Wednesday, July 29, 2009

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First World status begins in the mind For years, there has been lots of talk about moving The Bahamas to the First World. Although a more precise or definite concept of what really makes up the First World has yet to be described. But the move to a better economic, technological and social advancement may have something to do with it. While the idea is appealing and a goal that should be pursued, one thing that must be pointed out is that before we can even get to the First World, in terms of economic and technological advancement, we must first go there in our minds. In other words, First-World status begins in the mind... in our thoughts and the way we think about things and about the world around us. The way we think about situations and the resolve we might come up with have a lot to do with how fast or how far we advance as a people. For instance, in order for us to move our country to the First World in terms of industrial or technological concepts, we must have Bahamians who can believe in themselves enough to pull it off. They cannot be Bahamians whose thinking is limited to an island. We have to become global thinkers. On the other hand, Bahamians in general must get away from the "if it's foreign, it's better" mentality. What's the sense in Bahamians creating something in the field of industry or technology if their own people refuse to support it? As an example, there are locally-made cleaning products that are just as, or even more effective than the imported stuff, yet Bahamians are so brainwashed with television commercials and the branding and marketing of foreign products, that they would pass over a locally-made product to get the imported stuff, even if the local cleaner is cheaper. Again, our mindset must be changed. This First World concept must begin from our leaders to the average man on the street. Yet, we have seen over and over governments that talk a good game, but very rarely put in place the mechanisms that would help change the mindset of our people toward First World-status. The government may talk the First World talk, yet as simple as getting street lights working on the streets is a problem. Constructing proper roads is another challenge that governments have not been able to master. As simple as putting proper parking meters in front of an airport for people who just want to help their family unload and carry bags into a terminal seem to be beyond the concept of those in charge. Instead, they would prefer to have policemen patrol the front of terminals, waiting for drivers to get out of their cars before handing them a ticket. Let's not even talk about our Family Islands, because many of them have not even yet been brought out of the Third-World! Yes, the move to the First World is more than just talk, it's action. But it's action that can only be preceded by the right-thinking and the right mindset. Just look around at the simple, silly things we must encounter everyday - things that are so easily fixed or resolved by the powers that be - and see just how far we really are from First-World status. Monday, June 29, 2009