Caribbean Insight: Things Cerebral

Things Cerebral

By United Nations:

“It is now the time to invest in a social cohesion agenda. There are a lot of countries which have more resources, even though the general economic picture is dark and getting more uncertain and complicated,” said Dr. Johannes Jütting, head of the Poverty Reduction and Social Development Team from OECD on 27 January in New York.

The seminar on “Social cohesion in a shifting world”, chaired by DESA’s Development Policy Analysis Division’s Rob Vos and UNDP’s Eva Jespersen, gave an overview of the report “Perspectives in Global Development 2012: Social Cohesion in a Shifting World”, published by the Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

The OECD Perspectives on Global Development (PGD) is part of a new series of publications from the OECD Development Centre. Each edition identifies, analyses and provides workable policy solutions for a pressing global development challenge. The previous edition published in 2010, “Shifting Wealth,” examined the impact of the rise of large emerging economies on development, inequality and poverty. The shifting wealth and widespread mobilization of citizens calling for justice across the world in 2011 opens up opportunities to discuss importance for social cohesion in fast-growing developing countries.

A cohesive society is one where people are protected against life risks, trust their neighbors and the institutions of the state and can work towards a better future for themselves and their families. Fostering social cohesion is about striving for greater inclusiveness, more civic participation and creating opportunities for upward mobility. It is the glue that holds society together.

For the analysis, social cohesion is built around three key values: social inclusion, social capital and social mobility. Social inclusion refers to the degree to which all citizens can participate on equal footing in the economic, social and political life, including whether people are protected in times of need. Social capital refers to trust between people and in institutions and the sense of belonging to a society. Social mobility refers to equality of opportunity to get ahead.

How can governments promote social cohesion? The structural transformation of economies brought about by integration into the world economy offers various unprecedented possibilities to foster social cohesion.

“Policies can make a difference” argues Dr. Jütting. New resources are now available and could be invested in social development through better health care, education, social protection and other services. Governments have to rethink social and economic policies to ensure that all citizens have a voice, by fostering civic participation and strengthening democratic institutions.

Furthermore, promoting social cohesion requires the joint involvement and active collaboration of all stakeholders of a society – government, businesses, and civil society to jointly address collective action. “Social cohesion is an end but also a useful means. To go so far without social cohesion, it would be very difficult to maintain the long term growth process,” argued Dr. Jütting.

In the concluding remarks, Mr. Vos underscores “The real question is how we should move forward and what does this mean to social cohesion around the globe? The report is timely as we start the discussion on the post-2015 Development Agenda where we have to take into account both these shifting trends in the global economy and how to address them as a part of our development agenda.”

By Tara Sonenshine:
Water, water everywhere … and nowhere

No matter how much you read about water, keep reading. Water is the key ingredient to our planet and today it is either in short supply or there is too much of it coming at one time. No matter where you live and where you travel, you will not be able to escape the power of H20.

Water occupies much of the coverage of events in the United States and around the world. California is under a severe drought with forest fires scorching the earth and crops wilting.

U.S. forces are raining down airstrikes over Iraq where thirsty Yazidis are trapped on a mountaintop at the same time that a strategic dam in Mosul holds back billions of gallons of water which can either provide positive good or, if breached by ISIS, could lead to massive flooding.
Flash foods from Boston to Bosnia

The United Kingdom has been pummeled by rain this past winter, causing record-breaking floods unprecedented high winds and waves, coastal damage and crop destruction.

Yet in China, there isn’t nearly enough rain. This summer has been the hottest in decades in China with only 4.4 inches of rain — 48% less than the same period in many years. Drought is threatening to ruin 1.3 million acres of farmland in agricultural regions throughout China.

In Africa, the recent outbreak of the Ebola virus has put a spotlight on the need for clean water. The virus, which has claimed hundreds of lives, is not spread through contaminated water (it is transmitted by wild animals and infected humans), but clean water is critical to caring for sick patients.

Inadequate clean water, separately, caused many diseases that reduce the capacity of people, mostly young children, to withstand any sickness. Diarrhea, which is often related to unclean water, causes 1.5 million deaths a year, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Most of the victims are children.
A source of conflicts and de-stabilization

Rapid population growth compounded by a flood of people relocating from villages to cities over the last four decades has resulted in rapidly increased demands for dwindling water supplies.

Yemen, located in a dry, arid region, is slated to be the first country to officially run out of water. Not only is annual rainfall low and not efficiently harvested, but Yemen does not have the finances to develop and support water desalination facilities. The quest for water exacerbates tensions in an already tense country.

Water is also among the biggest concerns for refugee camps as they continue to expand all over the map. In an unprecedented situation, the United Nations has declared four countries: Iraq, South Sudan, Syria and the Central African Republic as Level 3 humanitarian disasters.

