We must earn our way in this world

Jamaica purportedly gained independence nearly fifty years ago on August 6, 1962. However, with the recent ascendancy of Barack Obama we are again reminded that deep in our national psyche is DEPENDENCE, not independence. Most commentator and politicians speak about what Mr. Obama will do to help the Caribbean, specifically Jamaica. Even if the USA were to open its markets completely, with what would we fill that new demand? It is this mendicancy that will forever keep us in poverty.

When will Jamaica learn that we must earn our way in this world? When will we realize that the level of remittances inflows into a country is directly proportional to the level of poverty and that remittances do not impact GDP? When will we stop looking for project funding simply because we want the funding and not the project? Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yu in Singapore insisted his country wanted trade not aid, and as such searched out and garnered investment which makes Singapore's economy producing over US$30,000 per capita, compared to our US$4,500+ per capita.

Jamaica will only transform away from mendicancy if we do so individually in our own lives. Let us search out ways to add value. Let us choose to market ourselves. Even as full time employees let us see ourselves as marketing our skills and intellect to those those who demand it, so we then see our salaries as returns on our investments in ourselves. Jamaica can and will do better