New Social Partnership Protocol

The Government of Barbados will be signing a fresh Social Partnership Protocol on May Day 2023.

Minister of Labour, Social Partnership Relations and the Third Sector, Colin Jordan announced this yesterday on the 30th anniversary of the signing of the first Protocol by the Social Partners in 1993.

The Social Partnership is a collaboration between government, private sector and labour movement working in the best interest of citizens. For example, the Social Partnership was instrumental in hammering out the recent Price Compacts that put price caps on a range of goods in an effort to shield consumers from the rising cost of living being experienced globally. 

Over the last 30 years the Social Partnership has agreed to six Protocols. The last one was confirmed in 2011 with addition of some of the following issues for particular consideration:

• Environmental protection and the Green Economy by strengthening the clauses in the section on the environment already subscribed to in Protocol Five and fully supporting initiatives which seek to reduce our carbon footprint.
• Human development and the management of health issues, especially chronic diseases, recognising the link between good health and human and economic development.
• Barbados’ successful emergence from the 2008-2009 financial crisis or ‘Great Recession’ and the desire to become ‘The Number One Entrepreneurial Hub in the World’ by attracting investment in diversified sectors and the development of new skills.
• The development of a knowledge driven economy to encourage a culture of information sharing within and across all sectors. 

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