BARBADOS IS on track to become a “world class” nation by 2030, the country’s Prime Minister has said. 

Speaking at the annual parade as the Caribbean country marked 56 years of independence from the British, Mia Amor Mottley told the packed crowds that five main goals to unite Barbadians are in progress.

The public announcement was the first since Barbados became the most recent Caribbean country to drop the late Queen as their head of state in their transition to a republic and inaugurated their first president. 

Ms Mottley, who has been a key figure in the nation turning to republicanism, said she would be meeting with Social Partnership and civil societies soon to ensure that Barbados will be deemed world class in 12 years after failing to meet their goals by 2027. 

“Like with life there are obstacles, and when we have obstacles, we refocus and reset the mission. Now that we are out it is time to ensure that the COVID comatose mindset is put behind us and that we refocus and reset the mission,” she said.

“We do not believe that the Government has the only perspective on what these goals should be, but I share today the five that we will put before the Social Partnership and civil society that within the next two months that we can settle such that we can apply our efforts in the public and private sector towards achieving these goals.”

The five main aspirations is for Barbados to become more green by ensuring the protection of biodiversity and food supply. The Government wants to also stress health and safety for everyone living on the island and for education to become a knowledge and innovation hub. 

The PM also announced plans for the eastern-Caribbean nation to leverage geographical advantages by becoming an entrepot for the western and southern hemispheres as well as for Barbadians to develop economic enfranchisement.

The plans for the small island are ambitious, but it comes after an eventful year of the country becoming one of the world’s newest republics and prompting other Caribbean islands to ramp up their efforts in distancing themselves from their colonial stain. 

Barbados, once deemed as just an idyllic holiday destination for tourists, was the first country to develop a digital embassy in the “metaverse,” their passport was ranked one of the most powerful in the world and had plans to create a trans-Atlantic “bridge” between Caribbean countries, Latin America and Africa. 

Mottley, who is considered a trailblazer after speaking about the climate crisis in the global south at COP26 and unapologetically leading calls for reparations, said that Barbadians do not need certificates to pass on their wisdom. 

She called on its citizens to care and commitment to each other as Barbados continues to elevate on the world stage. 

“This country may have a statistic that one out of every five persons is living below the poverty line and that is unacceptable,” she said. “But the corollary to that is four out of every five are living above it, and if we use the example that guided us safely through COVID that we must work together –public and private sector, men and women, young and old, across every division, across every grouping and sector – then I know we shall make it safely.”

She added: “If we are to be truthful to the journey which we have travelled then it must not be simply for capital to get returns but if we share the burden, we must share the bounty with labour because we must be labour not just by name, but by all that we do and by nature.”