Go Lean Commentary
There is a lot we can learn from the Chinese …
… there is a Chinese proverb: “Make happy those who are near, and those who are far will come”.
This ancient expression is like saying “Love yourself first and others will love you”. Looking at it from a different point of view: “if you treat your friends like crap, you will stand alone without a friend, but if you treat your friends with kindness, you will make more friends”.
The Caribbean needs more friends … and to treat its stakeholders (residents, Diaspora, visitors, trading partners, etc.) better.
Can we get the Caribbean region to effect this change?
One way or another: “A Change Is Gonna Come”!
Either we change proactively, or reactively. The only constant is change itself.
This was the theme of a powerful song by legendary R&B singer Sam Cooke in 1964. See the song-VIDEO here:
AUDIO-VIDEO – Sam Cooke – A Change Is Gonna Come (Official Lyric Video) – https://youtu.be/wEBlaMOmKV4
Published on Jan 22, 2016 – Lyric Video for “A Change Is Gonna Come” performed by Sam Cooke.
Directed & Produced by: Robin Klein, Mick Gochanour, Hector Sanitizo
Video Editor: Andre Murrugarra (C) 2016 ABKCO Music & Records, Inc.
Download or stream the single below:
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/por…
Google: https://play.google.com/store/music/a…
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Portrait-Legend…
Stream On Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/1WMUes…
Lyrics:
I was born by the river in a little tent
Oh, and just like the river I’ve been a-runnin’ ever since.
It’s been a long, a long time comin’,
but I know, oh-oo-oh,
a change gon’ come, oh yes, it will.It’s been too hard living but I’m afraid to die
‘Cause I don’t know what’s up there beyond the sky
It’s been a long, a long time comin’,
But I know, oh-oo-oh,
A change gonna come, oh yes, it will.I go to the movie and I go downtown
Somebody keep tellin’ me don’t hang around.
It’s been a long, a long time coming, but I know, oh-oo-oh,
A change gon’ come, oh yes, it will.Then I go, oh-oo-oh, to my brother and I say, brother, help me please.
But he winds up knocking me back down on my knees, oh.There’ve been times that I thought I couldn’t last for long
But now I think I’m able to carry on
It’s been a long, a long time comin’,
But I know, oh-oo-oh, a change gonna come, oh yes, it will.Music video by Sam Cooke performing A Change Is Gonna Come. (C) 2016 ABKCO Music & Records, Inc.
http://vevo.ly/nTXKoJ
Category: Music
License: Standard YouTube License
There is a lot more “story” to this story about this song. See here:
AUDIO – NPR’s Fresh Air: Sam Cooke And The Song That ‘Almost Scared Him’ – http://www.npr.org/2014/02/01/268995033/sam-cooke-and-the-song-that-almost-scared-him
Published February 1, 2014 – The story of “A Change Is Gonna Come’ is as amazing, and unsettling, as the song itself.
The foregoing song is gravely serious – no one dances to it – but it does convey the emotion that change is hard sprung, yet necessary. From an American perspective, perhaps that change did come … in 2008 with the “ribbon on the package” of the Civil Rights movement being the election of Barack Obama as the first Black Man as President of the United States. This was a big, shocking and pivotal moment.
The Caribbean needs big, shocking and pivotal moments of its own. We need change and a turn-around; we need to do better in making our people happy so that those far off will come … to us as well. Those far off will include tourists and our Diaspora: reaching more sources of tourist visitors, and facilitating the return of so many Caribbean exiles.
These missions (tourism and repatriation) are familiar themes for the publishers of the book Go Lean…Caribbean.
The book serves as a roadmap for the introduction and implementation of the Caribbean Union Trade Federation (CU); an initiative to bring change and empowerment to the Caribbean region; to make the region a better place to live, work and play. This Go Lean roadmap has these 3 prime directives:
- Optimization of the economic engines in order to grow the regional economy to $800 Billion & create 2.2 million new jobs.
- Establishment of a security apparatus to ensure public safety for all Caribbean stakeholders and protect the resultant economic engines.
- Improve Caribbean governance to support these engines.
Of the 144 different missions presented in the Go Lean book, a number of them are presented specifically to address the issues raised in this commentary. This is part of the technocratic shepherding designed for the CU, to elevate the Caribbean homeland, by this roadmap in these two areas: 1. Tourism and 2. Repatriation.
