St. Lucia Simply Beautiful

In the context of a country, prosperity may be measured in terms of the success with which that country has been able to convert the many types of capital (human, physical, natural, intellectual, social, financial, cultural and spiritual) with which it has been blessed, into wealth. Countries with high GDP per capita, high levels of foreign reserves, low unemployment, a high human development index (high standard of living), high practical technological knowledge and shrewdness, widespread infrastructure, optimal land use practices and high spiritual awareness may be described as prosperous countries.

There is a lot to be done. A lot has been said. Many of us are old enough to remember many times before how our enthusiasm was severely dampened and dreams shattered. If we truly believe that the Private Sector is the Engine of Growth, the Entrepreneurial class needs to be embraced. What can be done to make life easier for local business persons who have persevered through the years, regardless if things are good or bad?

I noted a bit of interesting news in Caribbean 360 In The Press, 8/5/12 “State Department launches $100,000 business competition to spur jobs in the Caribbean through partnerships with members of the Caribbean diaspora living the U.S., Canada and the U.K.” This programme will encourage joint venture relationship. In past articles I drew my readers’ attention to such programmes. I am firmly convinced that this is one sure way of injecting new business ideas, especially in the services sector. Let us open the door to making St. Lucia an outstanding destination for business and pleasure.

The Shepherding Model has its genesis in dialogue with the stakeholders; it is focused on hand holding, dynamic interactive dialogue, experiential training and anecdotal exchanges; it is enterprise specific; it promises to mitigate the risk of business failure on an enterprise by enterprise basis by adopting the 25 cell Management of Business Matrix™ approach.

Value Added Tax (VAT) will be very much a part of the Budget and it is very likely that we are stuck with it. There are many among us who wish it would never happen but there are certain things in life that must come to pass, it is just a matter of time. The time for VAT in St. Lucia seems to have arrived. What is important is going forward. I feel the Budget will have something for everyone. Select your area and go for it. The test in the end will be how many new ideas were translated into productive, high profit yielding ventures. I must emphasise the point that it will take government’s invention in most cases to ensure successful outcomes.

There are many non-fossil fuel alternative sources of supply that Barbados can consider as options. They include Biomass cogeneration, Wind, Solar, Waste to energy incineration, Combined heat and power, Imported power, Landfill capping, Wave, Tidal, OTEC, Fuel cells and Nuclear.

We have established that on the one hand, the business life cycle can be intrinsically much longer than that of the human being but on the other hand the increasing failure rate is the real problem. How can we address this? Well, of course the answer is the CBET Shepherding Model which has been tested over the last three years.

I am at the stage of life when funerals come fast and frequently. Before one’s parents would represent the family at funerals but that is no longer the case. Indeed, I now find myself, at an alarmingly increasingly rate, attending funerals of persons younger than myself.

Vieux Fort is really the Frontier of happiness and prosperity. It is taking shape before our very eyes. It is my hope that overseas visitors and residents visiting the South during the season of Jazz will take time off the mix pleasure with business so that they can make informed decisions about investing in the area.

There is no better time for a revival in our hearts. This special time of year gives an opportunity to take a new look at the way we live our lives and making a commitment to being our brother’s keeper. Most people live for themselves but the real joy of living comes from caring for others. It is in giving that we receive. Be involved in the service of others.