the workforce with the requisite skills and resources, insisting that this was necessary to ensure the desired transformation was achieved.
“I am very happy to see that Senator Kay McConnie [Minister of Innovation], during the Estimates debate, highlighted seven key ministries and departments. And these are the Immigration Department, the Registry, the Royal Barbados Police Force, the international business sector, Customs, Town and Country Planning and the Licensing Authority, as the seven key areas that will be addressed in the next fiscal year,” Clarke said.
He said the committee looked forward to much-needed transformation in those areas.
“In our opinion, the foregoing elements, in addition to the creation of a more favourable environment for increased business activity, can contribute meaningfully to placing Barbados on a sustainable growth trajectory,” Clarke told reporters.
His co-chair, Senator Toni Moore who represents labour on the committee, expressed concern about the current process of retrenchments.
“The process is still a concern in a number of areas because, as has been stated before, we understand haste, we understand the need in some respects for some things to be done, yet how the process has been undertaken remains a cause for concern,” said the General Secretary of the Barbados Workers Union (BWU).
She told reporters that while the committee’s role was not to influence the process, she could do so separately as BWU leader.
“Certainly, in my area as labour, our negotiations are seeking to pace and temper arrangements in such a way that we don’t achieve only the objectives of speed, but we deliver a Barbados that still has its principles and its legislation governing employment relationships intact, once we are finished,” she stressed.
Moore revealed that 953 people have so far been retrenched and more are expected to go home by the end of April. (EJ)
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Edward Clarke is now another government mouthpiece.
The report he delivered was prepared b the Administration, and given to him to read.
Shame on you Edward.
Edward Clarke is now another government mouthpiece.
The report he delivered was prepared by the Administration, and given to him to read.
Shame on you Edward.
The WHITE BAJANS in Barbados are now over the Moon, they have political control of Barbados without facing the ELECTORATE, something which was always their dream. They can now run Barbados from their Boardrooms.
The puppet BLACK BARBADIAN POLITICIANS in the Mia Amor Mottley Govt. will now do ALL their bidding without question.
All hail their puppet Govt., the Barbados Labour Party Govt.
This sell out woman TONI MOORE does not yet realise that you cant be friends with the chickens and the mongoose at the same time.
FRANK WALCOTT must be turning in his grave!!!!
3% of the Barbados population the MINORITY RACES OF BARBADOS controlling the 97% of the population of Barbados the BLACK POPULATION and that is just fine with TONI MOORE AND THE OTHER uncle toms!!!!!
How about a change to the way people are chosen to be laid off as well?
I support this position 100%. I think that way too often the process is botched and leaves persons feeling ostracise. Loss of one’s income and livelihood is traumatic in itself and does not need to be further vexing by meanspirted,inhumane, unsympathetic people and processes.
Last in first out is pure folly .
That principle desperately calls for revisiting.
This change will probably only affect the last in first out process. I’ll watch to see if this change actually comes, and if indeed the changes are worker friendly.