Labour Minister sees new opportunities for co-ops

Labour Minister, Anthony Roberts appealed to co-operatives to maintain the philosophy and principles on which this great movement was built and should not be lost in the push for higher dividends and profits. Moral and ethical values should always be the basis on which all decisions should be made. Roberts made these appeals in his address at the 82nd international co-operative celebrations at La Joya Complex, St Joseph. He said liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation have become the philosophy and the driving force of the new business world culture and have begun to dictate the conduct of business in industry and commerce in both developed and developing countries.

This must reflect the way we relate to our social partners and how we posture ourselves in the international marketplace. Roberts advised that all must work together to change the current path of globalisation to one that puts people first, so as to empower the local community in which they live. He emphasised that cooperatives must therefore concentrate on making the selected theme for this 82nd International Co-operative Day celebrations a reality - “Building a Fair Globalisation Creating Opportunities for All.”