Barbados Today

The High Court has granted a temporary reprieve to Central Bank Governor Dr DeLisle Worrell after the embattled chief economist had reportedly been given until the end of today by Minister of Finance Chris Sinckler to resign or be removed from the job.

Attorney-at-law Gregory Nicholls, who is the Governor’s legal representative, confirmed to Barbados TODAY this morning that in response to court action he filed on behalf of his client, High Court Justice Randall Worrell last night granted a temporary injunction until Wednesday, barring the Governor’s removal for at least for another two days.

Worrell, who has recently been at odds with the Government over the printing on money and the need to make further expenditure cuts, is challenging right of the Minister to unceremoniously remove him from office after his contract was renewed by Sinckler for a second five-year term in October 2014.

Sinckler is yet to comment publicly on the matter. However, he was due to meet with the Central Bank’s board in emergency session here on Monday.

Meantime, the Opposition Barbados Labour Party has wasted no time in commenting on the development.

Speaking on radio here this morning, BLP economic spokesman Ryan Straughn suggested that the action against the Governor was more than justified, given his recent inability to stave off threats to the island’s monetary stability.

However, Straughn, who is the Opposition’s candidate for Christ Church East Central, argued that the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance were ultimately the ones who must be held accountable for the county’s worsening economic woes.

He also joined with another economist, Avinesh Persaud, in warning of the need for hard economic decisions to be made.