By Randy Howard
Government is looking to resuscitate this country’s furniture sector.
Minister of Economic Affairs and Development, the Honourable Mia Mottley, has given this assurance during her recent address to a function sponsored by the Barbados Investment and Development Corporation (BIDC).
She told the function to market the 50th anniversary of the BIDC that the Government of Barbados has taken a keen interest in the development of the local furniture industry.
She referred to the history of the industry in Barbados, stating that the furniture originally imported from Europe, during the days of colonisation, was not able to stand up adequately to the warm climate.
This led, therefore, to the utilisation of slave labour for the purpose of producing replicas of the imported product from local raw materials, which would be better able to withstand the tropical climate.
Mottley further stated that it was soon realised, that “black people being what they are, couldn’t do anything and copy anything straight, and therefore they reinterpreted, and that gave rise to a Barbadian vernacular in furniture.” The Deputy Prime Minister argued that we as Barbadians have taken this development for granted, while others around the world have come to appreciate the uniqueness of these designs. She pointed to Barbadian-themed lines of furniture being produced by North American companies, and lamented that, “not a cent is coming back to Barbados, in terms of foreign exchange.”
She argued that the way in which local Rum producers can go out into the world and speak with “a certain credibility and passion, and authenticity” on the production on Rum based on the fact that the local product is highly regarded worldwide, our history in furniture production would allow us to do the same.
To accomplish this, Ms. Mottley stated that there needs to be the development of a brand for the local furniture sub-sector. She also argued that historical research on the sector is required, along with participation in a number of different fora to support the lifting of the brand.