1. Tourism
The underlying goals for this industrial occupation are stated early in the Go Lean book with these pronouncements in the opening Declaration of Interdependence (Pages 11 & 14):
iii. Whereas the natural formation of the landmass for our society is that of an archipelago of islands, inherent to this nature is the limitation of terrain and the natural resources there in. We must therefore provide “new guards” and protections to ensure the efficient and effective management of these resources.
iv. Whereas the natural formation of the landmass is in a tropical region, the flora and fauna allows for an inherent beauty that is enviable to peoples near and far. The structures must be strenuously guarded to protect and promote sustainable systems of commerce paramount to this reality.
v. Whereas the natural formation of our landmass and coastlines entail a large portion of waterscapes, the reality of management of our interior calls for extended oversight of the waterways between the islands. The internationally accepted 12-mile limits for national borders must be extended by International Tribunals to encompass the areas in between islands. The individual states must maintain their 12-mile borders while the sovereignty of this expanded area, the Exclusive Economic Zone, must be vested in the accedence of this Federation.
xxvi. Whereas the Caribbean region must have new jobs to empower the engines of the economy and create the income sources for prosperity, and encourage the next generation to forge their dreams right at home, the Federation must therefore … invigorate the enterprises related to existing industries like tourism … – impacting the region with more jobs.
That publication stressed creative marketing for better tourism outreach, featuring highlights such the following strategies, tactics, implementations and advocacies:
| Strategy – Vision – Integrate Region in a Single Market | Page 45 |
| Strategy – Mission – Build and Foster Local Economic Engines | Page 45 |
| Strategy – Mission – Exploit the Benefits of Globalization in Trade-Tourism | Page 46 |
| Tactical – Fostering a Technocracy | Page 64 |
| Tactical – Growing the Economy to $800 Billion – Trade and Globalization | Page 70 |
| Tactical – Website www.myCaribbean.gov for Caribbean stakeholders – Tourists | Page 74 |
| Tactical – Separation of Powers – Tourism Promotions and Administration | Page 78 |
| Implementation – Integrate All Caribbean Websites to www.myCaribbean.gov Portal | Page 97 |
| Implementation – Ways to Deliver – Agile / Lean / Quality Assurances | Page 109 |
| Implementation – Ways to Impact Social Media – www.myCaribbean.gov Portal | Page 111 |
| Planning – 10 Big Ideas – Cyber Caribbean | Page 127 |
| Planning – Ways to Make the Caribbean Better – VIP’s for Events and Cultural Festivals | Page 131 |
| Planning – Ways to Better Manage Image – Digital Media Presence | Page 133 |
| Planning – Lessons Learned from 2008 – Tourism & Economy Went Bust | Page 136 |
| Planning – Lessons Learned from Egypt – Lack of Tourism Stewardship | Page 143 |
| Advocacy – Ways to Measure Progress – Mining www.myCaribbean.gov Portal Data | Page 147 |
| Advocacy – Ways to Foster Cooperatives – Purchasing Cooperatives for TV Ads | Page 176 |
| Advocacy – Ways to Improve Communications – Internet & Social Media Marketing | Page 186 |
| Advocacy – Ways to Enhance Tourism – Excess Inventory Marketing | Page 190 |
| Advocacy – Ways to Impact Events – Sharing Economy | Page 191 |
| Advocacy – Ways to Market Southern California – Example of Exploiting a Specific Market | Page 194 |
| Advocacy – Ways to Foster Technology – Economies-of-Scale for Centers of Excellence | Page 197 |
| Advocacy – Ways to Foster e-Commerce – Global Outreach via Social Media | Page 198 |
| Advocacy – Ways to Preserve Caribbean Heritage – Cyber-Caribbean Image/Media | Page 218 |
Other blog/commentaries stressed related issues and details for optimizing the tourism product. The following sample applies:
