#BTEditorial – Which side of the demography of happiness are you?

“Economics is extremely useful as a form of employment for economists.” John Kenneth Galbraith

About three decades ago it was reported that a study called the demography of happiness was carried out in the United States of America. Those who conducted the study ‘discovered’ that young people were happier than old people. The study also ‘discovered’ that people who earned more money were happier than those who earned less. But the most important ‘discovery’ made was that people who were in good health were happier than those who were sick. The government of the day paid about US$300 000 to someone to find out that young, healthy, well paid people were happier than old, poor, sick folk.

By this time the official result of the election in the United States of America might or might not have been announced. But one thing that is known at this juncture is that having virtually waged a war on immigrants, insulted a number of third-world countries and shown an affinity for white racist supremacists, President Donald Trump still convincingly won Florida, a state known for its multi-cultural mix of Blacks, Latinos and Hispanics and generally millions of non-white registered voters. There is a lesson to be learnt from these two scenarios for unemployed, underemployed, young, old, sick, struggling, homeless and impoverished Barbadians.

Whether the Democratic Labour Party or the Barbados Labour Party is in the seat of power, Barbadians generally fail to hold them to account. They assume that they have to wait every five years to make a statement at the polls, when in fact they have their voices to express their disgust every day. They have their physical absence and their spending power to deny support of anything initiated by any Government, as a demonstration that they are not pleased with its functioning, especially as it relates to the spending of their tax dollars or the provision of social services.

If an economy is struggling, if the buzzword is austerity, if growth is non-existent, if businesses are closing, if massive unemployment is prevalent, if social services are compromised, if salaries and wages are on a flat or downward projection, if schools cannot be timely fitted with all necessary supplies, if provision of healthcare is enduring certain strictures, if some government buildings remain derelict and unsightly, if the country is losing foreign exchange because of the COVID-19 pandemic, how does the government of the day justify any dubious or poorly explained expenditure? The people must ask questions and demand full answers. And they must do it themselves since previously vocal social commentators and significant sections of the fourth estate have contracted convenient laryngitis.

At present Government has at its known disposal, the exceptional talents of Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Mia Mottley, erudite and highly skilled government ministers in Marsha Caddle and Ryan Straughn, and other brilliant economists in Professor Avinash Persaud, Dr Clyde Mascoll, Mr. Kevin Greenidge and Mr. Ian Carrington. Previously, Government employed British firm White Oak Advisory at an $85 000 monthly fee of an overall $21 million price tag, to assist in the country’s debt restructuring programme. Without being overly facetious, it would appear that despite the many hands at Government’s disposal to make light work, some economics anomaly has seemingly been missed or some extraterrestrial concept has popped up that has left at least eight specialist entities nonplussed.

Why do we say this? Last week, Government agreed to a parliamentary supplemental to bestow about $82 000 upon economist Dr Justin Ram for three months of consultancy. Barbadians elected the present administration in overwhelming numbers to govern, but they have not given any mandate for expenditure to be used without a systematic and full explanation as to why, where and how their dollars are being distributed. Irrespective of the economic situation in which Barbados finds itself, the local economy remains a very miniscule one. Government needs to tell Barbadians, from those with no CXCs to those with titles in front and behind their names, what specifically is it paying Dr Ram $82 000 to do in three months that the legion of public service economists, consultants already in its employ, as well as ministers of government with specialty in economics, have no time or skill to undertake. CLR James once said that in politics all abstract terms conceal treachery. We of course do not accuse Government of any treachery, but Barbadians speaking on the streets and on traditional and social media, are asking questions and only detailed explanation will inform them. After all, it is the people’s money being placed into Dr Ram’s pockets. He might be the saviour of Barbados, he might be marshalling some economic strategy hitherto unknown to mankind, but the people must be enlightened in specific terms.

The average citizen could claim – without this enlightenment – that other than postponing debt repayments, incurring more debt through borrowing from the International Monetary Fund and other lending agencies, and selling Barbadians government paper, the plethora of Dr Rams in the state’s economics firmament have principally merely found lucrative employment.

One reality is that there comes a time when not even public relations and abstract statements can explain away everything. The voice of politicians is not the voice of God and Barbadians, especially those with caps or empty cups in hand, must hold their elected leaders to account, since persons feasting on or getting leftovers from the fatted calf will not. A second reality is that the masses who bay or wave red, blue or yellow flags, or offer blinkered support, are not the ones cashing the cheques. The masses are frequently the ones on the wrong side of the demography of happiness.