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Country urged to look to other areas

by Marlon Madden
4 min read
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Crystal Drakes

Opposition Senator and economist Crystal Drakes is urging authorities to quickly devise a ten to 15-year “subsistence survival plan” if residents, businesses and the wider economy are to escape worst case scenarios coming out of the dreadful COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition, Drakes said she supported calls for Barbados to tap into the “dark tourism” industry, capitalizing on its sordid past associated with slavery.

Acknowledging that the COVID-19 virus will be around “for a while”, Drakes said while she believed tourism will have its place in the future, “a more niche-oriented approach” was needed.

“For instance, focusing on a new tourism model which focuses on sports training where a multipurpose international standard facility is constructed on the island and is tied to community usage and empowerment could be a way forward,” suggested Drakes.

“This type of arrangement marries foreign investment, tourism and local sports development. Imagine, international football clubs flying to Barbados to engage in off season training and recuperation at a world-class facility. This facility could also host varying sports activities tapping into the US$800 billion sports tourism market,” she added.

She also recommended that the island capitalize on its experience from death and tragedy associated with its past.

“More recently, Roland Lashley proffered we look at dark tourism as the demand in the sector moves towards experiential travel. I support further exploration into this idea as Barbados was the colony that the practice of slavery culminated,” Drakes said in a press release issued on Friday.

She proposed that books written by Sir Hilary Beckles including The First Black Slave Society: Britain’s ‘Barbarity Time’ in Barbados, could help to provide much needed information to devise a strategy “on how to capitalize on this country’s inhumane and sordid past. It is an opportunity to monetize our story from our own perspective.”

Pointing to the dramatic economic loss of some $1.4 billion in the Barbados economy last year and projected low growth for 2021, as well as a decline in key tourism source markets, Drakes said putting a survival plan in place in the areas of food production, water and energy was absolutely necessary.

While not going into detail on the proposed plan, Drakes said: “Fortifying these areas to ensure domestic activity is first and foremost driven to provide Barbadians with nutritious food, potable water and clean sustainable energy should be worth consideration.

“The argument could be made that the financial resources are not there to support this type of plan. Yet, we live with the reality of having to investigate irregularities totalling BBD$1.4 billion in contracts between 2010 and 2018 at the Barbados Water Authority,” she said.

She added: “Simply put, Barbados has too many loopholes in the public sector where unethical behaviour and corruption have become commonplace. Citizens are then asked to pay the price through higher taxation or increased indebtedness as a country. To make the point, consider this. As of December 2020, Barbados has the highest total amount of outstanding debt per person with the IMF out of 93 countries. We have not earned this title because we have managed our affairs with prudence.”

The senator suggested that a new vision for the island should be co-created with those who seek to govern and those being governed.

“We must identify the social, institutional and economic deadlocks that chain us to a future that mirrors our past mistakes”.

“Now is the time to ask the hard questions. Do we live in a racist society? Do systemic economic inequities exist? Do we have an uplifting, productive and inclusive work culture? Do we have safe neighbourhoods? There are many others that we can ask. The important thing is, if we do not like the answers to these difficult questions, what are we willing to do to change our condition?”

Drakes argued that there was a “deafening silence” on matters of holistic vision for the country. She added there was a need for “an authentic Barbadian vision that guides our long-term planning for sustainable development, firmly planted in philosophical and moral groundings that reflect us as a people. As human beings not just consumers and labour for capital endeavours”. (PR/MM)

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