BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Advocate – Are we ready and open for business? Recently, Dr. Patrick Antoine, chief economic advisor to the new Grenada Government declared this was now so in his country. You would be aware that Grenadians also had the opportunity last week to speak with the vote. A mere two days before Barbadians headed to the polls, their regional neighbours elected Keith Mitchell to the helm of government. Against the backdrop of acute unemployment, low investment and a reported debt of EC$2.01 billion, Dr. Antoine declared on his way to a swearing-in ceremony last week that the country was opened once more to business. He outlined a plan to rev Grenada’s economic engine which entailed renegotiating its debt, reducing expenditure and by promoting economic growth to lower unemployment current standing between 32 per cent and 45 per cent, depending on various researches and political stances. In Barbados, we are grateful not to be suffering at the hands of those kinds of figures. Nevertheless we do recognise the situation is dire for many a household and business. Thus, this newly elected Government must not delay in decisions to be made or be dazed for too long in the post-election euphoria. As mentioned in our front page comment this Sunday, our problems still abound. High on the agenda – if we are to maintain our economic standing within the region and in the international arena – is the continued fostering of a foreign and domestic investment friendly environment.