| http://www.goleancaribbean.com/blog/?p=7449 | Assurances to Restore Tourism After Catastrophes |
| http://www.goleancaribbean.com/blog/?p=7327 | Zika Virus: How to Mitigate the Effects on Tourism |
| http://www.goleancaribbean.com/blog/?p=6921 | Live. Work. Play. Repeat. |
| http://www.goleancaribbean.com/blog/?p=6680 | Casino Industry Placing Bets on Video Games |
| http://www.goleancaribbean.com/blog/?p=6385 | Protecting Tourists from Wi-Fi Hot Spots Run By Hackers |
| http://www.goleancaribbean.com/blog/?p=6341 | Tourism Stewardship — What’s Next? |
| http://www.goleancaribbean.com/blog/?p=5210 | Cruise Ship Commerce – Getting Ready for Change |
| http://www.goleancaribbean.com/blog/?p=4639 | Tobago: A Model for Cruise Tourism |
| http://www.goleancaribbean.com/blog/?p=3225 | The need to optimize Caribbean aviation policies |
| http://www.goleancaribbean.com/blog/?p=2571 | Internet Commerce meets Sharing Economy: Airbnb |
| http://www.goleancaribbean.com/blog/?p=1984 | Casinos Failing Business Model within Tourism |
| http://www.goleancaribbean.com/blog/?p=1943 | The Future of Golf; Vital for Tourism |
| http://www.goleancaribbean.com/blog/?p=273 | 10 Things We Want from the US – # 2: Tourists |
| http://www.goleancaribbean.com/blog/?p=254 | The need to enhance Tourism with “Air Lifts” |
| http://www.goleancaribbean.com/blog/?p=235 | Tourism’s changing profile |
2. Repatriation
In addition to tourism, the proverb – “Make happy those who are near, and those who are far will come” – speaks to the goal of repatriating the Caribbean Diaspora that has scattered far and wide. The theme of inviting their return and/or incentivizing their repatriation to the homeland has been prominent for this Go Lean movement. There is the direct reference in the book (Page 118) and many related blog/commentaries (see list below). This underlying goal / mission was stated early in the book with these pronouncements in the opening Declaration of Interdependence (Page 12 & 13):
xiii. Whereas the legacy of dissensions in many member-states (for example: Haiti and Cuba) will require a concerted effort to integrate the exile community’s repatriation, the Federation must arrange for Reconciliation Commissions to satiate a demand for justice.
xix. Whereas our legacy in recent times is one of societal abandonment, it is imperative that incentives and encouragements be put in place to first dissuade the human flight, and then entice and welcome the return of our Diaspora back to our shores. This repatriation should be effected with the appropriate guards so as not to imperil the lives and securities of the repatriated citizens or the communities they inhabit. The right of repatriation is to be extended to any natural born citizens despite any previous naturalization to foreign sovereignties.
xx. Whereas the results of our decades of migration created a vibrant Diaspora in foreign lands, the Federation must organize interactions with this population into structured markets. Thus allowing foreign consumption of domestic products, services and media, which is a positive trade impact. These economic activities must not be exploited by others’ profiteering but rather harnessed by Federation resources for efficient repatriations.
Change must come to the Caribbean; especially to attract and recruit repatriates. There are real obstacles that the region must overcome: the poor performing economy and the threats to public safety. So the prime directives of the Go Lean/CU roadmap is to elevate Caribbean society and all of its societal engines. The success of our movement should be publicized and messaged throughout the world. After all…
… the Caribbean is the greatest address on the planet… arguably. This claim is not just made based on terrain, but also culture (music, food, festivals and fun). If/when we fix the societal defects, the native sons (and daughters) living in the Diaspora should beat a path to come home.
With confidence we can declare: “A Change Is Gonna Come”!
