Est.2007

Barbados Underground

Bringing News and Opinions to the People

,

Opportunity Africa: Leveraging Barbados’ First Cousin Advantages to Maximise Trade and Investment in Africa’s Economic Rising

← Back

Your message to the BLOGMASTER was sent

CONTACT THE BLOGMASTER ONLY

Donna St.Hill - Bio
Donna St.Hill – Bio

Caribbean people have long been at the forefront of African liberation and empowerment. From political giants like Sir Walter Rodney, Marcus Garvey and George Padmore, to more recent stalwarts in the vanguard like Bob Marley, Sir Hilary Beckles and Eddie Grant, out of the geographically tiny islands of the Caribbean have come the towering intellectual raison d’être of African emancipation, black power and Pan Africanism.

Today, as a second “scramble for Africa” ensues around the globe, Barbados along with the rest of the Caribbean has an opportunity to leverage our history of leadership on the frontlines of African unity, now that that same passionate engagement is needed in order to consolidate the economic transformation currently taking place on the African continent. However, while in the past Africa reaped the benefits of efforts of its stolen tribes in the middle of the Atlantic sea, in the midst of the worst economic crisis in living experience, the advantage is not just one way but a potential win-win for Continent as well as the Diaspora in the Caribbean.

Read full Article

Discover more from Barbados Underground

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

139 responses to “Opportunity Africa: Leveraging Barbados’ First Cousin Advantages to Maximise Trade and Investment in Africa’s Economic Rising”

  1. David Avatar
    David

    Thanks Donna, your submission to local media is timely for two reasons. Local Captains of industry appear to be struck like a deer caught in the full beam of headlights. It seems we are prepared to wait for T&T owned capital inn Barbados to bail us out. And secondly, a national consultation is slated for 28 June. Who knows what your intervention will being.

  2. Well Well. Avatar
    Well Well.

    For the last 5-7+ years the African continent has been a mecca for business, it is the fastest growing business centre in the world right now.

  3. BAFBFP Avatar
    BAFBFP

    A national consultation is scheduled for June … Thank you David … did not know that. Thought I missed out big time with the consultation last week on privatization that was moderated by my favorite public personality. I don’ miss these consultations fa joke … Nuff food and drink, and now I got this much notice I got time now to pick up some doggy bags … Thank you from the bottom of my belly … David

  4. Well Well. Avatar
    Well Well.

    David……………is there any particular reason that the leaders in Barbados as well as the Caribbean at large would not know that business growth is in Africa?

  5. BAFBFP Avatar
    BAFBFP

    Nigerian as a citizen that is worth 16 Billion US dollars … nah one man could spend all dah money in 16 thousand years, and yet Nigeria looking for out side people to come in …

    Unbridled Capitalism as an engine for development, where the target market (for exploitation) is your own people. Remind me why is this lady so respected as an adviser again …? Man who she really wukkin’ fah man …

  6. David Avatar
    David

    We have a risk averse DNA which has been nurtured over the years by a ready and able public sector pool of funds.

  7. Well Well. Avatar
    Well Well.

    Baf…………there is a black female oil tycoon in Nigeria, richer than Oprah, she is also a very savvy business woman.

  8. Well Well. Avatar
    Well Well.

    Yeah, but look now, the risk averse DNA is not helping but they looking to risk the money of poor people by spending it to pay public sector salaries, where is the return in that.

  9. islandgal246 Avatar
    islandgal246

    And we deported dem Nigerians that were stranded here? Is dat wee own Donna St. Hill who worked at CBC??? Lawd ah glad she leff and went over an away. Now she doing nuff tings out dey and want to help she likkle island home ..thank yuh Miss Donna. Yuh looks too sweet too.
    Back ta Africa…..mmmn wunna feel we cud trust dem Nigerians? We deported nuff remember? Wunna tink Bajans will treat dese Africans like dem does treat dem white tourisses bout hey??? Bajan ent see what rich black people look like yet BUT how will we treat dese new rich black tourisses??

  10. BAFBFP Avatar
    BAFBFP

    Islandgal

    The people that get trap bout hey did Ghanians.

    Hospitality service providers in Barbados will have to undergo another serious round of training

  11. Well Well. Avatar
    Well Well.

    Baf………………an African is an African is an African? we have to educate our people that there are at least 38 states in Africa, not all are drought, poverty or war torn, there are some very wealthy states and BLACK people in Africa.

