Government is expressing its gratitude to the United Nations Development Programme and the entire United Nations system, for their assistance in helping the country to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Senator Maxine McClean, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade made the comments while speaking at the Opening Session of the Caribbean Regional Human Development Report Multinational Progress First Advisory Panel Meeting at the Hilton Hotel yesterday morning.

“That assistance has been comprehensive, touching a cross section of issues – the environment, energy and climate; disaster reduction; poverty reduction; the strengthening of democratic processes are but a few examples. We have engaged the world in our efforts to articulate the special circumstances of SIDS [small island developing states] and the challenges that flow there from. This has been of particular importance as many of us have been classified as middle income countries at a time when our vulnerabilities were laid bare by the current global financial and economic crisis from which we are now seeking to emerge,” Minister McClean said.

With that in mind, she said it reinforces the importance yesterday’s meeting which will assist with the formulation of the Caribbean Regional Human Development Report 2016. To that end, she said Government is pleased to host the meeting to explore multidimensional mechanisms for assessing citizen wellbeing.

“The traditional indicators have been less than adequate. These are being revisited to ensure that policymakers incorporate the full range of factors relevant to problem solving and policy making aimed at protecting the gains of the post independence era. At the same time, the exercise recognises the need to address the unique challenges we face as small island developing states,” she said.

The Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister noted that this would require the devising and application of appropriate models, policies and programmes, to propel our nations to higher levels of social protection and economic development. As such, she maintained that yesterday’s meeting cannot be taken in isolation, as it is a continuation of a long standing relationship between the United Nations system, Barbados and CARICOM.

“It also comes at a time when we are seeking to implement the Samoa Pathway. We are preparing for the September summit at the United Nations where we will adopt the post 2015 agenda which is being crafted around the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Beyond the September event, very critical will be processes we develop and agree to for the implementation and follow up on these goals. Our experience with the Millennium Development Goals should be instructive,” she noted. (JRT)