St. Lucia Simply Beautiful

My time each day is classified in three categories: (1) sleep and exercise; (2) work related activities; and (3) private (personal, family and recreational) and community service activities. Historically, I aimed to average eight hours per day per category, but there is evidence to show that the average for category 2 has diminished with the passage of time. Each individual is obviously in control of the management of his/her own time and we should effect a distribution over the three categories to create maximum happiness for us and those with whom we are in constant contact. I shall have to make a paradigm shift to manage my time to include my expanded interests alluded to above.

Given this background, the Government, in collaboration with the private sector in each Caribbean country, needs to create the right environment for enterprise development to make a significant contribution to growth in the Caribbean. The retrenched staff in Barbados will then be able to access an enabling environment to foster their interest in becoming entrepreneurs.

SEASON’S GREETINGS to all our Readers! May your every wish come through.

Melissa Marchand, publisher of Global News Matters which produces the fortnightly Market Dynamics Caribbean newsletter, observed that: “This is the second time in four months S&P has lowered Barbados’ rating, this time from BB-plus to BB-minus, which is not a horrendous reduction, but we want to keep watching to see how the government responds to their new ratings and how their moves might affect business and individuals in the country and beyond.”

When this global trend is set then the foundation of entrepreneurship, the youth, economic empowerment and recognition, as exemplified by the following events, will have been nurtured to bring peace to us all. The 38th annual Sir Winston Scott Memorial Lecture by Dr. Victor Gooding at the Frank Collymore Hall, Central Bank of Barbados on Monday, November 25 at 8.00 p.m. on the topic “View from 45 years North – A Barbadian Living in Canada” will explore entrepreneurship.

Tourism is the major industry in the Caribbean. The diversity of the tourism product is one of the strategies for change which will enhance the rate of growth of tourism, indeed it will beautify the industry. Community Tourism is one such intervention. Please note that Mandeville in Jamaica will officially become the first Peace Town for Community Tourism in the Caribbean on November 19, 2013 at 10 a.m., when Louis D’Amore, President, International Council of Tourism Partners, USA will preside during the official ceremony. The IIPT Caribbean Community-based Tourism Study Tour and Conference will be staged November 18-23, 2013 at the Mandeville Hotel in Manchester, Jamaica.

Shepherding has recently been introduced in Trinidad and in the just concluded Bank on Me TV Reality show in Barbados. Based on the qualitative feedback from the shepherds that were assigned to each enterprise and the enterprises themselves, indications are that the hypothesis that “shepherding reduces the risk of business failure” will be upheld. I repeat, the major constraint arising from these three initiatives is the continuing difficulty to access quick response investment capital for the enterprises.

With that foundation of spirituality, may our political leaders exercise their powers to create innovative solutions. One innovative solution, in the spirit of smart partnership, is for the political leaders to formally surround themselves with the best brains available within their budget to develop these creative solutions sector by sector and then take step-by-step action to make it happen.

My recent experiences in Barbados and Trinidad have shown that there is no shortage of entrepreneurs with brilliant ideas but they must be nurtured in an environment of benevolent investment capital and shepherding to augment the rate of business success and protect the financial investment. The current “Bank on ME” reality TV show, quite apart from its entertainment value, has further shown the number of entrepreneurs out there who are in need of help, the value of shepherding in the improvement of the businesses in a few short weeks, and the need for a source of funding with is other than traditional loan financing.

“The Soul of Leadership aims to fill the most critical void in contemporary life, the void of enlightened leaders. ‘You can be such a leader,’ Chopra promises. ‘The path is open to you. The only requirement is that you learn to listen to your inner guide.’ In this unique handbook you are shown how to do just that, in words as practical as they are uplifting. The future is unfolding at this very minute, and the choice to lead it lies with each of us, here and now.”

Caribbean leaders in the public and private sectors would do well to avail themselves of any opportunity to read Chopra’s latest book and to listen to his engaging presentations on YouTube.