It’s probably futile to wish friends a prosperous 2015, so I’ve received some different New Year greetings – all relevant and worth considering seriously as we prepare for the challenges ahead of us.
One friend wrote: “I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright . . . enough rain to appreciate the sun more . . . enough happiness to keep your spirit alive . . . enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger . . . enough gain to satisfy your wanting . . . enough loss to appreciate all that you possess . . . .”
Another’s greeting was really a national resolution: “Let us work together in peace and harmony, looking out for our neighbours and working for the good of Barbados. Let us keep God central in our lives and live the Golden Rule. We can make Barbados a better place. We can because we think we can. And each of us can make a difference. May 2015 bring you good health, happiness and the satisfaction of knowing that you have done everything you can for friends, family and country . . . .”
I totally agree, but first we must correct our attitude. We must all see ourselves as having collective responsibility for Barbados’ future and do all we’re capable of instead of always relying on others.
But our leaders must play their part. A participant in a discussion in 1989 quoted Sir Courtney Blackman as saying: “A leader with vision can focus the attention of his people upon some particular objective, and inspire them to overcome seemingly insuperable obstacles.”
We desperately need that inspiration now.
Terrence Farrell, former deputy governor of the Trinidad Central Bank, notes a similar relationship between culture, behaviour and economic underachievement in Trinidad and Tobago. He says the reason why Trinidad had a per capita gross domestic product twice that of Singapore in 1960 but now it’s far below that of Singapore is not only because of policy mistakes and poor implementation, but also because of a culture “not conducive to economic efficiency and strong economic performance”.
He goes on to describe behaviours which are the norm in Trinidad, some of which I can’t mention lest I run afoul of the Nation’s editors, but which unfortunately seem also to be endemic in Barbados.
He emphasises that these behaviours aren’t embedded in our DNA – they can be changed. People operate inside or outside the culture depending on circumstances. Like the Trinidadian pilot whose reaction to a flashing red light while outside the airplane may be “I see that flashing before and nothing happen”, but once he enters the plane, he operates outside that culture and responds to that flashing red light with corrective action.
There are simple things we could do which would make a dent in Barbados’ problems, like disposing of litter properly, recycling our organic waste into compost and other recyclable materials through the commercial recyclers. Imagine the pressure that would take off the Sanitation Service Authority and how much better our country would look.
Then there’s the matter of keeping our properties tidy and mosquito free. Is it acceptable for wayside repairmen to store old appliances, wrecked cars, rusty agricultural implements and so on by the roadside? Couldn’t these be dismantled and the useful parts stored neatly in a smaller concealed space and the bodies sold as scrap?
More and more visitors are commenting on our untidy surroundings. How much longer can we expect “Bajan friendliness” to counteract these negatives?
Get rid of the “it’s cheaper to replace than to repair” mentality. Involve the polytechnic students in repairs in all areas. It’s good practice for them, a more reasonable service for the public, less garbage to dispose of and reduced foreign exchange use on replacements.
Support local instead of wasting foreign exchange on overpriced and unnecessary products. Buy only good-quality appliances which won’t become useless after a few months.
Drive more carefully to reduce accidents and consequent injuries and deaths, avoid increased insurance premiums, and reduce costly damage not only to vehicles, but also to public and private property.
Look after our health, reduce absenteeism in the workplace and stress on the health care system, pay our taxes and spend our money wisely.
It’s possible to create a culture which embraces a different attitude, but as Mr Farrell says: “Who has to do it? All of us have to do it”.
What better time than now?
Dr Frances Chandler is a former Independent senator. Email [email protected]
