Who cares whether the last hurricane washed away the bridge that links the village of Bath to the rest of the eastern Jamaica parish of St Thomas or that the Barbados dollar, securely pegged at 50 US cents for maybe 30 years is on the verge of slipping? Perhaps nobody but the motorists who must add 20 miles to his two mile journey or the family that has seen a pound of butter move from Bds$4 to $7.50 in a few short months.
It’s not the cost of butter in Christ Church, Barbados or the father’s journey in rural Jamaica that we will focus on here but the reasons for these situations: why these things are impacted by global events such as the runaway cost of oil in precarious economies; how corrupt or inept administrators localy – and with some international support – contribute to the malaise, and how these issues could better be adressed.
That’s where you get involved. Professional journalists or subject matter experts may bring their bookish perspectives but it is your informed ideas from the trenches that will help to enliven the discussions and the processes.
Please jump right in. Your comments are welcome.
About Mark Lee
Mark Lee has been a long-time journalist writing, editing and producing in print, radio television and new media.