St. Lucia Simply Beautiful

May 9, 2012 

Harris At Large!

IT IS TIME TO EMBRACE THE ENTREPRENEURIAL CLASS!

The party is over. St. Lucia Jazz 2012 was great and there is every indication that the festival has come of age. The final week end activities at Pigeon Island had the blessing of good weather. It is now time to get back to work even if the sound of sweet calypso music is beginning to demand the attention of party loving souls.

It is about Jobs, Jobs, Jobs not only in the USA but also here in St. Lucia. We need to get the unemployment numbers down. Let us return to our desks with all seriousness and with a determination to make St. Lucia the destination where we mix business with pleasure successfully. Let us show the world that we work hard and play hard.

I noted with shared enthusiasm what the Honourable Prime Minister and Minister of Finance along with other Ministers of Government have set out in his budget deliberations. I pray that a true spirit of cooperation will be manifested in all areas of endeavour, and most importantly those who are entrusted to carry out the business of the people will proceed with alacrity.

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?

Ministers of Government have a responsibility to meet with business persons and discuss with them their needs and aspirations.  Too often the top down approach to solving the problems is taken, rather than the bottom up. It is about the people. Even if it is necessary to legislate in some instances based on necessity, in the final analysis it will have to redound to the people to buy in on the programme.

There are a few yard sticks to measure how serious the Government is with regard to moving the country forward. The private sector operators will have to be taken into the confidence of the Ministers who are directly responsible for the economic well being of the nation. The Ministers and Agencies that bring meaning to the following words are the drivers – Economy, Physical Planning, Commerce, Tourism, Civil Aviation,   International Trade, Investments, Tourism, Business Development, Investments, etc.. I am happy to note that the new Ministry of Commerce, Business Development, Investment and Consumer Affairs does not only have a Minister, there is also a Parliamentary Secretary within the Ministry. Finally, the Ministry is being given the treatment it deserves. I would expect that regular on location visits will be made to businesses so that the drivers will be clear as to what they are managing. There are some interesting old and new businesses which can be greatly expanded if they get the right level of encouragement and support. Let the words Enabling Environment and Facilitators be put into action.

I am a recent subscriber to Dan Kennedy Internet Marketing Programme and in one of his early communication with me he shared some interesting information with me which I feel compelled to share with you – “According to a University of Tennessee research study, by year number ten a full 71% of all the businesses started… FAILED. Per that same study, the most common reasons for that painful “crash & burn” statistic are:

* Lack of a Clear Focus

* Lack of Market Awareness

* Pride / Going into business for the wrong reasons

* Burn-out from too much work

* Bad advice from family and friends

There are a few others besides, but these are ones I’ve seen

repeated over and again. And the last item – “Bad Advice” –

that can be a KILLER”.

I shared the foregoing information to make the point that those persons who servive in business should be embraced. Persons getting into business today must be assisted as much as possible and must be given the opportunity to share their concerns with those persons who are considered to be DRIVERS.

Here is my motivational piece of the week:

KNOWLEDGE GIVES YOU POWER

The most successful people in life are the ones with the best information.  People with power are people who know how to get things done.  Knowing how to do something is sometimes virtually the same as having done it.    

   Knowledge will come to you when your eyes and mind are always open.  There is no knowledge that is not power.  Power is the product of understanding.

   You’ll build the power to accomplish your goals by educating yourself.  This power comes from knowing how to do something.

   In the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king.

© 2012 YourDailyMotivation.com 

Going forward, there can be exciting times. Just live your dreams.

Remember always to Keep the Faith, God is in Charge, Dream Big and expect Daily Miracles! 

Edward Harris

Freelance Journalist, Realtor, Business & PR Consultant

Email: eaharrisdestiny@gmail.com

Websites: www.stluciapropertydeals.com www.stluciasimplybeautiful.com

www.cariblist.com  St. Lucia – Agent ECREDMC

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