TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012 – Prime Minister Hon. Tillman Thomas today chaired a special meeting of representatives of three of Grenada’s social partners – the Government of Grenada, the Grenada Trades’ Union Council and the Grenada Private Sector Organization – to discuss the current economic and financial situation. The Government team at the special stake-holders’ meeting, headed by PM Thomas, included Finance Minister Nazim Burke and his Permanent Secretary Timothy Antoine, Chief of Staff, Prime Minister’s Office, Ambassador William Joseph and Director of Private Sector Development Chris DeRiggs and Hugh Sealy, Energy Policy Advisor, Ministry of Finance. Social partners attending today’s meeting were representatives of the Trades’ Union Council (TUC) – Mrs. Madonna Harford, President of Public Worker’s Union; Mr. Bert Paterson, VP of TAWU; Justin Campbell, President of the Bank and General Workers Union; Kenny James, President of Grenada Union of Teachers; Mr. Ray Roberts, General Secretary of the TUC; and Mr. George Mason, President of the Commercial & Industrial Workers Union. Also in attendance were representatives of the Grenada Private Sector Organization – Mrs. Aine Brathwaite, President of the Grenada Chamber of Industry & Commerce; Mr. Michael Philbert (President) and Mr. Abel Newton, Executive Secretary of the Grenada Employers Federation; Mr. Russ Fielding (President) and Mrs. Pancy Cross, Executive Secretary of Grenada Hotel & Tourism Organization. After candid discussions, the social partners agreed to focus on areas of common interest. These areas are: i) job preservation and creation in the business sector, including tourism, agribusiness, health and wellness, energy; ii) revenue generation; iii) acceleration of major projects, including but not limited to the agricul¬tural feeder roads project (Phase II); and IV) the resuscitation of the multipartite process. The latter would include fortnightly meetings to fine tune implementation and effective follow up work on decisions made. Additionally, the need to effectively keep the public informed on the progress of projects and related issues was identified as important.