Democratic Labour Party Candidate Ryan Walters Advocates for Government Employment to Guarantee Pensions in Barbados

Democratic Labour Party (DLP) presidential candidate Ryan Walters says the best way to guarantee pensions in Barbados is for government to provide employment.

And rather than encouraging the business sector with non-payment of National Insurance Service (NIS) contributions, he contended Government should implement the law to ensure that these payments are also paid in for workers in the public service.

Walters’ comments came at a public meeting in Deacons Farm, St Michael on Sunday where his bid for the DLP presidency was endorsed by former DLP leader, Verla De Peiza, first and fourth vice presidents, Andre Worrell and Paul Gibson and youth leaders, Shaquani Hunte and Terian Reid. Walters, the third vice president is challenging incumbent Dr Ronnie Yearwood for the post.

“My view is that the best way to re-capitalise national insurance is to support employment and to support employment law. We must do employment right. This country and its people survive by employment. The Democratic Labour Party wants employment done right in this country . . . any programme to re-capitalise national insurance should be driven by a model that supports employment and work the money through the system. The take-away here is the government is to be blamed for where we are with national insurance,” Walters told those at the meeting. (HH)