Ongoing public discussion on the school nutrition policy, the recent revelations of progress on the planned introduction of the salt tax and the recent introduction of the NCD Commission have been robust, as it should be, as we search for much-needed solutions to the health crisis on our hands.For some, the national fight against non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is not as sexy as debating whether rising crime is a public health issue, but the issue is no less deadly.All of us at some time have grappled with family, friends, neighbours and colleagues battling diabetes, heart attack, stroke, cancer, hypertension or other conditions.Information sourced from the Heart and Stroke Foundation shows that NCDs are responsible for eight out of 10 deaths in Barbados, with approximately 66 per cent of the population being either overweight or obese. A projected 39 per cent of the population will be living with obesity, with an economic burden of 4.6 per cent of national Gross Domestic Product by 2
Solid growth
cbc.bb - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from cbc.bb Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
UWI academic says entrepreneurial economy vital for growth
barbadostoday.bb - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from barbadostoday.bb Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
In the absence of buffers and with less access to financing than bigger countries, the Barbados Government has very little option other than to borrow money to keep its economy afloat.So says Pro-Vice Chancellor of the Board for Undergraduate Studies of The University of the West Indies, Professor Justin Robinson, who added that access to financing was critical considering Barbados’ extreme vulnerability to external shocks and the length of time it takes the country to rebound from them.He made the comments on Friday afternoon while delivering the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) Astor B Watts Lunchtime Lecture on the topic, The Global Financial System and the Caribbean, at the party’s George Street headquarters.Professor Robinson said that while debt and borrowing were often seen in a negative light, accessing financing was extremely important as the Government required around $3.5 billion annually just to pay its bills.