Areas of Mutual Interest between Barbados and ECLAC Highlighted in Recent Bilateral Meeting

Areas of mutual interest to Barbados and the Economic Commission for Latin America & the Caribbean (ECLAC) were highlighted recently when Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs, Kirk Humphrey, engaged in a bilateral meeting with ECLAC’s Executive Secretary, Javier Salazar-Xirinachs.

It was held on the sidelines of the Fifth Session of the Regional Conference of Social Development and Fifteenth Ministerial Forum for Development in Latin America

and the Caribbean, in Santiago, Chile, which ended on Thursday.

The meeting focused on the restructuring of the international development financial architecture and garnering international support for the Bridgetown Initiative, the consequences of climate change for small island developing states such as Barbados; and the need to have a greater balance between economic growth and social development for the Caribbean.

Discussion also centred on issues specific to Barbados such as its inherent vulnerability and heightened exposure to co-variant risks, including hurricanes and other adverse weather conditions, the social and economic consequences of its demographic transition as the population ages; and the state of the contributory and non-contributory social protection system.

Mention was also made of the enduring impact of COVID-19 on the social protection system. It was noted that the pandemic served to exacerbate existing issues faced by social services and Ministries of Social Development across the region.

Minister Humphrey highlighted that the innovation and creativity shown by these agencies during the height of the pandemic should now be used to develop a new fit-for-purpose social development framework.

Salazar-Xirinachs reiterated ECLAC’s support for Barbados and touted that economic growth and job creation had a positive impact on social development and would act to reduce the demand on social services.

Lauding ECLAC for facilitating the exchange of ideas and cooperation between member states, Minister Humphrey noted that Barbados’ newest social development initiative, the One Family Programme, set to officially launch on October 13, was adapted from the Chilean Puente model.

(BGIS)