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Our Economy Should be Designed to Thrive NOT Grow

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We have discussed the conspicuous consumption model which people everywhere have become addicted at every level of society. The individual aspires to buy a house, car, travel and in large part sees the acquisition of material things as a badge of success. The government (reflecting the sovereignty from the people) works hard to maintain popularity with the people and therefore pursues policies to satisfy as insatiable thirst of the conspicuous consumption model.

In order to disrupt the downhill rollercoaster ride to nowhere enlightened citizens will have to shout enough is enough. There will have to be a revolution in thought, word and deed. Listening to the debates and various exchanges in social media and elsewhere it is evident the majority of our people are locked in an unproductive mindset. The reality is the cliche it is not business as usual is apt now more than ever.

The blogmaster watched the following presentation A healthy economy should be designed to thrive, not grow by Economist Kate Raworth and was intrigued by her postulation. Take the time to view the 15 minute presentation to feed your mind a different perspective IF you dare!

Oxford Economist Kate Raworth – TED Talk

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288 responses to “Our Economy Should be Designed to Thrive NOT Grow”

  1. David Avatar
    David

    @Wily

    Good, you have relieved yourself. No more to be said.

  2. 555dubstreet Avatar
    555dubstreet

    “David your moving in the direction of CHIEF PUSSY LICKER.”

    The Commander in Chief is a lesbian and has another woman employed for that job role

    David is in the future tomorrow war against aliens

  3. NorthernObserver Avatar
    NorthernObserver

    @John
    You are pulling an @ac. First you make a blanket statement against construction, and then you branch off and go down the rabbit hole (⛳) of high end golf course anchored developments.
    I agree Barbados cannot support this type of water hog land use.
    The island needs construction. And it needs to be smart on water usage. Governments change the rules all the time. Look at what was done to TBill and Bond holders? Nothing to stop a requirement for golf courses to provide their own water supply.

  4. David Avatar
    David

    The government is sympathetic to golf courses. Look at the loan/grant??to Southern as an example.

  5. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    I here listening to Brasstacks.

    Impassioned plea by a lady for water to flush her toilet. Seems they forgot about the water tank at Whitehill.

  6. 555dubstreet Avatar
    555dubstreet


    “The last 20 years of downward economic spiral is still not recognised by the Barbados management leaders, all they ever look for is a quick and easy fix for relatively simple problems which all that is needed is dedication to solving over the long term. Basic infrastructure is failing and no corrective action is planned. The solutions are all readily available, just get on with the task, bite the bullet, take the time and restore the country’s economic stability. ”

    tag words
    #BasicInfrastructure
    #EconomicStability

    is Basic Infrastructure a precursor to Economic Stability
    or is it the other way around
    Economic Stability is a precursor to Basic Infrastructure
    or is Economics a goobledegook Science like the donut theory with sprinkles and custard creme

  7. NorthernObserver Avatar
    NorthernObserver

    @David
    Possibly a starting point is to consider a great many of the doers are not overly educated people? Many learnt ‘on the job’. Education is valuable, but can never replace the work ethic.
    When you get a significant populus who exist because of ‘the system’, they are in no hurry to change. The options represent a lot of risk? No bosie, I en tekking dah risk, I good.
    Then one appreciates the value in the duopoly, and how the feed is distributed. Finding opposers is limited to the party banner, not the system. The objective is to get to the trough, not destroy it.

  8. David Avatar
    David

    @NO

    #insightful

  9. John Avatar
    John

    NorthernObserverJuly 6, 2021 9:38 AM

    @John
    You are pulling an @ac. First you make a blanket statement against construction, and then you branch off and go down the rabbit hole (⛳) of high end golf course anchored developments.
    I agree Barbados cannot support this type of water hog land use.
    The island needs construction. And it needs to be smart on water usage. Governments change the rules all the time. Look at what was done to TBill and Bond holders? Nothing to stop a requirement for golf courses to provide their own water supply.

    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    Go look at Google Earth or next time you fly, assuming you pass over Barbados, look down at the result of construction.

  10. Eugene/John Avatar
    Eugene/John

    How many people in Barbados actually play golf?

    How many politicians in Barbados actually play golf?

    How many business leaders in Barbados actually play golf?

    Golf is just a means of getting more construction of leisure homes and luxury villas approved by Town Planning.

