Mia: Stay the course

Article by Shawn Cumberbatch

Warning that fixing Barbados would not be a sprint, Prime Minister Mia Mottley last night delivered a marathon Budget Speech offering tax relief and policies intended to kick-start the economy.

But there will be some bitter with the sweet, including a bus fare increase from $2 to $3.50 from April 15, and the Prime Minister is urging Barbadians to “stay the course”.

In her five-hour-and-38-minute presentation in the House of the Assembly which started at 3:40 p.m., the Minister of Finance also said Government was trying to salvage the big Beaches hotel project in St Peter, but was not prepared to provide the major concessions requested by Sandals.

She also said Barbados was working to have another major economic threat, the European Union’s tax blacklisting, removed.

Despite these potential setbacks, Mottley said “we expect substantial and substantive activity to continue in this country”.

“The future of Barbados is bright and over the next seven years we will work to make it happen. That is why I tell you let us as a country stay the course. We got it, and we can do it,” she asserted. (SC)

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