Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley last evening made a pitch to this country’s manufacturing sector to involve the entire CARICOM community and she underscored the importance of diversifying away from the oil economy.
The Barbados PM made these remarks as the featured guest speaker at the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) dinner and awards ceremony at the Ramada Princess at which she spoke virtually.
She exhorted the attendees, “May you use this milestone moment to reflect and where necessary to reset and retool, to further elevate your organization, your country, and indeed our region. I say our region because I truly believe the time is right for a more strategic and collaborative approach on the socio-economic development of the Caribbean.”
And even as she expressed regret at not being able to attend the event in person, Mottley underscored that this country’s manufacturing sector, and by extension its private sector and people, can count on her and her country as partners to make the collaboration she explored, a reality.
“It is a deep concern to us always, to ensure that we not only see the integration of our markets, but indeed the expansion of production within our region… the business of uplifting the Caribbean economy and Caribbean people can be completely collaborative within the context of the CARICOM single market and economy. If we are to do this, however, it will demand an urgent shift in mindsets. Simple truth is that individually our skin is simply too small to effectively address so many of the common problems that we face as Caribbean nations,” she said.
“If we can, however, begin to more effectively combine skills and resources and people, especially since many of us are underpopulated, I believe we can drive substantial economic growth and productivity in our region,” she added.
To drive home her point, the Barbadian Prime Minister made reference to a popular African proverb about the power of collaboration, “If you want to go fast, go alone. And if you want to go far go together.”
An ardent supporter of diversification, Mottley cautioned that this country should not stray away from its plans to develop its non-oil sectors with revenue gained from the exploitation of oil.
“If COVID-19 has taught us anything, it is that economic diversification is absolutely vital to national economic resilience. I believe great focus must be placed on enhancing the capacity and capabilities of local and regional manufacturing and services businesses, to enable them to meet local consumption needs, as well as to strongly compete in the international market space.”
She added, “I fully agree with the approach of the Guyanese government to place strong emphasis on the continuous development of the country’s non-oil sectors.”
The twinning of the manufacturing and services sectors was also an initiative that was lauded.
According to Mottley, it is understood that some persons may question regional collaboration and whether it is possible, but she believes it can be if all those that are participating have the same goals. She cited the current partnership between Guyana and Barbados which she posited can be used as a positive example, and pointed to the St Barnabas accord and its policy framework which has been making gains on both fronts.
“In the full spirit of bilateral cooperation, President Ali and his team of ministers and officials as well as myself and my team of ministers, have visited and met regularly to build several sectoral collaborations over the course of the last two years,” she noted as she singled out the Barbados gold jewellery market afforded to locals here, among other works.
“Guyanese jewellery designers and craftspeople have access to the widest possible market…”
“We are working, building, trading… I want to assure you and the good people of Guyana that Barbados continues to give the highest priority to the realisation of these collaborations. Our desire is to fully develop an environment of reciprocal benefit for our respective countries, our manufacturers and service providers, and we recognize that there’s nothing new about this.”
Mottley also acknowledged that Barbados had benefitted from Guyana’s capital and technology in the early years of the 20th century, so collaboration was nothing new.
“The way forward therefore, must continue to be paved with our intentions for introspection, innovation, the spirit of smart partnership, and indeed a willingness to embrace change to deconstruct and reconstruct in a fast paced dynamic global market space.
There will be obstacles, particularly with the global supply disruption chain, but that is why I call for a just industrial strategy for the Global South, particularly as we get together to meet our commitments and our capacity in the climate area,” she added.
