What CSME What!?

Ten years ago, when then political leaders in Barbados were running around like chickens without heads promoting CSME as ‘the only way to meet the challenges of Globalization’, we excused them. Even though it was obvious to all of us who had eyes and ears that it was just a convenient distraction for leaders who, finding themselves out to sea, would clutch at any straw presented. We assumed that they would soon recognize the folly of pursuing CSME and get on with the REAL agenda.

When in Sunday’s newspapers therefore, we can read of high level government officials continuing to pledge commitment to CSME and talking about it being ‘our only hope of facing the challenges ahead’ Bajans must fear for their future.

Either politicians are infected with some disease of idiocy upon taking office; or (more likely) they allow the same civil service idiots (that misled the last bunch of jokers) to write their speeches too….

I suppose that if you are to appear at every cockfight and birthday bash- and be giving a speech to the press to boot- you have to say SOMETHING!!! … And someone has to come up with the speech…. But Cud dear CSME!?!

What CSME What?!?

The days of safety in numbers are long gone….

Large groups just make easier targets in the world of 2008.

As Bush tea has said time and time again, success in our world comes from being Efficient, Innovative, Flexible, Creative and Imaginative.

SIZE DOES NOT MATTER HERE. (in other scenarios – Bush tea would not be so dogmatic….)

In fact, ‘success with CSME’ would mean more complex management systems, more inefficiency in organisation, more difficult decision-making, clashes in culture and many more challenges to the REAL issues needed for success.

If Barbados wants to be successful, we need to buckle down and set about running a ‘tight ship’. We will need astute leadership; focused planning; prudent use of limited resources; an environment that supports creativity and innovation and probably most important of all, we need all hands on deck.

This can only be achieved if we can instill pride in “being Bajan”, build an environment of ‘team Barbados’, and establish the kind of national communications that invites all Bajans to become part of that team.

Wasting time and resources talking about nonsense is not only counter productive, but it sends the message to Bajans that politicians have no real clue of what is needed in these challenging times….

Time for some decisive leadership – and time to stop following civil servants..