A new session of parliament opens

A new session of the Barbados parliament began on Friday, the first since the island became a Republic, with President Dame Sandra Mason outlining Government’s priorities to transform the island.

She told legislators the Mia Mottley administration which secured all 30 seats in the January 19 general election will build out a stronger nation-state in which “all our people have their fair share.

“Fifty-five years after it was initiated, we can make boast that our sovereignty as an independent nation is now truly our own,” she said, looking to the future with keen anticipation.

“In so doing, we are reminded of the words of renowned Barbadian writer, George Lamming, who said, “The architecture of our future is not only unfinished; the scaffolding has hardly gone up,” the Head of State said, adding that Barbadians must now commit themselves to the higher calling of building such architecture.

She said that the government will anchor its approach on five core values including people centred leadership, government delivering for all, pride and industry as well as innovation driving opportunity and increasing citizens’ participation in governance; ownership of property which will create the largest property-owning democracy in the region.

“The core values will undergird the new policy frameworks which my government intends to put in place, supported by drivers of national transformation of Barbados,” she said, adding “through these drivers of national transformation, my government is determined to create a new prosperity for all citizens; an improved governance; an enhanced polity and a more engaged citizenry”.

Read the full story in tonight’s epaper.