The Black British Experience through the Eyes of a Jamaican

By Winston Walker

I have always thought that coming from a colony has probably made a lot of us culturally richer than we care to believe and the economical racism that many of us face from a visible minority today, can be traced right back to the attitude and ideals of our old colonial masters. When we were in our own country we were made to feel very much like second class citizens so why should we be made to feel any different in the country of our masters? My grandmother was a very God-fearing woman who went to church from a very early age and thought it was very important to hold on to her religious beliefs when she moved to England.

My Grandmother had worked in nursing in Jamaica and went to church every Sunday, a tradition for most people from the Caribbean that they have tried to maintain. So what a joy when she discovered that there was a church just down the road from the room that she had rented. She put on her best clothes and made sure that she had money for the collection. While in the service she felt that she stood out as she was the only black face in the congregation, but she did enjoy fact she was still holding onto the values that she had in Jamaica. The service only lasted an hour and when it finished she sat down, hoping that someone would come and talk to her as she was still feeling very isolated and was in urgent need of making friends. Suddenly she heard a voice behind her saying, “hello, we have never seen you here before”, she also sensed a little intimidation in the voice. She looked behind her and noticed it was the priest who had been giving the sermon, she felt reassured by this and the sight of the man in the black robe made her feel very comfortable, but all that was to change.

The priest asked if he could sit down and have a chat with her and she said that was fine. “Thank you for coming”, the priest said, “but my parishioners are not comfortable in the presence of black people, so if you don’t mind please don’t come back to this church.” At that moment she just wanted to get on a plane and go back to Jamaica. My Grandmother would never express her views vocally and she would not have done so on this occasion, but this would be a story she would tell myself and the rest of our friends and family many times. This experience was also to make her a very bitter woman, but she would not be the only one who would have these experiences, and in years to come there would be a generation who would not tolerate these prejudices and many would lose there lives or find themselves imprisoned fighting for the right to be treated the same as their fellow human beings.

We often confine stories like my Grandmothers to Bible belt America or Apartheid South Africa, although racism was not as harsh in Britain as it was in these places for a lot of people from visible minorities. In Britain a lot of these people would embrace the ideals of such black leaders Nelson Mandela, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King. Although I do believe in non-violence, I would have believed in the Ideals of Malcolm X as I believe that we all have a right to defend ourselves by any means necessary. I do not believe in the saying that we should turn the other cheek, it does not make sense.

When I was 16 I began taking an interest in these people and also the general history of the many black people who were born in the Western world and I came to discover that we are a people who have no name, no religion no culture and no identity. I remember talking to a Rastafarian friend many years ago and him asking me my name and replying “Winston Walker” “No” he said, “that is your masters’ name”. I didn’t understand it then, but I would get to know what he was talking about in years to come and would embrace these values as I tried to find something I could identify with in life.

Although I would deny that I am racist, I do believe that racism has dictated the lives of many black people in Britain, whether it be through housing, education, social welfare, judicial issues or employment etc. I have always asked myself, why is it that when we - people of a visible minority want anything to maintain that certain level of integrity within our cultures - we always seem to find ourselves going to areas that look like they have not been developed since the second world war?

The area I grew up in reflects the economical racism that many of us experienced and are still experiencing today. A few years ago I looked on the internet and was looking at the area that I grew up in Birmingham. I was to discover that many years before, people of a visible minority were invited over here to live. These areas were very suburban, exclusive areas, so why, when these people moved to these areas, were they never developed? I think it would be fair to say the same about many places where people of these minorities decided to settle in Britain.

Throughout the 70s and early 80s these problems were highlighted only through frustration that led to riots in many British inner cities where people were getting a little sick and tired of living in these atrocious conditions and also by the way many were being treated by the law and the judicial system. If you were black you were more likely to have some form of social stigma attached to you, whether it be a criminal record or mental illness, or there was always that expectation that if you were black you were expected to have some form of negativity attached to you, you could be a drug dealer, mugger or thief etc. There are certain elements of people within white middle class Britain, who will always find it hard to accept that all black people are not drug dealers or robbers or thieves, and these people, I do feel, need educating.

At the beginning of my story, I referred to myself coming from a colony. I do think there is a lot of ignorance from the nations who ran these colonies, as being the servant we knew everything about our masters, but at the same time our masters knew nothing about their servants, in that sense the servants have become richer than their masters. Whereas in our home countries we were taught everything about the British Empire it also amazes me that we were never taught anything about our cultures. Whatever I learned was taught by my parents, so does this mean that although we live in multi-cultural society that one culture is more important than the other? I say that we need to embrace each other’s cultures and learn something from each other.