  12. Dr Love Avatar
    Dr Love

    We KNOW unbridled GREED and Corruption is killing the World and we want MORE imported to Barbados.!!!!

    .
    Froon n Stinkliar on a platter. Finger likken good. Nigerian style.

  13. robert ross Avatar
    robert ross

    Sorry – will someone (you Baf? – don’t you go silent on me) please tell me what this lady is actually saying. She writes like one of the fellas she regards as a hero – the one who allegedly discovered a village called Busa near Ilorin and thereby added to the fund of something or other.

  14. islandgal246 Avatar
    islandgal246

    Baff oh soite…dem did Ghanians?? Forgive me for insulting dem tiefing Nigerians. But tell muh yuh tink we cud trust wee cousins from Africa? Yuh know when tief tief from tief it mek God laff.

  15. Well Well. Avatar
    Well Well.

    I swear, i too am scared to death of the Nigerians, they have exceedingly high IQs and would scam God, the only thing that scares me more are the mosquitoes in Africa.

  16. Kiki Avatar
    Kiki

    Saturday, May 25
    Africa Day 2013

  17. BAFBFP Avatar
    BAFBFP

    Well Well

    I know that this is serious stuff for you so I trying to steer clear of you for the time being

    islandgal246

    Yah Red no good lout … ha ha ha .. You just ain’ got na faif in Blak people nah .. HA HA HA .. Look, don’ mek nah shame in front of Money hear … da is all I ask.

    Ross

    You know that Amuse and me is friends now, only for one year on a test basis … HA HA … so I talking to you in secret… I read this woman to be saying that Black people in Africa are ripe fah de takin’ … so now is your chance. Some of these people should be ashamed to show their faces in public … really

  18. David Avatar
    David

    Why must some of you see conspiracy at every turn? When the Chinese moved in on Africa some of you were all over the blog going on about exploitation. You know what, let us continue to feed a business culture which welcomes the 22nd Chefette Restaurant.

  19. BAFBFP Avatar
    BAFBFP

    HA HA HA David … I am a Socialist hear … never ever supported exploitative business of any kind … and did not favour the arrangement between the African (and West Indian) Governments and China either … so you can’ be referring to me. All this fancy talk about growth particularly the type that is sure to be consumer demand driven is not something that I would instantly applaud, simply because the mouth piece happens to be Bajan.

  20. David Avatar
    David

    @Baf

    You are always advocating commodity based approaches. Are you saying that there is no opportunity here? You are willing to dismiss it without the benefit of a due diligence?

  21. BAFBFP Avatar
    BAFBFP

    Due diligence? Up front, individuals who make a decent living from giving advice to governments are NOT my favorite cup of tea … the Four Seasons guy of recent vintage is a classic example their true relevance. I take advice from people who have walked the walk. That’s it. She touched on the cultural industries and that is all she wrote, I’m afraid.

  22. David Avatar
    David

    Is it true that the lady has written a piece which gives the curious investor a reminder of what is possible in Africa? It is not as if she is a venture capitalist.

  23. BAFBFP Avatar
    BAFBFP

    And it is not as if she has ever PRODUCED anything to SELL either … Sorry, consultants do produce reports … my omission

  24. Kiki Avatar
    Kiki

  25. robert ross Avatar
    robert ross

    BAF

    Thankyou. I see. The Nigerians will make mince meat of us – not least because they don’t just stand there and make noise.

    On another matter – it’s clear I shall have to watch what I say now. Be kind to him.

  26. The People's Democratic Congress Avatar
    The People’s Democratic Congress

    On page 6A of the Sunday Sun, May 26, 2013, Mr Tennyson Beckles has been reported as saying, in part, the following: ‘Our economy is grinding to a halt. The structures are not generating the kind of activity that we are accustomed to. And we are headed no where. Our business model needs a massive intellectual transformation’. Now if that is an accurate representation by the newspaper of what Mr Beckles said at the DLP’s lunchtime session on Friday last at the party’s Headquarters, then from the PDC’s own ideological philosophical perspectives, it is worth emphasising highlighting.

    But, if what immediately came after those reported comments in the same newspaper report is also a proper reflection of what this former personnel manager of Banks brewery also said at the gathering, it clearly shows then how his analysis went so quickly crashing to the ground, with his apparently having lost control of his mental faculties for some moments there.