For the first time since World War II, the number of refugees, asylum seekers and internally displaced people in the world exceeds 50 million. That puts an enormous burden on relief agencies and host countries to supply clean water — as well as food and medical supplies to those in need.
Water diplomacy

First, we need to stop seeing the water issues as isolated incidents and take a holistic view of the situation. Water is not just a crisis in one county or one country or one world region.

Water is an interlocking puzzle and we need to look at the big picture on supply, demand and water management. Water nightmares are bigger than a single nation. Without international collaboration around water, we all will sink.

Water diplomacy should be one of the highest priorities of the international community. Second, we need to advance research around climate change to nail down the relationship between volatile weather and water.

Let’s get away from the politics around climate and get back to the science. If the world is too hot or too cold, the result is that jet streams collide and currents lead us to wacky weather. Let’s make the connections and deal with them in rational ways, including rationing water if need be.

Last, we need better communications around water. From tsunamis to famines, we know there is simply too much or too little but often our local weatherman or woman does little more than show us scary videos and maps with competing arrows and bright colors.

Give us context. We need a road map to action.

This summer we all hope to enjoy the ocean. But as we take a dip, or take a sip, let’s think about this magnificent resource and how we protect it, preserve it, and promote it.

By Margie Warrell:

Winston Churchill once said that courage is the first of all virtues because it is the only one that guarantees all others. Courage is also what it takes to set a bold course for yourself and your organization, engage in a courageous conversation, forge new ground, and to be decisive in uncertainty.

Certainly in today’s accelerated and uncertain times, courage is an indispensable attribute for effective leadership. Without it, leaders cannot steer organizations effectively or grow their capacity to adapt quickly to change and seize the opportunities change always holds. There are countless books about taking smart risks, innovating and seizing competitive advantage in fast changing markets. However there are very few that get to the heart of what holds the vast majority back from laying their job, their reputation and their ego on the line in ways that improve bottom line performance.

Fear drives people to shore up what they have rather than to go after what they want. During times of rapid change and uncertainty, anxiety levels go up and our appetite for risk goes down. Yet these are the exact times when bold action can reap the greatest rewards, and avoiding risk can exact the steepest toll (albeit not in the short term). Which begs the question: How do leaders foster the type of bold thinking and brave behavior needed to build competitive advantage and grow collective prosperity? They do so by cultivating a “Culture of Courage” that makes people feel safe to take risks and provides a compelling reason to do so. Here are five ways to do just that.

1. Lead from possibility, not probability.

It is easy to focus on what is directly ahead; to live from a place of probability. But it takes courage to shift your sights beyond the immediate horizon and to dream about what could be possible 5, 10 or 25 years from now. But unless you can move beyond probabilities, you will be hard pushed to inspire yourself, much less anyone else.

Any area of your life in which you lack a compelling vision of what you want is an area where you are navigating without a compass. Sometimes the right path to take is straight up the mountainside, but how would you know if you aren’t sure where you want to go? When you’re focused only on what’s directly ahead, it’s easy to fall into the path of least resistance, caving to external pressures and personal insecurities.

You lead by virtue of who you are; of what you stand for. When Martin Luther King Jr. spoke the words “I have a dream,” he inspired millions to make a stand for something far bigger than them. It wasn’t just his words that began a momentous movement; it was his willingness to lay his life on the line for it. Likewise, before people decide what they think about what you say, they decide what they think of you. So leadership begins with deciding what you stand for and having the guts to lay your reputation on the line for it if needed. If you aren’t willing to do that yourself, then you’ll have a hard time convincing anyone else to do it.

Growth and comfort don’t ride the same horse. People need to see you are riding the brave one before they’ll follow suit. All leadership begins with self-leadership. You can’t blow an uncertain trumpet.

2. Enlarge the context. Explain the ‘Why.’

Human beings have an innate need for purpose. We want to feel that how we use our time and talents each day is important. It’s not that we need to think we are ending world hunger or curing cancer, but we do want to feel that our toil is more than just about earning a paycheck; we want to be inspired. A leader who can’t inspire is like a river without water. Dry and depressing.

Enlarging the context is particularly important during times of change. Employees working on the shop floor often aren’t aware of the larger considerations and stakeholder concerns. The more information they have about why they are being asked to do what they do, and why they’re enduring the discomfort of change, the more engaged they will become and the less anxiety they will breed.

Leaders must be able to give a clear and compelling answer to the question: “For the sake of what am I doing this?” Few things are more demotivating than a boss who can’t explain why what you’re doing truly matters. Leaders who can help employees see how their efforts are contributing to a larger purpose will motivate those in their charge to speak bravely, focus purposefully and work diligently when it matters most.

