GOVERNMENT ENGAGED in its second straight day of meetings yesterday as Prime Minister Mia Mottley and Cabinet met for the first time.
From around 9:30 a.m. affiliates of the 26-member group could be seen making their way into Government Headquarters ahead of the planned 10 a.m. start.
While most, including Mottley, declined to comment, Minister of Labour Colin Jordan briefly told the MIDWEEK NATION that a proposal for the Social Justice Committee, which was mentioned in the Barbados Labour Party’s (BLP) manifesto, would soon be on the way.
“You know we have some issues to deal with and so they engaged with the Social Partnership yesterday [Monday] and they’re doing it again on Friday,”
he said.
There was also a pledge in the BLP manifesto to broaden the Social Partnership framework to include a Social Justice Committee which would see the inclusion of groups such as the church and civil society in the discussions.
Proposal
“There are non-governmental organisations, religious organisations, community organisations that are not a part of the tripartite arrangement right now, but in a few weeks they should have a proposal on how they are going to incorporate them,” he added.
Meanwhile, Minister of Maritime Affairs and the Blue Economy Kirk Humphrey said yesterday’s meeting would see a number of logistical matters addressed.
He said he was pleased to be heading that new ministry and underscored the importance it was taking worldwide.
“The blue economy is a very interesting portfolio; I’m very happy to have it,” Humphrey said.
“If you follow what’s happening in the United Nations and across the world, issues with the blue economy are starting to take precedence. In fact, in the G7 Summit, one of the things that came out was the need to address the blue economy,” he added.
According to the World Bank, the blue economy involved “the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods and jobs, and ocean ecosystem health”.
It added this encompassed renewable energy, fisheries, maritime transport, waste management, climate change and tourism. (AD)
