"The light that comes from wisdom never goes out"
This commentary, which is the second in a series, seeks to discover why the most productive societies utilise data, especially statistical data, to drive prosperity. The Virgin Islands is a …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — Call made for better data in VI”
This the first of a series of commentaries exploring why the most productive societies utilise data, especially statistical data, to drive prosperity. When was the Virgin Islands public last aware …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — Data seen as key to VI progress”
Greater productivity, increased production and good governance are the panacea needed to lower the cost of living and increase living standards. For all the efforts of governments to manage living …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — Ideas offered to tackle cost-of-living crisis”
There are seven pillars upon which capital and growth rests and thrives. As explained in previous commentaries, the Virgin Islands’ capital includes the land, human resources, technology, learning and finance …
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Prospect Reef is the perfect model for studying the subject of capital and its value in driving the Virgin Islands’ prosperity. The management of capital is the key driver of …
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Pursuing a national vision for a prosperous Virgin Islands means adopting an understanding of the territory’s capital mix — land, human resources, technology and other wealth-generating assets — as the …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — VI urged to gauge its productivity”
It is important to assess how much of the territory’s capital mix — wealth-generating assets, with their associated supply and value chains — is in the hands of the public …
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The wealth of the Virgin Islands primarily depends on the productivity of its workforce. Productivity is simply the measure of human effort that increases a country or territory’s economic output …
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Social behaviour is culture, and culture decides the destiny of a society. Therefore, the destiny of the Virgin Islands primarily depends on its culture more than any other consideration. Culture, …
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A $500 million yacht moors off a remote Caribbean island. A helicopter takes off from its deck. A massive private jet sits silently on the tarmac of a private airport …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — ‘Jack the Billionaire’ scrutinised”
As the Virgin Islands goes through the trauma of a Commission of Inquiry and its aftermath, the territory should remember that the exercise aims at strengthening governance. And getting governance …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — COI reforms seen as road to better governance”
“The rich get richer and the poor get poorer.” This cliché is useful in revealing the tendency of capital to drive social and wealth inequality. The reason the wealthy appear …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — Capitalism under the microscope”
The hegemony of capital is nothing new. From the earliest days — in fact, the start of written history — the ruler of the tribe was the person who controlled …
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The story of capital and social inequality makes it clear: In a world ruled by capital, young Virgin Islanders and other residents must understand economics and finance. Understanding capital offers …
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Here’s a question relevant to the layperson in economics: What mix of scarce resources best fits in with the outcome and vision of an investor, a policy maker, or even …
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Inherited capital is the greatest source of social inequality. Capital ownership keeps specific families on top of the social and wealth pyramid for multiple generations. Capital and power are synonyms. …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — Inequality seen as deeply entrenched”
Capital ownership has driven increasing social and wealth inequality practically everywhere. Social inequality is a global phenomenon driven by the power of capital and the owners of capital. Capital — …
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Capital is resources that drive social and economic growth: finance, machinery, land, technology, labour, skills and management. Those who control capital and how capital is managed rule society. If Virgin …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — ‘The rule of capital’ explained”
A community coming together to aid one stricken by personal financial crisis is admirable. However, that assistance must come with safeguards for those who contribute their cash. There are caveats …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — ‘A hard lesson for a generous community’”
The fragmentation of the two-party system has left the Virgin Islands Party the undisputed powerhouse of VI politics. The opposing three parties are a work in progress. However, of the …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — Lessons learned from general election”
Fratricide — brother killing brother — appears endemic in black communities in the United States. That sad narrative has also visited the shores of the Virgin Islands. Our paradise is …
In the heat of the Virgin Islands’ general election campaign, the one matter that appears overlooked amidst the thrusts, hustings and rhetorical shuffling of electioneering is how politicians intend to …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — ‘The 800-pound gorilla in the room’”
A certain politician loves pontificating on the beauty of these Virgin Islands. Most aliens arriving on these shores swiftly appreciate the safety, beauty and wholesomeness of life here. These islands …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — VI seen to be ‘under threat’”
All nations depend on outside countries to fill in crucial links in their supply chains. This fact is at the core of modern-day globalisation. However, when crises such as war …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — Voters urged to consider food security”
It is a well-worn cliché that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. This advice should guide leaders who want a wholesome, happy and lengthy tenure in office. Sadly, it …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — Governance ‘impunity’ called out”