While living in Scotland I often saw a lot of weariness when it comes to the English, but that same weariness, I would say, is the same weariness that people of a visible minority have experienced with whites for many years, hence referring back to the story of my grandmother. I personally am not looking for sympathy or pity, but understanding and to be able to share what I have to offer. Am I happy with race relations in Britain? The answered would have to be yes, but there is always room for improvement. Things have changed since my Grandmother came to Britain, but I also think that these situations must never be forgotten, so that they cannot be repeated.

Within the United Kingdom there are four different countries, England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. I always ask myself in which category do we people of a visible minority fit in. I personally do not want anything to do with any of these, to be part of one would be separatism, but I would prefer to be part of something that is British as I see a whole multitude of people included in the term of being British. We have Scottish, Welsh, Irish and English and I would also include people from the Caribbean, Africa, Asia, etc. In my eyes that’s what makes Britain great.

CAN WHITE FOSTER PARENTS EQUIP THEIR BLACK CHILDREN TO DEAL WITH RACISM?

by Winston Walker


Whilst out shopping in my local supermarket, my eye was captivated, by a young black girl being rather unruly, this girl in my opinion could only been aged around 5 or 6, however what struck me even more was that she was addressing the adults who were with her as mother and father, but what was unique was the fact that the people she was addressing as mother and father were also white, I assumed they were her foster or her adoptive parents.

I never really thought much about it, until I spoke to a friend from the city in which I grew up, this friend like myself is black, however he was also adopted by a white family, although he praised the way he was brought up he would often confide to me the problems he would have in adult life in relating to other black people and also believing the stereotypes and labels that are often attributed quite unfairly to many of us.

Although I do not want to undermine the credibility of people being parents, I think I can identify the issues and the backbone to his problems; we need to look at ourselves as black people and the issue of the lack of black people coming forward to be adoptive or foster parents.As stated in the previous paragraph we must not underestimate the credibility of people being responsible parents, however, what I must question is how these children are developing within a modern British Society, however we must start looking at ourselves and how we are failing our own.
All too often is the case is many people who choose to foster or adopt youngsters are often from white middle class suburban Britain, and often is the case, that these communities do not interact with multi-cultural Britain and in the process leaving these children with the lack of identity that is needed.
A question I often ask myself, who prepares these youngsters for the racism that exists within not only the society we live in, but also the world at large?, who will understand these children when they confront issues such as racial abuse or exclusion or often the isolation we feel, in some segments of the society that we live in, who teaches these children of the history of black people? as I am confident that they will not be taught these issues in schools.

I having been born in Jamaica and raised in Britain I never came across a situation in which I was taught about black culture in school or college, or heard of where black culture is a part of the education curriculum in modern British society.
An issue, that caused controversy in our media most recently was pop idol, Madonna, adopting a child from Malawi, however although we have to commend her for the courage in doing this, we must ask certain questions, such as, how many black people does Madonna have coming to her house?, how can she prepare these children for the issues that they will have to face as they develop into adulthood, and as stated in a previous paragraph, how does she explain when these children will come across issues of racial abuse and prejudices that sadly still exist.

Myself can relate to issues of stereotyping and labelling, having being educated in boarding schools, due to difficulties in childhood, although spending time with family of a weekend and holidays, my problems arose when I left school at the tender age of 16, and generally not being able to relate to certain situations not only in the white community, but also in the black community, and was often left with a sense of not belonging anywhere, however I do not criticize the way I was educated, as I have often thought that it has left me culturally diverse, with an understanding of two cultures.

As for black people fostering or adopting white children, I am confident in saying that we are well equipped to do that, and this can be put down to the long history of colonialism that many of us have come from, and as I often say in many debates that I have had, many of us are culturally richer than we care to think, as not only us, people throughout the world will know everything there is too know about Britain, however we often find that native Britain does not understand or in some instances will not want to make the effort too understand the people who live amongst them, however in our own countries we are forced to understand these societies just to survive.

The problem lays with us, whatever reasons our children are being put in these situations, we have a responsibility to our own so that our identity and integrity can be maintained within our culture, we are a caring people, no matter what we have come from, and it is important that we find more people from our background to take on the roles of foster or adoptive parents, we need to start caring about each other and not just our own biological children, but all our children.We also need to be educating our youth on the practice of safe sex and contraception, as we do have a very long history of teenage pregnancies and in some cases creating an unwanted generation, who will find themselves, lacking in identity and culture.

