When American businessman Philip B. Phil Crosby started his consulting management company in 1979, he embraced the principle of Doing It Right the First Time (DIRFT) for a very good reason.
During the late 1970s and into the 1980s, American manufacturers were experiencing a crisis of sorts. Because of a loss in market share, owing to the emergence of quality Japanese goods across the global market, Crosby bolstered and buttressed the DIRFT principle with a deep-rooted belief.
He believed that an organisation that establishes good quality management principles will see savings returns that more than pay for the cost of the quality system: “Quality is free”. It is less expensive to do it right the first time than to pay for rework and repairs.
Partly as a result of Crosby’s initiatives, the American economy rebounded with 13 million new jobs between 1982 and 1987 under the presidency of Ronald Reagan.
To understand what Phil Crosby believed and practised, he said: “People are conditioned to believe that error is inevitable. However, we do not accept the same standard when it comes to our personal life. If we did, we would resign ourselves to being shortchanged now and then when we cash our [paycheque]. We would expect hospital nurses to drop a certain percentage of all newborn babies. We would expect to go home to the wrong house periodically. As individuals, we do not tolerate these things. Thus we have a double standard, one for ourselves, one for the company.”
In another attempt to make the Barbados National Energy Plan efficient and effective, it appears that criticisms were heeded and there are intentions to correct some previous mistakes.
It also appears that establishing a scheduled and planned renewable energy industry was hampered by the absence of appropriate rules and regulations – some that ignored the role of producers-cum-consumers.
While the Minister of Energy is attempting to make renewable energy a reality for all stakeholders, the reminder must be sent out that consumers/customers are critical stakeholders.
No business can succeed in the absence of consumers. There must be a place at the discussion table for producers-cum-consumers, particularly of the residential type.
While a new Energy Supply Act is targeted for June 2024, it is critical that rules and regulations are tailored to embrace each and every potential residential producer of renewable energy.
Economic planners must ensure that foreign and multinational interests coincide with Barbadian national economic goals and expectations.
Anything else is a derogation of the trust of the people of the Republic of Barbados.
Absolution is quite in order.
What has been done to establish the renewable energy industry of Barbados has not been done right the first time.
Please make it right for the majority of Barbadian republicans.
Michael Ray