    Those leisure homes and luxury villas are not for locals …. unless you are a politician and accept payment in condominiums..

  11. NorthernObserver Avatar
    NorthernObserver

    @John
    You have made an uncontested point on golf course anchored developments.
    Replacing existing sub-standard structures is also construction?
    Making the existing water distribution system more efficient and modern is construction?

  12. Eugene/John Avatar
    Eugene/John

    That is maintenance!!

    Every Government should be engaged in the activity!!

  13. John Avatar
    John

    Same way for a business person wanting to extend the life cycle of his/her product/service.

  14. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    David
    This false construction merely attemps to avoid the fundamental questions now unavoidable.

    This is a meangless counterpoint proffered by the same commentariati intended to keep neoliberalism going even in the face of abject systemic failures, across the board.

    Concepts of growth and thriving represent lipstict on a dying pig. Other long neglected foundational questions on economy would mek sense. Of course, these will never be asked nor answered by the mainstream idiots given credence.

  15. David Avatar
    David

    @Pacha

    What is the counter perspective on sustaining quality of life for humankind?

  16. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    David
    As we’ve said here and elsewhere for decades, the whole system has always been fatally flawed. It needs to be totally uprooted and burnt if humans are to survive.

    Your false dichotomy, for example, is predicated on the false notion that resources are infinite while we have long known that the reverse is true. Both concepts growth and thriving are so based, on such a lie.

  17. David Avatar
    David

    @Pacha

    You offer no science to prove the false dichotomy.

  18. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    David
    We need not go any further than to remove one of the planks on which the economic ideology, not science, as supported by you is so based.

  19. David Avatar
    David

    Thanks Bentley!

    Living in the Land of enoughDownload

  20. David Avatar
    David

    Getting better together

    LET ME BEGIN by thanking God that notwithstanding the physical damage no life was lost with the passage of Hurricane Elsa across this fair land of ours.
    However, the weather system highlighted vulnerabilities in our infrastructure and the need for a responsive general disaster relief fund not only for victims of natural disasters but other calamities, including fire.
    It was noteworthy to read that the Government is considering triggering the bond clause to defer payments of the principal and interest for two years as permissible “in the event that Barbados is adversely affected by an earthquake, tropical cyclone or rainfall event under its CCRIF SPC insurance coverage”. While this could be advantageous at a time when revenue has plummeted due to the severe recession we are in, it would be reckless if this ease in spending is redirected towards politically motivated endeavours.
    The recent passing of a contemporary and friend brought into focus matters of health care and my service on the board of management of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH). To say it was a labour of love is no overstatement for, as chairman, I would normally dedicate 40 hours a month across board and committee meetings. This commitment was not mine alone and I must commend what was a most engaged board as depicted in the slogan that we developed and followed: Getting Better Together.
    Joined board
    I joined the QEH board in the aftermath of the 2007 global financial crisis, which was exacerbated locally by considerable off-the-books spending by the previous administration, so-called “off-balance sheet” liabilities. Our mandate was to develop a “Rescue Plan” to stabilise the institution, which included the physical plant, human resources, and management and accountability systems, all within limited means given the strict spending measures dictated by the prevailing adverse financial situation.
    We were faithful with what had been given to us and achieved much.
    This included the recruitment of executive professionals with the necessary skill set to run the institution and the procurement of millions of dollars in medical and associated equipment, along with service agreements to reduce the hitherto breakdown of equipment. Structurally we completed the vital electrical upgrade, refurbished the cafeteria and the ambulance headquarters along with the procurement of ambulances to name a few. For accountability and controls purposes, new staff rules and procedures were introduced, and the internal audit department and disciplinary committee re-established.
    Medical tourism
    Steps towards ensuring the QEH conformed to international standards and to create opportunities for medical tourism commenced with the process of international accreditation. This reflected our ultimate commitment to ensure that the QEH would be a viable, patient-centred, acute care facility. Having lost a sister as a child and a father as a teenager, I understand personally that the QEH operates in the shadow of every Barbadian’s life, from cradle to grave.
    As I reflect on my tenure, I realise that what ultimately motivated me and our board was the philosophical belief that the institution was there not to serve the interests of any professional or interest group but ultimately to ensure the care and well-being of Barbadians.
    When the consultants went on strike in 2010 after one of their colleagues at the hospital was dismissed for, according to the medical staff committee, “putting patient care at risk”, the board was resolute. I confirmed to the Minister of Health that our struggle with the consultants was on behalf of the people of Barbados; that the consultants felt they owned the hospital, but we would not be surrendering the title deeds. They ultimately returned to work without any concessions being made.
    Two things I regret not having been able to achieve: i) ensuring that consultants who are paid more than $150 000 per annum to provide 21 hours of service per week to public patients undertake these duties; and ii) update the schedule of fees for the QEH to ensure that charges for all services provided there are paid through the QEH and are reasonable and transparent.
    The explosion of private medical facilities across Barbados highlights the urgent need for a rigorous regulatory system for medical practitioners, other health professionals, and related facilities to preserve the health, safety, and welfare of the public. I realised from both official and personal experience that there is an imperative to ensure that facilities for medical and wider health-care services provide a safe environment through licensing, inspection, and certification.
    Experience has taught me that we can neither simply assume nor hope that all will be well; the public needs a safeguard process to ensure that medical professionals in fact “do no harm” and that when they do, they are held fully accountable. May the Lord continue to be the people’s guide.
    Guy Hewitt is a former chairman of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. He currently lives and works between Barbados and Florida and can be contacted at guyhewitt@gmail.com

