More emphasis should be placed on finding countries that serve Barbados’ interest as the world becomes more diversified and multicultural.
This is the thinking of newly installed CARICOM Ambassador Robert “Bobby” Morris, who is also calling for a deeper level of entrepreneurial spirit among Barbadians, given the level of investment in education over the years.
“It is alright to have embassies out there but we have to get Barbadians [being] more entrepreneurial in what they do. We have to get our private sector working with the public sector in terms of what new things we can bring in addition to the welcoming atmosphere [tourism].”
Morris, former deputy general secretary of the Barbados Workers’ Union, said Barbadians, especially school children, should be made aware that the world was becoming more multicultural.
“The United States has every kind of person living there and they get along with each other . . . . So we have to keep developing our people with the understanding that they have to be a welcoming society whether it’s the Japanese or Chinese who come here.”
The CARICOM?ambassador said that Barbados had drawn on a number of markets over the years as it developed its economy: sugar, technology, tourism and international business.
“And we are now building a capacity to entertain people in terms of the cultural industries. People will be snobbish about Rihanna in terms of how she behaves because we are not understanding that it is not about friends or enemies; it is about interests.
“We don’t have to like everything that Rihanna does but we need to understand what she is doing. Building our path to the future is about interest and excellence.”
Morris was making a comment at the first luncheon lecture of the Democratic Labour Party recently that dealt with the impact of Europe’s debt woes on tourism and the international debt crisis.
