Go Lean Commentary
Blood, sweat and tears…
These are the triumvirate ingredients that forged many movements in the history of mankind.
Now comes the book Go Lean…Caribbean, serving as a roadmap for the introduction and implementation of the Caribbean Union Trade Federation (CU) to elevate Caribbean society. This movement calls for a new triumvirate: time, talent and treasury, to effect change in the Caribbean region. The book posits that all Caribbean stakeholders (residents, institutions, students, Diaspora) have to devote a measure of these three ingredients.
But not a full measure… this is not war; this is social change…and philanthropy.
The Go Lean book asserts a roadmap for economic/security/governing empowerment; but it also clearly relates that many social aspects of Caribbean life will be un-addressed by the CU. There will be voids and gaps that NGO’s (Non-Government Organizations) are called on to fill. This accompanying chart shows the “World as 100 People”, a picturesque presentation of the significant categories of factors present (and absent) in the world “as a whole”:
Click on Image to Enlarge.
This chart was published by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, one of the NGO’s that the CU should solicit for Caribbean participation. This foundation was instituted by Information Technology Innovator and Microsoft founder Bill Gates. His foundation sets out to make a permanent impact on the world; guided by the belief that every life has equal value; this foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. The successful execution of this charter would fill the voids/gaps in the Caribbean social contract.
The Gates Foundation has a specific charter for education/libraries, health-advocacies, children, women, the elderly and the disabled. See the foundation Profile in the photo here. 
The Go Lean roadmap invites NGO’s, like the Gates Foundation, to impact the Caribbean according to their charters. While forging change in the Caribbean is the responsibility of the Caribbean, we must be open to ask for help, to accept the help, and respond to the help being offered. This is a mission of the CU.
Under the Go Lean roadmap, the structure is put in place to include the contributions of the time, talent, and treasuries of NGOs/foundations. One feature of the Go Lean roadmap involves Self-Governing Entities (SGE’s); some of which may be structured as NGO’s. The following list details other community ethos, strategies, tactics, implementations and advocacies to optimize the region’s public/private cooperation and endeavors:
| Community Ethos – Deferred Gratification | Page 21 |
| Community Ethos – People Respond to Incentives in Predictable Ways | Page 21 |
| Community Ethos – “Crap” Happens | Page 23 |
| Community Ethos – Return on Investments | Page 24 |
| Community Ethos – Cooperatives | Page 25 |
| Community Ethos – Non-Government Organizations | Page 25 |
| Community Ethos – Ways to Bridge the Digital Divide | Page 31 |
| Community Ethos – Ways to Improve Sharing | Page 35 |
| Community Ethos – Ways to Promote Happiness | Page 36 |
| Community Ethos – Ways to Impact the Greater Good | Page 37 |
| Strategy – Customers – Non-Government Organizations are Stakeholders | Page 48 |
| Strategy – Competition – Attention to Caribbean as Opposed to Other 3rd World | Page 56 |
| Separation of Powers – State Department – Registrar/Liaison of NGO’s | Page 80 |
| Implementation – Ways to Pay for Change | Page 101 |
| Implementation – Ways to Implement Self-Government Entities | Page 105 |
| Implementation – Ways to Deliver | Page 109 |
| Implementation – Ways to Foster International Aid | Page 115 |
| Advocacy – Ways to Improve Education | Page 159 |
| Advocacy – Ways to Better Manage the Social Contract | Page 170 |
| Advocacy – Ways to Foster Cooperatives | Page 176 |
| Advocacy – Ways to Improve Libraries | Page 187 |
| Advocacy – Ways to Impact Foundations | Page 219 |
| Advocacy – Ways to Impact the One Percent | Page 224 |
| Advocacy – Ways to Improve Elder-Care | Page 225 |
| Advocacy – Ways to Impact Youth – Not-for-Profit Youth Fair Model | Page 227 |
| Advocacy – Ways to Impact Persons with Disabilities | Page 228 |
| Appendix – Giving Pledge Signatories – 113 Super Rich Benefactors | Page 292 |
The Go Lean book clearly depicts that Not-For-Profit charities, foundations and NGO’s are also stakeholders for the effort to make the Caribbean better. Many members of the “One Percent” want to help “change the world”; they want to give of their time, talent and treasuries. The CU will help facilitate their vision. This is win-win!
Welcome to the Caribbean, Mr. Gates et al. The Bill (and Melinda) Gates Foundation is one; the Go Lean book identifies 112 more billionaires and their “war chests”.
We will accept all genuine help to make the Caribbean a better place to live, work, learn, heal and play.
Download the book Go Lean … Caribbean – now!