The problems that come from many people coming forward to do these kind of work or deeds, may come from weariness, of being investigated and the procedures that now all people who choose to foster or adopt will have to endure, however I must I have to agree with a lot of these procedures, as anybody who is put in a position where they have to be cared for, must also be protected and we as a society must always protect our vulnerable, however we has people who come a long history of colonialism also have a duty to maintain the integrity and standards that we have maintained within our culture for so long, and that must start with our young people.

Is Journalling the way to improve the learning experience?

EDITORIAL by Myrna Loy

“Learning journals provide a framework to support the process of reflective learning in individual courses and in the portfolio process as a whole. Their use not only documents the developmental process of the portfolios - making it more than just a presentation of selected work - but supports the self-assessment of processes and their documentation. It 'keeps records', encourages metacognition, ownership and control, and provides guidance” [University of Oldenburg and UMUC]

I have recently changed my career towards teaching – well when I say teaching, I should say I have a teaching qualification which I intend to use to support my inspirational mentoring service. I have also been developing counselling skills as a part of my continuous professional development. Why counselling? Counselling skills develop not only listening skills, but empathetic, cognitive, behavioural and social skills as well - all of which should be a prerequisite to the effective teaching and learning experience.

In pursuing my PTLLS Award and BTEC in Counselling this year, I noticed that Learning/Reflective Journals seem to be a mandatory part of the portfolio development process and not a recommended tool of support. Both Teachers and Learners are now required to produce learning or reflective journals as a form of evidencing their work and documenting the impact of the way they learn/teach. It seems to me, that the current school of thought is that documenting thought processes while learning (i.e. thinking about the way they learn and/or teach, and writing it down) will improve the learning and teaching experience.

According to the University of Worcester’s Study Skills Advice Sheet: “a learning journal helps you to be reflective about your learning, this means that your learning journal should not be a purely descriptive account of what you did etc but an opportunity to communicate your thinking process: how and why you did what you did, and what you now think about what you did”.

I am not sure about other learners, but I found that by thinking about how I was learning, and trying to track and record that process by writing it down, very inhibiting. I found that thinking about the way I was learning prevented me from absorbing information being given both verbally and visually. Another part of the reflective process is to observe what was happening in the classroom, how was I reacting to colleagues, was their questions/interruptions conducive to my learning experience; and were the learning techniques of the teacher effective and if so how. Can you imagine trying to think about all of that while trying to absorb new information?

Many teachers have complained about the journaling process and I can’t say I blame them! They are saying that they cannot concentrate on their lesson plans or schemes of work because their brain is thinking about how they are teaching as opposed to achieving their objective, in order to be able to document it after the class is finished.

According to Laurence E Morehouse, Author of ‘Maximum Performance’, he states that “When you start thinking about what you are doing, you try to reorganise and/or add extra motions. Your motions become uncoordinated, and because you are tracking almost counting your movements, you inevitably slow them down.” He further goes on to say that: “If we were to try to read or write or think word by word, the mind simply couldn’t carry all those details. So the words have to be simplified into a single thought. We focus on a central theme....” “.... The object in a performance is to shut off your thinking which you do by shifting your focus from the details of the action to the goal of the action...”

“... Even in that instant during a sharp exchange of volleys at the net you have predetermined where you are going to hit the ball. Two things are accomplished in the process. First, you have established a strategy. Second, by committing your thought to your objective, you have pre-empted the time; you are only thinking about getting there, not how you are to get there. The first is important, but the second is crucial.”

What these extracts tell me is that journaling is actually inhibiting teaching effectiveness and performance. It is not natural for the brain to analyse every process it takes to learn something! We all know that if we start concentrating on how we are doing something – even something as simple as walking, our steps become awkward and unnatural.

Journalling may have benefits in therapeutic or emotional situations where the client is stressed or has been abused and needs to revisit the causes, but in a learning environment, I am not convinced that reflective journalling is an effective or efficient way to improve the teaching and learning experience.

