Our economy is sound as a result of the policies implemented by this and the previous Governments. The setbacks it is experiencing can be withstood by our broad base of employment. We are in a far stronger position than we were a decade and a half ago when a mood of blackness covered the country. While we have lost a certain number of jobs in the current downturn, we have experienced nothing like the setbacks we suffered when our employment base was devastated by business and industry closures. These things are cyclical and will improve in the future. In the meantime, we must maintain our competitiveness and ensure that we do not lose out to developing economies with attractions which are similar to ours but less costly.