3. Learn to unlearn.

Self-confidence is as important an attribute for leadership as competence. However one of the biggest challenges organizations face are too many leaders who have too much confidence in their own opinion, and too little interest in learning about the opinions of those who see things differently. Cleverness is far less valuable than curiosity.

Researchers have found that we are wired to defend what we know, to resist information that contradicts it and to seek out like-minds and evidence that complies with our beliefs. So cultivating a ‘courage culture’ requires leaders to park their ego and be proactive in seeking information and beliefs that differ from their own. It also requires the humility to concede when they’ve realize they had it wrong.

Learning how to ‘unlearn’ the knowledge and answers that have fueled past successes is crucial to our ability to adapt fast and flexibly. Too much self-satisfaction can keep decision makers from admitting what they don’t know, asking new questions to discover what they need to know, and experimenting with new approaches to old problems. Leaders must both continually challenge their own wisdom and actively encourage employees to do the same.

4. Make it safe.

People play it safe and lean toward caution when they don’t feel safe to do otherwise. It’s why employers who know that their boss has ‘got their back’ will be far more willing to go the extra mile, to push back, and to speak up and to exchange what’s been working for what might work better.

Making people feel safe is built on a foundation of trust. People need to intuitively feel that they can trust you to:
Speak truthfully
Do what’s right over what’s easy (even if it costs you)
Take care of them as human beings and not to use them as pawns in some larger political power-play
Keep your word and hold others to theirs
Back them up if they go out on a limb for the sake of your business

If people don’t think you care, don’t believe you’re sincere, or just don’t feel they could count on you to do the right thing in a bind, then you will not be able to get them to stick their neck out. Why would they?

5. Embolden bravery.

Courage is a habit, and like all habits it can be learned. The ‘mere exposure’ effect means that the more often someone is exposed to a situation that makes him or her uncomfortable, the less scary it will become. As Nicole Geller, CEO of GCS shared with me when I interviewed her for Stop Playing Safe:

“Just because I see something in a person doesn’t mean they see it in themselves. Sometimes as a leader we have to push people a little to get them out of their comfort zone because we know that they have what it takes to do more but they just don’t know it themselves. Most of the time they are far more successful than they think they will be. But whether they are or they aren’t, it’s important to help them to see and celebrate what they’ve accomplished.”

Encouraging people to exit their comfort zone grows their confidence to step further outside it more often. So too will rewarding courageous behavior, particularly when it doesn’t reap the desired outcome. Doing so makes a strong implicit declaration that you see smart risks as vital to long-term success, even when they don’t pay off in the short-run.

Imagine the innovation and creativity that could be unleashed in your team or organization if everyone in it had the courage to speak candidly, try new approaches, and lay their reputation on the line for the bigger mission of your organization.

Creating a culture of courage starts with you. It starts with your commitment to dare bravely, speak bravely and to lead bravely. Start it now. If there is one thing that is certain about the future it is this: sticking with the status quo will grow increasingly expensive.

Margie Warrell is a leadership coach & keynote speaker who leads courage-building programs globally. She is also the best-selling author of Stop Playing Safe and Find Your Courage. Connect on Facebook and Twitter

Article: From Forbes.com

Is This Maracas Bay?
By Shiva Gosine

The nation of Trinidad and Tobago recently received a warning from the IMF regarding a growing need to diversify its economy[1]. Notwithstanding the fact that many may see this as merely another repetition of what has been said on several occasions, it is just one more sobering reminder that times when we could comfortably rest on our laurels as a petroleum rich nation may come to an abrupt end.

This raises the question of economic diversification. In a recent statement, the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce noted that, unlike many other Caribbean states, we have never had to rely heavily or exclusively on tourism[2]. However, both islands have the potential to expand in this market and to fully exploit existing opportunities – particularly in Tobago. Unfortunately, the Tourist industry in Trinidad and Tobago has been somewhat neglected. It has not been given the opportunity to maximize its fullest potential on account of the emphasis placed on the petrochemical industries.

In the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report (2013) from the World Economic Forum, Trinidad and Tobago, listed along with other countries which earn an income from tourism, was ranked 104th, 138th 105th and 138th in Travel and Tourism Regulatory Framework, Environmental Sustainability, Safety and Prioritization of Tourism respectively[3].

Conversely, we see Trinidad and Tobago generally faring decently considering its size in the area of Policy Rules and Regulations with considerable room for improvement in Health and Hygiene. In Business and Infrastructure rankings we see ourselves in a comfortable position mostly with the exception of Tourism Infrastructure rankings which must be improved

Lastly, our position appears to be worrisome in the area of Human, Cultural and Natural Resources with only Cultural Resources holding a passable position, most likely due to our Carnival attractions.

Thus, with the foregoing information in mind, we can more clearly ascertain the elements most requiring effort to increase our market share in the regional tourism industry. Critically needed are environmental sustainability; security; a more welcoming attitude toward tourists and substantial investment, improved infrastructure and policy regarding the industry.

