Rick Lowe
Sure there is a colour issue in The Bahamas and it's perpetuated by black and white Bahamians, but that does not make it right, does it?
Politics will always trump economics, that is what the political class counts on and why these "issues" are never properly or fully disposed of by some of us in our community, especially some in the political class.
"But for some reason, we think someone, somewhere is going to use the coercive power of politics to make everything right."
As long as one can make people believe they are being exploited, does the individual win out or the political groups? And if the individual does not win we will never be able to free ourselves "from mental slavery" as the great Bob Marley sang for us in his Redemption Song.
I come from poor white families on both my Mother and Father's side, but they did not have the luxury of bleating about what other people had. They did everything they could in an effort to try to make sure we did better than they did. The same is true of countless black families in our country.
Their effort should be celebrated. But what do we do? We try to pull them down! What example are we setting for our children?
With regard to the point about which race controls the economy I must quote Dr. Friedrich von Hayek:
"If man is not to do more harm than good in his efforts to improve the social order, he will have to learn that in this, as in all other fields where essential complexity of an organized kind prevails, he cannot acquire the full knowledge which would make mastery of the events possible. He will therefore have to use what knowledge he can achieve, not to shape the results as the craftsman shapes his handiwork, but rather to cultivate a growth by providing the appropriate environment, in the manner in which the gardener does this for his plants. There is danger in the exuberant feeling of ever growing power which the advance of the physical sciences has engendered and which tempts man to try, "dizzy with success", to use a characteristic phrase of early communism, to subject not only our natural but also our human environment to the control of a human will. The recognition of the insuperable limits to his knowledge ought indeed to teach the student of society a lesson of humility which should guard him against becoming an accomplice in men's fatal striving to control society – a striving which makes him not only a tyrant over his fellows, but which may well make him the destroyer of a civilization which no brain has designed but which has grown from the free efforts of millions of individuals."
Finally, if I am provided a service or goods that I desire and satisfied with the treatment I receive, I don't care if the person is pumpkin yellow!
In a free market, we exchange. One party is a seller and the other a buyer. If one party does not like the deal, he or she can refuse to purchase the good or service.
But for some reason, we think someone, somewhere is going to use the coercive power of politics to make everything right.
History suggests otherwise.
The principle goal in politics is power.. To obtain or take power, the political forces of “divide and rule” are paramount.. Turning mankind against one another thought social and economic adversity opens the portal to political power and control..
Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham and the F.N.M.Government have failed in the ability to reduce crime and manage the economy which will cause the Bahamian dollar to devalue,that will affect every Bahamains,Eastern road Business owners,Cable Beach Business owners and Bay street Business owners will all be upset,angry and mad that they lost money because the Bahamian dollar devalue.It not black or white everybody will be affecting by the F.N.M. FAILURE WITH THE BAHAMAS ECONOMY AND CRIME.
Currency devaluation in the Bahamas will be the result of excessive debt and out-of-control deficits.. Both political parties stand guilty to this charge.. The Bahamian dollar, backed the the failing US dollar, will decline as the US dollar continues to depreciate in value.. The combination of massive international borrowings (debt), monetization of debt (QE2 or printing more money) and excessive deficit spending by the United States in effect will devalue the US dollar and the reserves held by the Central Bank which backs the Bahamian currency..
The Obama Administration in Washington seems hell bent on pursuing economic policies which are the seeds of financial destruction for the once almighty dollar.. Even today China, Russian, Germany and France are seeking alternatives to replace the Dollar as world’s Reserve Currency.. The ultimate consequences will be devastating for both Americans and Bahamians alike.. Lets HOPE the United States can begin to exercise prudent monetary and fiscal policies that will stop the depreciation in value of the dollar and will halt the decline in the dollar’s purchasing power..
Sad to conclude that feeling of HOPE always springs eternal even in the minds of rational men when confronting the perspective failure.. Yet, there is always HOPE to ponder and look forward too.. After all our politicians will promise us HOPE and Change and a new tomorrow..
Tradewinds you are very correct with your statements,in addition if the Bahamas is not able to pay it loans and if the United States of America State Department come on Cable T.V. stating that the Bahamas will be put on the list of countries that is unsafe for American Tourist because of high crime rate,robbery and murder.This will severly impact the Bahamas Tourism Industry which is 75% of the Bahamas economy which will cause the Bahamas dollar to devalue.This is most likely to happen sooner rather than later.
Your points well taken Mr. Stuart.. May I offer this economic update.. As of the end of 2010, our economic sectors Tourism made about 90 percent of the economy and Financial Services accounted for the 10 percent balance.. Over the past decade, financial services declined from over 20 percent down to today’s 10 percent level.. Just look at the large number of banks that have closed down by about 50 percent.. In addition employment in this vital sector is falling as is always being cited in our daily press.. As for tourism it also has been in decline.. The largest Japanese tour agency, for example, closed their offices in Nassau two years ago as Japanese arrivals fell from over 7,000 in 2002 to less than 125 visitors the year they closed..
As best that I can determine American and Canadian tourist is estimated to make up about 90 percent of our annual visitors.. If this be the case, we can estimate that about 82 percent of our economy can be attributed to the these North American visitors..
Positive forecasts for 2011 are more than welcomed, but proof of economic recovery will depend largely on the recovery of discretionary purchasing power in the United States.. Given this fact and the lack of meaning economic recovery and high unemployment, the potential outlook for American tourism is somewhat bleak.. Americans today seem to prefer the cruse ships over our hotels.. Lets all hope this will soon change for the sake of our country and its “golden egg” sector..