Economy in a mess says Arthur

Bridgetown.

Leader of the Opposition Owen Arthur thinks the  Barbados' economy is in a mess forcing Barbadians to withdraw over $1 billion from their savings in the last three years.

Speaking to a packed meeting of five Barbados Labour Party consituency branches at the Christ Church Foundation School  last night, Arthur said that deposits by Barbadians  in local banks  which stood at $9.333 billion in 2008 had shrunk to $8.222 billion  last year.

"That means in just three years, you the taxpayers of Barbados have been forced to go into where you save for a rainy day to try to live on a daily basis", Arthur said.

The former Prime Minister claimed that Barbados' inflation rate was worst in region, he charged that prices had gone up by more than than 30 percent in the last three years.