Cut back Cabinet – young Dem

In anticipation of massive economic fallout and hundreds of job losses due to the COVID-19 crisis, Prime Minister Mia Mottley is being asked to trim what has been described as her bloated Cabinet as a first step toward easing the impact of the impending fallout on Barbadians.

An official statement from the Democratic Labour Party (DLP)’s youth arm has suggested a reshuffling of the current Cabinet which would feature just one Minister of Foreign Affairs, one Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, one Minister of Housing and one Minister of Transport and Works and Maintenance.

President of the Young Democrats Kemar Stuart has also called for a merger of the Attorney General and the Ministry of Home Affairs’ office along with a reduction in the number of economic consultants.

“I, Kemar J.D Stuart , President of the Young Democrats am hereby demanding that with the fiscal stringencies which much of the country is experiencing, and the decimation of households causing grave suffering as we speak and in months to come, it is time to remove some ministers and trim the bloated Cabinet, parliamentary secretaries, as well as the huge collection of consultants and czars. We must now share the burden,” said the 25-year-old student of economics.

The changes, which he proposes, would reduce the existing 27-member decision-making body to as few as 15 while removing numerous high-level staff.

The savings from these changes, the young Dem says, would be diverted to provide “needed” assistance to the less fortunate.

These include assisting with funeral costs for COVID-19 cases, providing more household grants and survival food packages for vulnerable families, as well as protective gear and pay increases for frontline workers.

“The recent proclamation of the Emergency Management Amendment Act consolidates the power to make directives as may be required into the office of the Prime Minister. Therefore a Cabinet this large is null and void,” Stuart argued.

“Companies have closed, employees laid off, income streams dried up. Citizens have sacrificed.

Sacrifices must now be made in the good name of the Barbadian people,” he added.

Turning attention to the Government’s more direct management of the COVID-19 crisis, Stuart chided the administration for “fumbling” and “disappointing” citizens with the current response and claimed it has exposed the “incompetence” of the country’s policymakers.

“It is a global crisis unlike any we have ever seen, but our response has fallen far below our regional and international counterparts’.

“There is enough evidence to show that much of what was simple logistical and project management was bungled. Were it not for the superlative skills of our local doctors, nurses and ancillary staff more lives would be lost by now,” Stuart said. kareemsmith@barbadostoday.bb