    For, according to him, a reason why the economy was stuck on a downward spiral was that control of the nation’s wealth was in the wrong hands – an off shoot of the post slavery plantation economy that concentrated capital in a small group of people where maximization of profit was the only credo.

    So riddled with glaring inaccuracies, downright fallacies and false assumptions is the latter statement, that we do not think it is really worth a response from us, other than to say that out of many major societal forces BLP and DLP headed governments have since independence been the ones who have been primarily persistently inflicting tremendous damage on and destabilizing many of the political economy and services industry sectors of this country.

    What blatant poppycock coming from such an old stager at such a time when many more people in Barbados are becoming more and more enlightened about this country’s social political history.

    PDC

  27. David Avatar
    David

    @Baf

    In a nutshell you are saying that unless an individual is a commodity/manufacturer player there is no room for them to facilitate an information channel as in this case St.Hill?

  28. David Avatar
    David

    And in related news:

    http://www.nationnews.com/mobile/view/move-for-closer-african-links/

    Is it not stupid that the enlightened and educated would receive an email from an unknown person asking for personal info or requesting money and allow themselves to be suckered? What does it say?

  29. newblood Avatar
    newblood

    @David

    dont u think that we would need to sort out travel to Africa as a starting point. It took me over twenty hours flying to reach africa. How do we get shorter air routes. I am told that planes fly from africa in this region to reach Brasil. I am also told that it would take six hours to reach some parts of africa if we had a direct route. Can you or anyone on this blog who might have information on air routes respond.

    what i can say, is that those in southern africa are aware of the part barbados played in the liberation of mozambique which has a lot of mineral AND IS UNDERPOPuLATED and which reqiuires a lot of professionals;like nurses, doctors, teachers to mention a few, zimbawe,angola. will also remember s They are aware that barbados was used as a transshippent point by cubana airways to fly troops and armanents to that continent. AS a then young airport worker, it thrilled my heart that little barbados played a significant part. The leaders in those countries, including south africa will be receptive to the deepening of relationships and thus we should explore all possibilties and also recognized that corruption is still endemic in those major power house in africa, including south africa.

  30. David Avatar
    David

    @newblood

    One would think that this is all part of the process of opening up new opportunities.

  31. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ newblood | May 28, 2013 at 5:51 AM |

    I want to wholeheartedly agree with your assessment of the opportunities facing Barbados to “rediscover” West Africa.

    The first hurdle to overcome is that of transportation whether by air or sea. We must not expect or depend on any existing European or North American based carrier or shipping magnate to accommodate us by opening up trading routes or transportation links between the Caribbean and West Africa. Their interest in such enterprise ended with the dismantling of the Trans-Atlantic Triangular Trade.
    The hope and spirit of linking the black children in the Diaspora with Mother Africa died with Marcus Garvey and his Black Star liner concept. But can we resuscitate that brilliant idea and honour the memory of that great man by bringing it to a modern-day reality?
    Can we for once work together as a regional entity and get the Trinidad-owned Caribbean Airlines (CAL) to establish and operate at least a one weekly flight to, say, Accra initially? Other Caribbean States including Jamaica and definitely Barbados should be prepared to facilitate and subsidise this venture in its early stages. But can we expect eager support from the T&T government or even the Guyanese administration which seem to have divergent ideas of differing cultural and racial hues about any Diaspora connections and revival?

    It is extremely important for young black Bajans to see themselves as international service providers. In order for them to survive they must be prepared, like their fore parents, to emigrate and experience other places. What better place to go to find their cultural and racially lost souls than to their ancestral homeland! Let them start with Ghana where they would be ‘at home’ in more ways than one since black Bajan DNA strands are in many ways both biological and cultural embedded in the gold coast now modern Ghana.

    Ghana is one of Africa’s growing economic and political successes. Let us put our people there before the Indians and Chinese totally colonise the place and dominate the economic landscape. Our Government must move with utmost haste to establish serious ties with Ghana.

    Barbados has reached its full capacity as far as economic growth is concerned to support such a highly educated and trained population in a very small country with very little natural resources. Once again we must follow our fore parents:- Emigrate or Stagnate.
    We have missed the boat as far as the Singapore model is concerned. Let us get on a very fast boat heading to West Africa to save our economic souls. Start with establishing a direct air link to Ghana.

    What about leveraging some of the rich and successful black Americans who share a similar anthropological and cultural journey to Caribbean and South American people of African descent to buy into such an African Renaissance project?

