-urges talks to keep prices down
CARICOM Chair, Barbados Prime Minister, Mia Mottley yesterday appealed directly to US President Donald Trump for talks on trade tariffs he unleashed on Wednesday and underlined the need to keep prices down for “all of our people”.
In a statement issued through the CARICOM Secretariat, Mottley described the world as one in a crisis and acknowledged that “these are among the most challenging of times for our region since the majority of our members gained their independence.” High on Mottley’s pressing concerns and affecting the region, currently and for the foreseeable future, was the Trump administration’s tariffs and possible trade wars.
“Indeed, it is the most difficult period our world has faced since the end of World War II, 80 years ago. Our planet faces a climate catastrophe that worsens every year. We have a cost-of-living crisis that has been bedevilling us since the disruption of supply chains, when the COVID-19 Pandemic triggered the shutdown of the majority of countries. Misinformation, disinformation and manipulation are relevant. The mental health crisis is causing hopelessness among many of our young people, and regrettably, crime and fear are on the rise,” Mottley said.
