Efforts underway to encourage Bajans to have bigger families

Efforts are ongoing to create the right environment to encourage Barbadians to have bigger families.

The intention is to tackle the relevant social and economic issues linked to the population crisis in a comprehensive manner.

Minister of Economic Affairs and Investment, Kay McConney, says this will be done through the creation of a conducive environment to support those who wish to have children and expand their families.

However, Miss McConney says the reality remains that Barbados will not be able to increase the local population size at the rate needed if only natural means are used.

She was speaking at the launch of the Inter-Sectoral Implementation Group to support Barbados’ Population Policy 2023 to 2040, as well as the joint UNFPA and Government of Barbados Policy Forum on addressing changing population dynamics and societal implications.

Declaring that the population policy cannot be left sitting on a shelf, Ms. McConney says the Government has introduced an Inter-Sectoral Implementation Group, under the stewardship of her ministry, to oversee its implementation.