Our Diaspora is a “softie'' Jamaica no problem the mantra of complacency

Written by Franklin Johnston
franklinjohnston@hotmail.com

Black history month revealed hunger for history of Africa and Jamaica, but it has a downside in the repeat racist hate mail I get from people who breach the ICANN and ISP codes. These cowards vomit personal abuse but have no facts to share. In the Old World, black is the icon for Sub-Saharans but the New World used a palette from black to octoroon (1/8th white) to designate and divide us. In Africa, Europe and Asia, the discriminators are language, tribe, nation, place and culture. There is no white history in the UK and no black history in Kenya. The descriptors are British, Welsh, etc; Kenyan, Kikuyu, Luo etc, and color have no place.
We are no angels. Sir Willard White our global bass-baritone sings Faust as no one else can, yet we call him the pejorative name, "coconut". Our capacity for self-harm and self-hate is strong. We say we don't know our history but no one is hiding it. Books on Songhai, Kanem, Mali exist. If you are under 55 and can't read, it's your fault; literacy classes are all over. By some intellectual recidivism, our scholars do not decant African texts. Learn to read and they may write some for you.
Last year, a lynch mob attacked me in cyberspace. They didn't know Ethiopian history; that Rameses and Persian Emperors were "King of Kings" before Bible days, or birth of Christ or Selassie, and this angered them. We should make African history top of the syllabus in school and focus the Jamaica Library Service's book buying for 2010 on Africa. We must write more Jamaican and Diaspora history as lies are all about.
Neither the African, nor the Jamaican Diaspora is uniform. Fewer than seven per cent of all transatlantic slaves went to America, a fraction of ours. Yet they innovate most (black Americans hold most patents and IP, and the African Diaspora more than Africa itself) and define global black success. The African Diaspora is over 100 million; they run nations and were uplifted from Africa in three waves: The first African aliyah was overland slavery. Some 20 million Africans were uplifted to the Old World, and over millennia merged into native populations, a total whitewash. The footprint of the old Roman Empire is replete with their genetic material and only DNA tests, not appearance, confirm the bloodlines of this first Diaspora. The ethno-biology histories need to be done, but modern Africa and our Diaspora show no interest.
The second African aliyah was by oceanic slavery. This uplift of 18 million peopled the New World from Alaska to Antartica. Unlike the first Diaspora, their scions are a majority in some nations. The "browning", started by white men on black women 400 years ago, continues - the future is brown. No Diaspora went back to Africa. Why? The scion of the second Diaspora is creative, but insecure and conflicted. Do we seek revenge or forgive, cause or ease suffering, go back to Africa or stay, be great or be idle? The third Diaspora has none of these conflicts, their goal is prosperity.
The third African aliyah was voluntary, started 60 years ago and gained momentum after African independence. Africans studied in the UK, France, USSR, USA, etc, and stayed. Later, refugees, men of business, politics and ex-dictators with Swiss bank accounts came. Most are educated, they don't "do" labor and regard few - of any race, as their equals. In 2008, Ghanaians alone had 50 mainstream UK top jobs in TV, radio, film, business, academia, etc. This third African Diaspora is slick suits and brain-led, into global scams, not yardie street crime. Your computer, credit card and internet gateway are never safe. Last week the UK justice secretary's email was hacked by Nigerians and his contacts asked to send money to him, supposedly stranded in Africa - twisted genius! The African Diaspora Alliance is focused on this group and on Africa. One million of their kin die of malaria alone each year; slavery and the egos of black Americans or West Indians aren’t on their agenda. African friends tell me "the past is past, you Jamaicans, get over it and live". The first and third Diaspora lived in sync with their life-roles; the second lives conflicted. Jamaicans are scion of the second African Diaspora. Those in USA, Canada and the UK do well and we who run nations struggle. We expect more of them but they continue to disappoint.
The Jamaican Diaspora needs to find a niche. They can't be a social club, or a servant of Cabinet, they have a unique, higher calling. They must hold our state to account to embed justice, liberty and rights in all areas; to change the nepotism, victimization and the life-and-death contest we call elections. They have a sacred trust to ensure that the freedoms they enjoy abroad come here too. Support for basic schools, etc, is the least, as we waste more money than they give. The IMF gave us less FX than the Diaspora. It said jump and Cabinet jumped. The Diaspora has leverage too but is afraid to use it. We here are too vulnerable to reform our politics alone; the Diaspora is untouchable and must lead.
I was in the USA to give a speech one August 6 and political placards were on my host's and many houses. The banquet was black tie, the same old Diaspora "rundown and rum talk", far from the reality I left in Kingston. In my speech, I said that freedom at home was flawed, as no one would dare put a "politics poster" on his home or business. Di peeple dem almos' nyam me. They said I "show them up" before the mayor and TV in Dallas. They agreed with me, but said, "Yuh nuh know how dem stey a yaad, dem wi mash up peeple house ef a nuh fi dem colour pon de placard." They are happy to live the lie and after a few shots of single malt, I too went "curry goat" and lived the lie. The Diaspora likes to be liked. Sending money is no help if they do nothing to secure our freedoms.
Years ago I voted for Harold Wilson in the UK. Labour and Tory, we went to the pub to argue our case; never here. The English do not understand why we fight for those we elect to serve us. They fight for a soccer team as they live with the local team, win, lose or draw. The Diaspora sends money, not to us but to their families and we welcome it, but there is a higher calling and they are not listening. The Diaspora is a force without a vision; a house cat that needs stroking, but we need a tiger. Returning residents' privileges must be no more than our taxpayers get; we go to their countries and get no favors and we must not buy their loyalty. They made their life choices and we made ours: A plague on their fancy balls and banquets. I pray they see the light. Selah!
Dr Franklin Johnston is an international project manager with Teape-Johnston
Consultants, currently on assignment in the UK.

