Prime Minister Mia Mottley Swears in New Ministers and Senator, Addresses Barbados' Economic and Innovation Priorities

By Ryan Gilkes

Prime Minister Mia Mottley trumpeted the roles of two new government ministers and a government senator in addressing the island’s economic, innovation, and investment priorities as they were sworn in at State House on Monday.

Minister of Industry, Innovation, Science, and Technology Marsha Caddle, Minister in the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Investment Senator Chad Blackman and Senator Reverend Charles Morris officially assumed their roles, with the prime minister stressing their added value in contributing significantly to Barbados’ progress.

During the ceremony, she underscored the challenges posed by the current global environment marked by instability and climate-related issues affecting Barbados and the region. She emphasised the need for discipline at both the government and national levels, calling for continuous conversations to build partnerships across Barbados.

“We’re laser like in our focus because we’re operating in a global environment that is highly unstable…. Therefore, this is going to require us to be exceedingly disciplined not just as a government but as a nation,” Mottley declared.

Acknowledging the difficult conversations ahead, the prime minister expressed confidence in finding solutions and defended her decision to appoint two spiritual advisors. She highlighted the toll that public life can take on the families of those in government, emphasising the importance of support systems for ministers and MPs.

She said: “Very often, we see the Minister, we see an MP and we don’t understand the toll it takes on the family. When you expect that person to be home, they are elsewhere helping others. I have also asked the families to be there for their ministers and their MPs in the same way that we have taken a conscious decision to have the spiritual advisors there too, so that we bolster people.

“Everybody is still human and, therefore, they have good days and bad days and they too will need to be bolstered and that anchoring.”

Caddle expressed her enthusiasm for the new opportunity and stressed the importance of uncovering and supporting emerging areas in industry, identifying high-growth companies to drive economic development, and continuing the government’s commitment to innovation.

She said: “I know that they will have a lot to share about what they’ve been working on. I know that with respect to industry, we have to be able to uncover and support some new and emerging areas and be able to identify high-growth companies that will be able to add economic growth and development for all.