But this time, the change must be permanent! The Go Lean book declares that for permanent change to take place, there must first be an adoption of new community ethos, the national spirit that drives the character and identity of its people. The roadmap was constructed with the following community ethos in mind, plus the execution of strategies, tactics, implementation and advocacies to invite and incentivize the Diaspora to return. The following is a sample of these specific details from the book:
| Community Ethos – Deferred Gratification | Page 21 |
| Community Ethos – Economic Principles – People Choose | Page 21 |
| Community Ethos – Economic Principles – All Choices Involve Costs | Page 21 |
| Community Ethos – Economic Principles – People Respond to Incentives in Predictable Ways | Page 21 |
| Community Ethos – Economic Principles – Economic Systems Influence Individual Choices | Page 21 |
| Community Ethos – Economic Principles – The Consequences of Choices Lie in the Future | Page 21 |
| Community Ethos – Security Principles – Anti-Bullying and Mitigation | Page 23 |
| Community Ethos – Governing Principles – Minority Equalization | Page 24 |
| Community Ethos – Governing Principles – Lean Operations | Page 24 |
| Community Ethos – Ways to Impact the Future | Page 26 |
| Community Ethos – Ways to Foster Genius | Page 27 |
| Community Ethos – Ways to Help Entrepreneurship – Incubators | Page 28 |
| Community Ethos – Ways to Promote Intellectual Property | Page 29 |
| Community Ethos – Ways to Impact Research & Development | Page 30 |
| Community Ethos – Ways to Manage Reconciliations | Page 34 |
| 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 |
| Anecdote – LCD versus an Entrepreneurial Ethos | Page 39 |
| Strategy – Mission – Celebrate the Music, Sports, Art, People and Culture of the Caribbean | Page 46 |
| Tactical – Confederating a Permanent Union | Page 63 |
| Tactical – Separation of Powers: Federal Administration versus Member-States Governance | Page 71 |
| Implementation – Ways to Pay for Change | Page 101 |
| Planning – Ways to Make the Caribbean Better – Live, Work and Play Empowerments | Page 131 |
| Planning – Ways to Better Manage Image | Page 133 |
| Advocacy – Ways to Grow the Economy | Page 151 |
| Advocacy – Ways to Create Jobs | Page 152 |
| Advocacy – Ways to Improve Governance in the Caribbean Region | Page 168 |
| Advocacy – Ways to Better Manage the Social Contract | Page 170 |
| Advocacy – Ways to Remediate and Mitigate Crime | Page 178 |
| Advocacy – Ways to Improve Communications – Improve the Messaging | Page 186 |
| Advocacy – Ways Impact the Diaspora | Page 217 |
| Advocacy – Ways to Improve the Arts | Page 230 |
| Advocacy – Ways to Promote Music | Page 231 |
| Advocacy – Ways to Improve Urban Living | Page 234 |
| Advocacy – Ways to Improve Rural Living | Page 235 |
There have been many previous blog/commentaries that stressed issues related to repatriation. The following sample applies:
| http://www.goleancaribbean.com/blog/?p=7412 | The Road to Restoring Cuba |
| http://www.goleancaribbean.com/blog/?p=7151 | The Caribbean is Looking for Heroes … ‘to Return’ |
| http://www.goleancaribbean.com/blog/?p=6718 | A Lesson in History – No Compromise on Human Rights |
| http://www.goleancaribbean.com/blog/?p=6247 | Tragic images show refugee crisis at a tipping point in Europe |
| http://www.goleancaribbean.com/blog/?p=6016 | Hotter than July – Still ‘Third World’ – The Need for Cooling … |
| http://www.goleancaribbean.com/blog/?p=5784 | The Need for Human Rights/LGBT Reform in the Region |
| http://www.goleancaribbean.com/blog/?p=5695 | Repenting, Forgiving and Reconciling the Past |
| http://www.goleancaribbean.com/blog/?p=4613 | ‘Luck of the Irish’ – Lessons from their Past, Present and Future |
Truth be told, the Caribbean is in competition with the rest of the world.
Considering the analogy of a race, we are behind, trailing our competitors. There are many empowerments that our Caribbean region needs to implement. While no society is perfect, nor fully optimized, some countries have been better than others. Many countries in North America and Western Europe have been lands of refuge for our Caribbean Diaspora. We must now fix our own broken societal engines, so as to dissuade people from leaving in the first place. Plus, many of these North American and European societies leave a lot to be desired for our Black and Brown immigrants from the Caribbean. There is heavylifting for these ones to thrive in those foreign lands. The logical conclusion: stay home in the Caribbean and work towards improving the homeland.
While we do have problems to contend with, many which we are failing at, our biggest crisis stem from the fact that so many of our citizens have fled their Caribbean homelands for foreign shores. These lands should not be the panacea of Caribbean hopes and dreams.
Based on the foregoing Chinese proverb, we can and must make people happy that are near us. Once we succeed, then others – tourists and repatriates – will come to enjoy our happier homelands.
This is easier said than done, but it is conceivable, believable and achievable!
Many of the resources (people) involved in the Go Lean/CU roadmap have done this before … else where. They know the process is to start small, optimize the engines in their neighborhoods, then widen out to a wider community, optimize the engines there, then widen out further to the whole country; again optimize the national engines and then widen out to the full region For success, we must keep moving forward. 🙂
Download the book Go Lean … Caribbean – now!