One crisis, one age, one family (aka the human race) – and a new President!

Written by COB, Luton


I was disturbed when Myrna (editor of BB) told me that her conversations with under 35's (and I expect that included lots of under 25's!) about their perception of those of us over 50 (which I am – a full two years older than Myrna!) included references to people who "sit on the sofa", "watch the news" and "have white hair" – to which I say "what's wrong with any of that!".

It's about as relevant as saying that under 35's (OK – mainly under 25's) wear (in the case of boys and young men) clothes that clearly do not fit, amble around shopping centres as if they don't have a job and have no intention of getting one and wish everybody within a thirty yard radius to hear all about the latest girlfriend – or in the case of the girls, their latest boyfriend ("he's got an Audi – cool man").

Having got all that off my chest, let's get down to some key issues – it looks like western economies are shrinking (that's less jobs for all, young and old), the population is ageing (that's a problem for you under 35's – you have to pay for the 50 plus generation as we age) and the UK, the rest of Europe and the US (and the Caribbean!) need to establish what's important in life (note – it's not just money and having a good time).

So, let the generations (and the races and the classes/income groups) stop slagging each other off - not only is it "a good thing" to pull in the same direction – but we have no choice!

You may not agree – more rantings from some late 50's guy who has nothing better to do than send Myrna articles that she is too nice to throw in the waste bin!

However, I see inter-generational support in action a great deal – but would like to see more. Quite a number of people that I work with could not work if a parent, other relative or neighbour did not pick up their child from school and give them their tea until their mum or dad gets home from work – often on more or less a daily basis!

Similarly, most people in their 50's or 60's who have children in their late teens or in their twenties would love to be in a position to help their kids buy a flat or house when they are ready – and in other cases, where money is tighter, that help takes the form of a child (or sometimes partner) living with (and often partially at the expense of) a parent or parents because they can't afford to rent or buy their own place.

That brings us to Obama – how come? Anyway, he's only 47! And he is black and he is bright (Blackbright!).

It seems to me that he spans the generations – remember his visit to, and clear affinity with, his grandmother, who had brought him up and who died a few days before the election in November? Think of his responsibilities to the young men and women in the US military (which many young blacks join as one of the best (and sometimes only) way that they can get a college education or technical qualification) in overseas theatres of conflict? Think of the massive – forget that, potentially overwhelming – sense of duty that he owes to the generations of black Americans who have been denied rights and opportunities and who he now represents as a highly educated and highly sophisticated black man at the head of what is still the world's most powerful nation? He has to deliver education, jobs, healthcare – and a more peaceful world (not to mention some progress on climate change!).

If Obama has two terms in office, he will at the end be 55 – having worked around 16 hours a day for more or less 7 days a week for 8 years – and there are lots of other over 55's (most of them, actually!) working a full day whether in a shop, factory or office and then at home (keeping the house going, going to the supermarket, paying the bills, doing the DIY, keeping the house clean and functioning) – and (to all under 35's) that's what life is like, more or less until you drop!

So, we are all in it together – parents supporting children, the children become adults and support their own children and may also have to give a helping hand to their parents (as the 50+ become 60+ and 70+), grandparents helping out their working children (may be child minding, may be money or accommodation, may be all of these!).

I think that all of this is part of Obama's message (I hope that it is!) – forget age, forget class, forget money, forget race – see the big picture of mutual dependence and support because otherwise we are all the losers! OK, it is annoying when a 50+ person asks you to repeat something (at least my wife finds it annoying!) but so what – there are bigger issues.