    Source: Nation

  21. NorthernObserver Avatar
    NorthernObserver

    For accountability and control purposes, I wonder the timeliness and frequency of the required annual reporting during his term as Chair.

  22. John Avatar
    John

    How many thriving economies are there in the world that have no growth?

    Make it work and the world will beat a path to it.

  23. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    The TED lecture was just another word salad. Nothing new was said. It was a bit confusing since it tried to differentiate between growth and thriving. What an empty exercise in semantics!!
    At least it provided an opportunity for John to expound on the upper limits of growth set by our limited supply of potable water. A consideration we ignore in our quest for immizerising growth.

  24. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    This is precisely the type of lecture that gets my goat. Woman turned me off with her entire presentation. The dress for effect, the use of voice effects, the use of analogy, all designed to convince that she was dynamic and different and presenting something entirely new, turning current thought on its head.

    I will listen again to see if I missed something. I will have to think long and hard because global economic thought is not my favourite thing to consider.

    My favourite thing is the rehabilitation of our minds, not tinkering with economic systems whose only power over us exists because of our mixed up minds.

  25. David Avatar
    David

    @Vincent

    No surprise you would defend the establishment. You are happy with the GDP measure for growth?

  26. John Avatar
    John

    It is interesting to look at the GDP for Barbados over the period 1975 to 2020.

    It looks almost as though we have spent as much time under zero as over zero.

    Barbados thus seems on average to have an economy that does not grow.

    Whenever it actually does grow it is followed by a sharp decline.

    https://imgur.com/oDJR6bj

  27. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    @ David at 9:50 AM
    I have neither defended nor attacked the “establishment”, whosoever they are. Yes I support the GDP, GNP,NDP as appropriate measures of growth if they are consistently collected in the same manner..They do not measure Economic Development. One can have growth without the transformation of the economy. The latter is what we are attempting to do or should do to reflect the realities of a post COVID international economic system. During the transformation process there may be no growth.Is it necessary for economies to register growth every year?

  28. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    @ John at 2:12 PM
    The graphs you uploaded reflects exactly how a Small Island Economy should behave. Why should you expect it to grow every year. Barbados has to operate in the real world and that is how it is. Do you travel in a straight line from Barbados to Miami? The pilot makes correction periodically. And so it is in life.

  29. David Avatar
    David

    @Vincent

    In the context of the growth discussion on the topic it is defined as more than GDP/

  30. John Avatar
    John

    Vincent CodringtonJuly 7, 2021 3:31 PM

    @ John at 2:12 PM
    The graphs you uploaded reflects exactly how a Small Island Economy should behave. Why should you expect it to grow every year. Barbados has to operate in the real world and that is how it is. Do you travel in a straight line from Barbados to Miami? The pilot makes correction periodically. And so it is in life.

    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    Up and down fluctuation is not the issue.

    All countries will have oscillations.

    Look at the graph carefully and you will see the oscillations are around ZERO GDP growth.

    Go look at Singapore, another small island.

    Oscillations are present but around an average greater than zero.