  32. lawson Avatar
    lawson

    If you cant make money in your own backyard why would you think you will in someone elses.Unless you are invested in a large corp.doing business over there you really have no protection. As in other countries you will need a local partner and the lines of who owns what will eventually get blurred.You hear stories all the time of foreign investors getting screwed over. How many times can they repackage the same crap and find someone to invest …astonishing

  33. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @ Donna

    Donna, you are doing a brilliant job. Hope the DLP government is going to consult you on the marvellous job you are doing in Africa.

  34. Dr Love. Avatar
    Dr Love.

    Spain received 14 million international tourists in the first 4 months of 2013, an increase of 2.5% over the same period of 2012.
    International News Today!!!!

    14,000,000 IN 4 MONTHS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    But OF COURSE Spain ent got PROBLEMS like BARBADOS!!!
    REALLLY?????

  35. Dr Love. Avatar
    Dr Love.

    What Spain ENT GOT is:
    FROON the GOON!!

  36. David Avatar
    David

    @Miller

    Beg to differ. The first hurdle will be to emancipate our minds from mental slavery to understand where the opportunities now exist. The existing economic model is spent but the exciting thing is that new frontiers have emerged but not for the risk averse. The irony is that if our potential investors do no nothing they will see an erosion of existing business anyway.

  37. The People's Democratic Congress Avatar
    The People’s Democratic Congress

    Barbados does not need any national consultation on the economy next month or at any time under this DLP Government.

    What Barbados does however need at this stage is for as many people as possible to come together in as many groupings as possible and to have their own and various consultations on the ways and means for permanently removing both the DLP and BLP from the governmental political landscape of this country.

    This type of knee jerk, superficial, distracting reaction by this DLP government to what they have in fact helped to create: the only political economic depression in Barbados that has ever been created by local governmental forces in the entire history of Barbados ; should only be being attended by representatives of the DLP government and the representatives of the BLP in the parliament of this country.

    For, it is DLP and BLP governments that have at alternate times been putting many very backward and odious laws, policies and programs that have directly led to this horribly worsening depression.

    Rather than thinking about going to such a useless money wasting mouth running consultation (unless persons are pure uncritical followers of these two rank piss ramgoat factions), very ideologically politically nationally conscious progressive individuals and groups of individuals who otherwise might have been thinking about going to such, ought to be thinking about holding their own planning strategies and consultations for deepening the nation building, the democratic, the productive, and the property owning processes in Barbados and ultimately for democratically taking over the reins of government in this country, by coming up with and agreeing to the potentially appropriate policies, programs, strategies and programs for doing so.

    For time and time again, there have been these types of consultations that have been held under the auspices of these DLP and BLP governments and with narrow groups of representatives of who they call stakeholders in attendance, but never with the inclusion and involvement of a sufficiently representative group of the broad masses and middle classes to deal with their own fundamental issues and experiences, and to deal with – as a matter of right – the question of helping to structure and effect the decisions that would be coming out of these sessions and which must be ones that would primarily be made to affect them as well.

    Worse, is that these types of consultations appear to have very little or no impact on reversing the direction in which the political economy and services industry sectors of this country are heading, as that this localized political economic depression has been getting worse and worse by the day, the week.

    So, it is upwards and onwards towards a better and brighter Barbadian society without the DLP and BLP any longer involved in the lives of the broad masses and middle classes of people of Barbados, eg, in the planning and organising for such stupid consultations and other things.

    PDC

  38. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ Donna St.Hill:

    I, like Hal Austin, wish to offer my appreciation of the brilliant work you are doing.
    A most interesting article of timely importance to our region’s future economic development.

    But as usual the information provided would most likely fall on death ears especially in Barbados.
    Pity this moribund administration does not make more effective use of your competence, skills and contacts. What about engaging you on a consultancy basis as an Emissary to Ghana with emphasis on Trade & Economic development between the two States?
    We are sure BAFBFP would not object. (LOL!!!)

    All the best to you Donna.
    Warm regards.

  39. lawson Avatar
    lawson

    Greed ….. it can make unreasonable things seem reasonable, dangle some numbers in front of someone, tell them they are missing an opportunity of a lifetime and watch them jump. Unless there is going to be a mass migration of Barbadians to Africa it would be better to get that rich Nigerian to invest in Bim

  40. David Avatar
    David

    @Miller

    Maybe there is the thought by government that if Lisa Cummins is onboard there is no need.