I am a middle aged (nearing the end of my 50's actually) white man who is a big Obama fan and who hopes that he will deliver harmony and fairness and do a great deal to make the US (and the western world) more of a cohesive society where young and old, rich and poor and black and white get every encouragement and opportunity to develop themselves and thereby make a contribution to society!

I will now get off my soapbox.

Dutty Tuff Manifest

Written by Rodney Brown


Call it the new Bolt initiative or we old Dutty tuff manifest cause as Jamaicans it is in our destiny to be the best so why wi nuh get a clue and put all this violence to rest show wi true colors and put our real abilities to the test our athletes did their thing, with all the medals they won now wha the rest a wi a do, whats our contribution what positive effect do we have on our nation I mean nobody naw ask wi fi run go tek up a sport we dont all have to be athletes to prove our worth all it tek is a little motivation a likkle change of heart and when it come to inspiration we couldn’t ask for a betta start you did hear wi national anthem? Sound sweet nuh true?

Well it stir something inside a mi nuh know bout you it mek mi ask miself, what more can I really do am I really doing enough or mi just a scrape through it go tek baby steps mi know but a the only way wi ago grow wi so rich wid talent it just a buss and overflow so why we deh hide wi roses and put our thorns pon show mi nuh know but dem say wha wi reap wi sow so the question beg fi ask. A wonder wha wi deh grow mek the only thing wi deh harvest is violence and blood flow with all wha deh gwaan right now I man want fi be positive but it seems everybody want fi tek and nobody nuh want give nobody nuh want do the wuk but everybody want fi live I mean unnu see wha deh tek place wi want fi claim the medals but wi nuh want fi run the race so while wi deh jump and cheer and wi own horn wi deh blow only some a wi realise say wi dirty underwear deh show and while the whole world see it and some wi keep dem mouth the more jealous ones among them will mek sure dem point it out.

What the whole world realise but the knowledge wi seem fi lack is that when it come to talent and potential,wi have a bumber crop and when dem a scrape the barrel bottom, we skimming off the top this is how we get by, and trust mi it need fi stop wi nuh seek wi full potential until we flat pon wi back so call it the bolt effect or anything you want fi inject fi jumpstart wi society and clean up this rotten mess mi know mi go do my part my conscience demands no less so until we talk again,walk good. Jah Bless!

Jamaica's economy playing out as expected

Written by Dennis Chung
Dennis Chung is the author of "Charting Jamaica's Economic and Social Development - A much needed paradigm shift" and a founder of www.mindyuhbusiness.com. His blog is dcjottings.blogspot.com

When I listened to some of the reactions of surprise to the PIOJ's report January to March 2009 economic performance, I wonder if we are really serious. As far as I am concerned the economy is playing out as expected. Whenever I am asked about the 2.8 per cent downturn in the economy, during that period, as if it is unexpected, I refer to the article I wrote on July 18, 2009 titled "A perfect economic storm". At the time I started saying that "The next six to nine months will be one of, if not the most challenging, in the economic history of independent Jamaica".

For me it was obvious that if things continued the way they did and if leadership did not come together, we would be experiencing all we are today. In fact, it is worse than I expected, as the Lehman collapse made things much worse but the trend I expected is playing out. The extent to which we are feeling it today could have been avoided but too much time was spent in political diatribe and side arguments that distracted us from what we needed to do as a country.

Identifying the fundamental challenge

The consequence of the country not adequately projecting and preparing for the economic downturn has landed us in a situation that I believe will be hard to avoid now. I never expected such a sharp decline in the first quarter, which is going to be better than the second quarter in my estimation. What is happening also is that the economy is already like a runaway car, which is harder to stop once it gets going, and would have been easier to slow down prior to it starting to pick up speed. It is now going to take much more effort, and financial resources, to slow down the decline.

With all of this said, though, it is still possible to lessen the effects on the country, and I had written in my book about the real cause of the problem and gave an example of a five-year plan that could place us on the path to economic development. Some will not take what I say seriously, though, as I am just an accountant trying to talk about economic matters, but I will continue to be comforted by my own voice.

In order to determine how we can deal with the challenges we face, and which are worsening, we must first understand what the underlying problem is. This again I outlined in my book, which in summary is the fact that the country spends more foreign exchange than it earns. Unless this equation is changed we will always be caught in the downward spiral of economic stagnation/decline and debt. If we accept that this is the fundamental problem then it makes no sense addressing symptoms, which we have always been doing. Because of where we are today the measures to address the problem get more and more difficult the longer we wait.