  31. Miller Avatar
    Miller

    @ John July 7, 2021 6:54 PM

    King John (of the coming Republic of Barbadoes), how do you reconcile your Pareto-based position with that of the Bajan policymakers who have been trying to make a good case for an additional 80,000 people to ‘reinforce’ the demographic picture of current Barbados?

    What’s so big a task about sourcing 80,000 additional mouths to feed, shelter and ‘school’ and, most importantly, to find work when there are thousands of young Haitians just eager to travel to the ‘greying’ paradise in the Caribbean called Bim?

  32. John Avatar
    John

    MillerJuly 7, 2021 8:31 PM

    @ John July 7, 2021 6:54 PM

    What’s so big a task about sourcing 80,000 additional mouths to feed, shelter and ‘school’ and, most importantly, to find work when there are thousands of young Haitians just eager to travel to the ‘greying’ paradise in the Caribbean called Bim?

    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    The 80,000 are high end tourists who will need lots of water.

    Forget the food, shelter, schooling and work, mind de watuh!!

  33. John Avatar
    John

    CARICOM brothers and sisters or not, dem ent got no money to bring bout hey for politicians to teef.

  34. John Avatar
    John

    Singapore, another small island averaged about 6% growth over the period 1961 to 2020.

    I put in the zero line and the oscillations seem to be around 6%.

    https://imgur.com/qIKBL8n

  35. John Avatar
    John

    So Singapore has had its ups and downs but managed to average a positive growth.

    Do you think Singapore is thriving?

    I would think so.

    It’s leaders know it is faced with limitations but have planned well ahead to overcome them.

    That’s the difference.

  36. John Avatar
    John

    The lady in the clip does not understand she has only seen half ass leaders and their failed policies.

  37. William Skinner Avatar
    William Skinner

    St Lucian entrepreneur urges region look inward for sustainability
    By Marlon Madden
    Stop playing the victim and start doing what you can for yourself to achieve sustainable development before looking outside of your country for assistance, a St Lucia-based entrepreneur has told government officials in a United Nationssponsored forum on Wednesday.
    Johanan Dujon delivered a blunt call for greater political will, improvement in the enabling environment and easier private sector access to financing to be among the factors for the region to tackle some of its developmental challenges.
    Dujon, the founder of agricultural biotech company Algas Organics, was addressing the UNDP High-Level Political Forum virtual side event held under the theme, Unleashing the Potential of the Blue Economy.
    He said: “I think as Caribbean people there are things we need to do for ourselves rather than waiting for others to do it, and then once we actually get these things going I think that’s when you can actually engage development partners, moving in a joint direction. That is political capital and just the political will really to make changes.
    “I think internally what needs to happen… is that we need to move away from the victim mentality. Yes, we are prone to exogenous shocks and we have heard this at every conference for the last 20 years, and it is true. But what are we going to do about it, because saying that does not prevent them from happening. So we need to move away from what I have seen in my experience of the victim mentality to ‘this is the reality, how do we mitigate those risks and also how do we capitalize on some of the opportunities that may exist as far as that is concerned.”
    Pointing to the estimated low investment of only about one per cent of gross domestic product that was spent on research and development in the region, Dujon also called for greater investment in that area and for the research to actually be used to produce change.
    He told the forum, which was attended by Minister of Maritime Affairs and the Blue Economy Kirk Humphrey, that enough studies have been done over the years “on almost every issue the Caribbean has faced since the Caribbean became the Caribbean in terms of the geopolitical aspect of things”.
    “If you are not investing in sustainable technologies to improve processes and productivity then you are not going to grow. That is as simple as it is,” Dujon said.
    “There are reams on regional integration, there are reams on diversification, and the last thing we need is more research and information and reports to just sit on a shelf. So we need to move away as a region from research for research’s sake and actually allow the research to drive policy, but more so innovation because innovation doesn’t require political will. Companies will innovate because they need to survive and that innovation if it is happening cumulatively, will drive economic growth.”
    Stressing that the private sector will play a critical role in countries achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals over the next several years, he added that development financing would play a critical part in that process.
    He said: “I think development financing should not be concentrated solely in the hands of the public sector. I mean, high debt, fragile economies, and limited innovation do not make for strong businesses cases, especially for sustainable growth in the post-COVID situation.
    “So the public sector as we have seen does not always innovate or create new products which sustainably drive economies. What you find is that the focus is usually on infrastructure and paying the public sector wage bill and servicing debt.
    “That is how you keep a country open but it isn’t how you are going [achieve] sustainable development, and so I see entrepreneurs playing a pivotal role when it comes to development outside of the role of what we call traditional business. So we are looking at agricultural technology and blue technologies.”
    Dujon further explained that the intellectual property development and protection and innovation with the “right” partner in the private sector could be a “game-changer for the region”.
    He also recommended that in addition to improvements to the doing business environment in the region, there needed to be greater access to grant funding and follow-up funding to help drive innovation.
    “We need to de-risk innovation,” he said, adding “it is one thing to talk innovation but it is another thing to fund it.
    Innovation without funding is basically a daydream; really a nightmare. I think for too long the two have been divorced and that is the reason results have not been as strong as we like in the region”.
    “Once those are built out we are not going to just encourage entrepreneurs who live in the Caribbean to invest there, we are also going to encourage foreign direct investment outside of tourism.” (marlonmadden@barbadostoday.bb)

