A LEADING BANKER is predicting a return to growth for the Barbados economy within the next 22 months even as public sector job cuts begin to bite.
The forecast has come from David Noel, the new chief executive officer of Scotiabank Barbados and Caribbean East as he spoke to the SUNDAY SUN during an extensive interview on the banking sector and the performance of the Barbados economy.
“Barbados’ economy has performed very well over the last 20 years compared to many of its regional peers and therefore has not had over the last 20 years the same number of challenges.
“Now that the crisis is here, which requires certain tough actions and some hard decisions, I believe those decisions are being made; tough decisions are being taken. Some of those decisions are not pleasant and there is always going to be debate about what specifically should be done,” the Scotiabank bank head said.
Though new to the top position here, Noel, a native of Jamaica, has lived and studied in Barbados. He worked in the bank’s operations in Canada for five years before his new appointment.
