ONE of the major outputs of the just concluded National Debt Consultation is a draft letter recommending strengthened inclusion and engagement of CSOs (civil society organizations) in policy undertakings relevant to sovereign debt and other social, cultural, economic and political decisions in Barbados.

This was explained by the Secretary-General of the Barbados Association of Non-Governmental Organizations (BANGO), Dr Marcia Brandon, during the fourth and final consultation held at the Barbados Yacht Club recently, where she explained that this letter will be delivered to specific Government authorities.

She told the media on the sidelines of the consultation: “We are looking at reciprocity, because when CSOs are included in any policy decision or in any type of matters that are relevant to the sustainable development of a country, that country’s ability to sustain itself is better because you have all hands on deck rather than some hands on deck, and the others not knowing what is happening.”

“Inclusion is strong for us. We want to be included not just in some matters but in all matters. That inclusion strengthens governments’ ability to say their governance structures are strong. We want to help the government build or strengthen its governance structures and systems and use this as an example for other countries in and outside of the region.

The consultations began in November 2022, the first of which focused heavily on helping CSOs understand the debt situation in Barbados and the rest of the Caribbean and made recommendations for some ways CSOs could have a more active role in collaborating on the debt campaign.

She explained that this is a regional project which also includes project colleagues in Antigua & Barbuda and the Bahamas. “The sustainability plan for this project is to build a Caribbean coalition of CSOs working at the grassroots, national and regional levels to influence an agenda for debt relief for Caribbean countries within the international policy arena. This coalition will centre around affected communities across Caribbean society, reflecting the wide-ranging impact of debt and ensuring wider reach.”

The National Debt Consultation is a critical initiative under the Caribbean Policy Development Centre (CPDC) project titled “Confronting the Caribbean Debt Challenge, Building Resilience for Sustainable Development” funded by Funders Organised for Rights in the Global Economy (FORGE). The Barbados advocacy programme is coordinated by BANGO and managed by Dr Marcia Brandon, the organization’s Secretary-General, assisted by Deputy Secretary-General Donnah Russell.

These consultations enriched CSOs’ understanding of the implications of the twin debt and climate change crises and their disproportionate impacts on Caribbean nations. CSOs were exposed to advocacy strategies by our international partner, Debt Justice UK, on how to implement a successful advocacy campaign. The consultation also provided a space for CSO representatives to exchange knowledge, collaborate and share perspectives on how the national debt has affected their operations and vulnerable beneficiaries.