St. Lucia Simply Beautiful

Everyone is expecting that the date for the general elections will be announced this weekend. Unfortunately, you will be reading this article before the announcement. However, you still have time to assess the situation and make up your mind on which of the candidates you will give your support. It is my view that the majority of voters support party. This situation leaves many good candidates out in the cold all because they find themselves representing the party that doesn’t have the established tradition of winning the constituency. This is the reason why Independents seldom win. It is the exception, rather than the rule when an independent wins.

Trying to get an idea of the possible outcome of the upcoming elections is very difficult except for those individuals who have set up residence with the party of their choice, they will not be moved and as far as they are concerned their party has already won before the votes are counted. But that is life. What is certain with every election, it is getting more difficult to predict a winner until the last weekend before elections, only then the outcome can be predicted by observing the colours. In the countdown of the 24 hours leading up to election day no one will be prepared to flirt or go along for the ride. Those persons attending the closing rallies have placed their future squarely in the hands of the party of their choice. They want to be seen by their candidate, some will even want to hug and kiss their candidate. The message is simple – they take a stand for their candidate.

The Guyanese Diaspora has been very supportive of the major parties but it is significant that there has been a major shift in support from the PPP/Civic and APNU to the AFC. It is very much the same in Guyana with high profile political personalities embracing the AFC, leaving parties that they have been associated with for decades. This is all positive for the AFC. You can visit www.voteafc.com for the latest action.

I got some figures which are very revealing – Tourism is 67% of GDP, 64% Employment and 85% Foreign Exchange Earnings. If this is the true picture, all St. Lucians should get on board and begin a crusade to get the rest of the world to visit St. Lucia. Here is my slogan “Get away from the ordinary and experience the extraordinary – Saint Lucia is Magnificent!”. It is time for the government to excite the people; get them involve

I continue to make the case for SLISBA that Government’s support for the Association is vital to ensure it executes its mandate effectively. SLISBA’s responsibility is more than advocacy; it is about expanding the entrepreneurial class in the St. Lucian society.

When there is an acknowledgement on all sides that a change of Mind Set is necessary, there will be no surprise at what the people of Saint Lucia can achieve for themselves and the nation as a whole.

A group of Florida based Entrepreneurs and Professionals will be visiting St. Lucia from October 11 to 14, 2011 as part of a Trade Mission. This visit is being promoted by the One on One Group headed by Ms. Nicole Shelley Greenidge. Local Entrepreneurs should take every opportunity to participate in the programmes and share experiences with their counterparts. This could be a serious networking opportunity bearing in mind the level of business being done with the State of Florida, especially the Miami area.

There are definitely difficult times ahead and it will be necessary for governments everywhere to involve the people in matters of national importance.

Every successful undertaking must have a dedicated driver. The OECS Business Council idea was introduced in 2009 and after much persistence by an Official of the ECCB, leaders in the private sector took note and today the organization is poised for a successful implementation across

  Dear Readers,   We are indebted to my Facebook friend Chris for sharing this information with us.   http://www.fiscalcommission.gov/sites/fiscalcommission.gov/files/documents/TheMomentofTruth12_1_2010 www.fiscalcommission.gov I look forward to your feedback. Ed

I will be back in the studio to record a new series of Let’s Talk Business scheduled to be aired on Wednesday 7th September, 2011 on McDowall Broadcasting Service (MBC) – Television for Everyone, formerly Health and Wellness Television (HWTV) on channels 42 LIME and 52 Karib Cable. You are invited to contribute to the station with your ideas and even to host a show. Please feel free to contact the station and suggest events that you will like to be covered. MBC – Television for everyone!