  41. Alvin Cummins Avatar
    Alvin Cummins

    @All,
    Beware! Remember what happened when Solar Dynamics sought to establish a plant in Nigeria, I think with government (B’dos) assistance. I think I read they lost out big time and were scammed. Check it out.
    @Well.. I am surprised at what you wrote when you said that the government “…willing to risk poor people money by using it to pay public sector salaries, where is the return in that..?” Who constitute the Public Sector?? None other than the public servants who constitute the same “poor” people. At least that way the money circulates, and there is no “risk” in paying salaries. The money comes back in the form of taxes, vat etc from the same money. Say it isn’t so. .

  42. David Avatar
    David

    @Alvin

    To be clear, the company involved was not Solar Dynamics.

    You are reminded that investment is not without risk. It is why you do due diligence to seek to partner with reputable partners. You should note that donna was very clear to make the disclosure in her write up.

  43. Well Well. Avatar
    Well Well.

    Alvin…………..morning, i keep forgetting with you i must elaborate, they keep going around in circles borrowing to pay public sector salaries every month, with no noticeable incoming revenue. Cash flowing has to be a 2 way street, in and out, more coming in than going out, cash just can’t keep circulating without that dynamic in play, i meant no disrespect to the public workers………….i though Toronto was supposed to be hot today, it feels like 8C.

  44. Well Well. Avatar
    Well Well.

    Miller…………in regard to transportation to Africa, it is not in the best interest of the West to make direct travel to Africa easy for Caribbean people, they make sure you have to go through any hub either from London or the Continental US. In saying that, more research would be necessary and constant contact with Ms. St. Hill since she is on the ground in Africa, the wiser choice would more than likely be to set up start ups owned by Bajans in Africa, taking into account their laws, rules and regulations while being directed by knowledgeable people on the ground and learn as you go along, it will take migration. Africans are way worse than i am and they take no prisoners.

  45. PLANTATION DEEDS FROM 1926-2013 AND SEE MASSIVE FRAUD ,LAND TAX BILLS AND NO DEEDS Avatar
    PLANTATION DEEDS FROM 1926-2013 AND SEE MASSIVE FRAUD ,LAND TAX BILLS AND NO DEEDS

    So What you all are saying that the BLP and DLP Ministers are from Africa ? Is that why they crook the country so bad?
    Can any one from Africa crook the People of Barbados any worse then the Minister?
    Can the IMF or the WB crook the People worse than the Minister?
    We still might get crooked less for at least we will some thing for all the FUNDS gone and missing and nothing to show for it ….
    Can the rest of the World be defrauded By Bajan lawyers,?
    Will crook lawyer/Ministers allow them self to be taken for a loop by Africans , ?? Put that WAR on HBO crooks vs crooks .pay per view

  46. Well Well. Avatar
    Well Well.

    Plantation…………….they can export people like Parris to Africa, he would do well, bring back lots of foreign exchange for DLP (smile).

  47. lawson Avatar
    lawson

    Not to rain on your parade but I dont think anyone from Barbados could do good in Africa, they would look at you as the offspring of people who werent smart enough not to get caught by the slavers. Dont bet on get rich quick schemes, have a plan, re-assess as needed, slow and steady wins the race.

  48. lawson Avatar
    lawson

    If you are determined to have ties with Africa rather than re-enforce the ones with central and south america have them with somalia, maybe you can persuade the somalian pirates to leave barbados flagged ships alone.

  49. Well Well. Avatar
    Well Well.

    Actually, Lawson is right, Africans do not consider Caribbean people to be full blooded Africans, conveniently forgetting that they themselves were the first to be colonized in Africa, however, that should not be a deterrent………..slow and steady does win the race.

  50. PLANTATION DEEDS FROM 1926-2013 AND SEE MASSIVE FRAUD ,LAND TAX BILLS AND NO DEEDS Avatar
    PLANTATION DEEDS FROM 1926-2013 AND SEE MASSIVE FRAUD ,LAND TAX BILLS AND NO DEEDS

    Well Well @As Violet Beckles ,would say . These Bitches have no SHAME.
    When we vote better We will get Better. If you dont like who is running , then run your self. Shelf help is the law

The blogmaster invites you to join the discussion.

    Trending

    Discover more from Barbados Underground

    Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

    Continue reading