In the year 2013, Travel and Tourism contributed 3.1% of our total GDP directly and 8.2% indirectly according to the World Travel and Tourism Council.

Without a doubt, if we are to seize a greater slice in the Caribbean tourism market, these rankings and figures must improve. Since the 2008 Financial Crisis, many of the regional tourist destinations – including Barbados - suffered considerably from the resultant decline in foreign visitors[1]. They now recognize a need to economically diversify.[2] Having not been so adversely affected due to our mineral wealth, it is now an opportune time for Trinidad and Tobago to capitalize on this industry.

The above illustration from the World Economic Forum Tourism Competitiveness Report concisely illustrates both the external and internal factors that impact travel and tourism effectiveness. Regarding a potential bid by Trinidad &Tobago to stake a greater claim in the industry, consider the issue of regulation, policy and investment. Our rank in the Ease of Business measurement is similar to that listed in the WEF report.[1] We see ourselves entering 2014 ranked at 66, dropping lower from 63 in 2013. Problematic for us on the index are enforcing contracts, paying taxes, registering property, obtaining construction permits and starting a business.

Undoubtedly, the bureaucracy needs to be trimmed or at least made more efficient. The onus is not just on the state to create a more tourist friendly infrastructure but also on the private sector to provide more tourist attractions - nature trails, beach resorts, structured tours and activities fuelled by both local and foreign investment. Even the small business owner selling local culinary treat has an important role to play in providing a distinctive memory of a well spent trip.

Additionally, our environment must not suffer further decay. Carnival cannot be our only tourist attraction. If we do not preserve our endangered species such as the Leatherback Turtle and our nature based treasures such as the Buccoo Reef, tourism may fast become a non-renewable resource in its own way[1]. The government is obliged to provide organizations such as the Environmental Management Authority with more teeth rather than have them as paper tigers.

Lastly, tourists must feel safe and secure. A comprehensive crime plan taking into account this very consideration is no doubt in order - if only as a first step in the right direction. This has become imperative in recent times, more so on account of the annual increase in murder rates even in the sister isle of Tobago, which, generally immune to such ills, has also experienced more murders than is usually the norm.[2]

Furthermore, it does not bode well for us when former visitors to our shores dedicate entire websites to warding off prospective foreigners seeking to vacation here. Worse yet, when we find ourselves being portrayed as a narco state run by gangs, drug money and corruption in foreign media outlets such as Vice News[3]. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnpaaVB4XyA) Such a reputation must be avoided at all costs if we are to increase our income from tourist ventures.

The opportunities are there and the time is ideal. However, no shortages of problems present themselves as well. Can Trinidad and Tobago take the initiative and carve out its own image as a “must see” Caribbean tourist destination, or is it easier said than done? One thing is certain though. We cannot wait at our leisure for oil will not last forever.

[1] Trinidad Guardian, "IMF Warns T&T: Tighten Policies," July 10, 2014. http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2014-07-10/tighten-policies (accessed July 22, 2014).

[2] Trinidad and Tobago Newsday, "Tourism and Trinidad and Tobago," March 6, 2014. http://www.newsday.co.tt/businessday/0,191532.html (accessed July 22, 2014).

[3] Blake, Jennifer , and Thea Chiesa. "Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report 2013." World Economic Forum. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_TT_Competitiveness_Report_2013.pdf. (accessed July 22, 2014).

[4] Cumberbatch, Shawn. "The Issue:Diversification Holds Opportunity." Nationnews.com, April 1, 2014. http://www.nationnews.com/articles/view/the-issue-diversification-holds-opportunity/ (accessed July 22, 2014).

[5] Morton, Phillip. "Barbados Seeks Prosperity Through Economic Diversification." Global Tax News, December 29, 2011.http://www.taxnews.com/news/Barbados_Seeks_Prosperity_Through_Economic_Diversification____53191.html (accessed July 22, 2014).

[6] "Doing Business in Trinidad and Tobago - World Bank Group." Doing Business in Trinidad and Tobago - World Bank Group. http://www.doingbusiness.org/data/exploreeconomies/trinidad-and-tobago/ (accessed July 23, 2014).

[7] "Endangered Species of Trinidad." Earth's Endangered Creatures. http://www.earthsendangered.com/search-regions3.asp?search=1&sgroup=allgroups&ID=413 (accessed July 23, 2014).

[8] Williams, Elizabeth. "Tobago Records 3 Murders In 10 Days." Trinidad Express, July 20, 2014. http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Tobago-records-3-murders-in-10-days-267880761.html (accessed July 22, 2014).

[9] "Murder and Corruption in Trinidad | VICE News." VICE News RSS. https://news.vice.com/video/murder-and-corruption-in-trinidad (accessed July 23, 2014).