  38. John Avatar
    John

    To succeed you have to be prepared to fail!!

  39. Tron Avatar
    Tron

    We should not be so impatient with our government. We should just give it more time.

    I predict that once we grant Mia Mottley’s team a second term, we will see a tremendous economic boom.

  40. NorthernObserver Avatar
    NorthernObserver

    For someone who exuded confidence in droves, ‘once we grant’ is a hesitant statement? You know there will be no boom, rather, listen for the echo. Better yet, try to foresee the echoes, for the gifts are very recognisable, just different wrapping paper.

  41. John Avatar
    John

    NorthernObserverJuly 8, 2021 11:41 AM

    For someone who exuded confidence in droves, ‘once we grant’ is a hesitant statement? You know there will be no boom, rather, listen for the echo. Better yet, try to foresee the echoes, for the gifts are very recognisable, just different wrapping paper.

    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    Tron I believe was probably being facetious, or sarcastic … or whatever … but you are right to ask your questions which I presume may be facetious, sarcastic or whatever!!

    A GDP growth that oscillates for 45 years around ZERO, or nothing, says it all.

  42. John Avatar
    John

    … and then Billy saw the light.

  43. NorthernObserver Avatar
    NorthernObserver

    @John
    There has been significant growth, you are merely not focused in the right area. Chart public expenditures. Compare them to COLLECTED public revenues.

  44. John Avatar
    John

    NO

    You will find that eyeballing the numbers for Barbados is the problem.

    A running average needs to be accurately calculated and you will probably find that it is a bit over zero.

    So there has been growth, just very little.

    Over 45 years it adds up … but not to much.

  45. David Avatar
    David

    Growth in GDP is not the thrust of the presentation. This is our problem, everything must be condensed to what is transactional.

  46. John Avatar
    John

    TITLE = OUR ECONOMY SHOULD BE DESIGNED TO THRIVE NOT GROW

    How do you measure “Thrive”?

    We know how to measure “Grow” …. or at least how politicians measure “Grow” which is what the lady has a problem with and prefers “Thrive”.

    For the fourth year running, Finland is the happiest country on earth.

    Must be that it is thriving.

    So is its economy growing?

    Between 1961 and 2020 GDP has been averaging 3% growth.

    Has fallen last 4 years.

    https://imgur.com/SkHf4vJ

  47. Eugene/John Avatar
    Eugene/John

    Most prosperous country on earth is Denmark!!

    I’ll bet its economy is growing.

    Is it possible for an economy to both thrive and grow?

    The lady seems to consider the two mutually exclusive.

    Of course, Eureka.

    A growing economy can be (usually is) a thriving economy.

  48. peterlawrencethompson Avatar
    peterlawrencethompson

    @John & @ Vincent and @others

    I am stunned that so many of you have completely missed the point of what Prof. Raworth is saying. It’s not so hard to understand; it’s at its heart just a staightforward cost benefit analysis..

    @John, an economy is a complex system that cannot be represented with any sophistication by a simple growth curve. At any point in time vials sectors of the economy are in their growth phase while others are in their maturity or decline. Growth certainly takes place in some parts of the economy while the economy as a whole is shrinking; The case in point in Barbados is that while the Barbados economy shrank by 18% in 2020, and the tourism sector shrank by 70%, the villa rental subsector of tourism grew to record heights.

