Minister of People Empowerment & Elder Affairs, the Hon. Kirk Humphrey delivered powerful remarks on social development at the 40th Session of Economic Commission of Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) held in Lima Peru from October 9th to 11th, 2024 the agenda focussed on the identification and strategies to address impediments to the achievement of sustainable development in the region. The meeting was intended to stimulate discussion and solutions in four key areas of development: productive development, inequality and social inclusion, sustainability, and financing for development.

The meeting was notable for the official launch of the ECLAC document Development Traps in Latin America and the Caribbean: Vital Transformations and How to Manage Them.

He also highlighted the need in the region to create and enabling environment to spur national and regional development characterised by relevant, fit for purpose institutions that reflect our respective capacities and warned against the phenomenon of “isomorphic mimicry”, where institutions are created to address problems but are not endowed with the resources or capacity to fulfil their mandate, thus being doomed to failure.

On addressing the matter of persistent inequality, the Minister identified the recent historic trajectory of development in the region, recalling the progression from agricultural based societies to the emphasis in the English-speaking Caribbean to a services based economic model. In noting this, he remarked that the region became so good at the provision of services that the goal posts were moved despite the fact that we were ‘playing by the rules’ of the international financial regime. He posited that the constant framing and reframing of the global financial rules continues to stymie the abilities of the region to achieve fundamental and sustainable development for its citizens.

He acknowledged the efforts of Barbados and other English speaking Caribbean countries to frontally address inequality in their societies noting substantial and continuing investments in public goods citing Health, Education, National Insurance, Social Protection and progressive taxation policies, even in the face of low levels of regional and international economic growth. He noted that these are vital yet insufficient efforts and exhorted the international financial and development community to reshape their operations and take full cognizance of the existential realities of the Caribbean and other Small Island Development States.

This Lima session is a prelude to dialogue scheduled for the XVI Ministerial Forum on Social Development, slated for 30th October to 1st November at the Wyndham Grand Barbados (Sam Lord’s Castle, St Philip)