Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by this author are their own and do not represent the official position of the Barbados Today.
by Walter Edey
“It was only after the Zionists made the desert bloom, that the Palestinians became interested in taking it away from us.” – Levi Eshkol, former Prime Minister of Israel
“Appreciate what you have and who you have, because the future can take it all away from you anytime.” – Author unknown
At present, the buoyancy of Barbados’ “Ship of State” in part, depends on what happens in the external. The internal is more often than not, left to chance and need. So, any pause of inflows into the ship threatens its quality of life.
Unfortunately, COVID-19 appears to be rising over the horizon, again. Several external markets are trending towards lockdown.
So, in the short term, what course change, if any, should the captains of “Ship of State” make? Should everyone have a say in the course correction?
Should Barbados look inward rather than outward? What is at stake, is it only lifestyle?
Truth be told, Barbadian history has written the best option. Imprints inscribed by simple yesteryear folk.
Folk with mental pictures of whom they wanted to be. Then, with a single sword – whatever they possessed – they fought adversity from the inside out.
That way of life was not original. It may be intuitive or gleaned by observation. But it was profound. It changed villages into urban communities.
Science indicates that oysters use an internal mechanism to defend themselves.
When a predator penetrates its shell, the mollusk secretes the same fluid that made the shell. It coats the irritant with many layers of this fluid. Over time, this process forms a lustrous pearl. The Endogenous Economic Theory is another inside out case in point.
It argues that internal rather than external forces are the drivers of sustainable economic growth. If, for example, productivity increases, then innovation happens faster. And investments in human capital and private sector institutions surge.
So what say ye, Barbados? How will you make the lockdown work for you? How will you ready yourself, so that when the sun rises, you can greet the world with a big smile?
Israel was once a desert. Now orchards bloom. The oyster defended itself. Now pearl farmers chase after it.
Since there are Black Belly sheep in your cupboard, Barbados, here’s one more example of the inside out model. New Zealand overcame adversity and now celebrates the Farmers Miracle. Some call it Fortress New Zealand. Thomas Lambie explains his New Zealand. In part he writes: “In the past two decades, New Zealand farmers have moved from one environment to another. Once, Government dictated the type of agricultural goods produced. Now we farm without subsidies…
“One advantage for New Zealand is that we are a small country. We can be experimental and help other people understand our progress. We do so because of the small scale of the New Zealand economy.”
Barbados, maximizing what you possess is now essential. It is a way of life for all.
Walter Edey is a retired science and mathematics educator. Werus 2642@gmail.com.