    The point that Raworth is making is that growth has costs as well as benefits, so we need as a society to decide how much of the benefits we want (the reduction in poverty that growth can enable), and how many of the costs we are willing to bear (like the environmental catastrophe of how many utterly stupid and ugly golf course developments we will allow).

  49. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Somebody else seeing what I see?

    https://barbadostoday.bb/2021/07/08/cdb-banking-on-the-youth/

    The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) is putting its trust in the youth to provide the necessary thrust for the development of the region. Declaring that the region’s youth had the talent to innovate and contribute meaningfully to development, CDB officials promised
    that the financial institution would be ramping up its support for young people.

    Yvette Lemonias-Seale, Vice President of Corporate Services and Bank Secretary at the CDB, said it was the duty of the financial institution, governments, and other agencies “to act so we can release the creative and innovative potential of our young people”.

    “Innovation is important for solving developmental problems, for spurring economic growth and for transforming our societies and who best to lead the charge to innovate? Those who explore, question, challenge and disrupt, the ones more likely to pick things apart and form something new. Young people are overwhelmingly representing those ranks,” said Lemonias-Seale.

    She was addressing the recent youth forum, the final event of the CDB’s 51st annual meeting, which was held under the theme Listen, Learn, Live: Youth Insights on Innovation Imperatives and Investment. Lenonias Seale said too often reports on youth were focused on their “disproportionate representation among the poorest and vulnerable and their involvement in anti-social activities”. However, pointing out that people under the age of 30 were easily the most energetic and creative, she argued that providing an enabling environment for,

    and promoting the development of engaged, empowered and equipped youth was essential
    for the full realisation of their capabilities.

    “Achieving such development is central to the achievement of the bank’s core mission of reducing poverty and transforming lives through sustainable, resilient and inclusive development,” she said. During the youth discussion panelists agreed that education was a significant contributor to development. However, they argued that too many of the region’s young people were still being trained for the existing workforce instead of being trained to become innovators and entrepreneurs.

    Advising young people not to be afraid to fail when they start a business, the participants also urged the region’s youth to “figure things on their own” as they sought to keep abreast with technological advancements and to stay relevant. They also called for authorities to create greater opportunities for entrepreneurs to expand and export, improve the enabling environment including easier access to financing especially for farmers and enhancements in the doing business environment for entrepreneurs, while singling out the need for improvements in logistics and trade regimes in the region.

    IDB’s Vice President of Operations Isaac Solomon agreed that urgent action was needed to help the region’s young people unleash their true potential. Declaring that the Bridgetown-based financial institution had an abundance of faith in the young people in the region,
    he said he did not believe regional leaders have developed a sufficient understanding of how the youth function “in an ecosystem distinctly different from the landscape of the past”.

    Solomon said while it was clear that many of the region’s youth were self-driven, their success in innovative pursuits was often dependent on the contribution and investment of governments, private sector, civil society and development organisations. “It is now up to us to coalesce around our young people by giving them the time, place, space and support to contribute meaningfully to development.

    This is a call for us as policymakers and development practitioners to put our money where it counts and provide the architecture for innovation starting with the reengineering of education so that it is an experience that excites the creative energies of all learners,” said Solomon. “This is a call to provide the enabling environment for nurturing innovation and co-creation such as access to start up financing capital, coaching and market promotion. This is a call to provide the technology that both supports innovation and is itself the target of innovation and disrupts the status quo.

    This is a call to free our young people from the limitations of archaic notions of productive work, and the restrictions experienced by persons of disabilities,” he added. He said the CDB therefore committed to accelerating its prioritisation of the region’s youth through its youth policy and strategy, while listening to the youth and increasing its focus and financing of innovation.

    “Specifically, CDB will provide funding and technical support to empower youth to explore innovative ideas to tackle development challenges, provide youth with the tools to build and engage in impactful endeavours, and promote continual dialogue between youth and other key stakeholders regionally and globally, as they work to reshape a more prosperous region,” said Solomon.

  50. angela cox Avatar
    angela cox

    Our economy was thriving back in the sixties
    Back then local.black business helped drive the Barbados economy
    However govt abandon these business in favour of foreign investments
    What if these small thriving black owned business were given the same amount of financial support as those in the Tourism industry
    What a wonderful place Barbados would have become

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