feb-2018c

bados sevenyearsagowasaneffortonthegovernment’s part topumpmoremoneyintotheeconomyduringtough financial times: “Barbados isanopeneconomyandsince2007/2008we [started] goingthroughmanyof theeconomicstrictures broughtonbythecollapseof the financialmarkets.All of these issues impactedonBarbados sowehadto findways andmeansofseekingtorestructure the fundamentalsof theeconomy–those thingswhichwouldgenerate invest- ment,finance,infrastructural development,etc.And,medi- cal education isoneof thoseareaswhichwehaveusedas amomentumtohelpaccelerate thatdevelopment. “It is beginning to showthe kind of results that we want but it will still take between five to ten years to fullymaximize the full potential of that.[BIU andVUB] will be the final twowhichwill be granted a charter.I think this gives usmore than enough capacity to build out that sector,”the EducationMinister stated. Washimemphasized that the universities were ac- credited and had some of the best tutors in themedical field.He noted that his companyhad recruited teachers from India,Barbados,and other Caribbean countries. “Wewill not compromise on qualityandwewill provide the best qualityof education so that our graduates can go to anycountry in theworld andworkas doctors,”he asserted.