Go Lean…Caribbean – Page 110 – Live, work, and play in the Caribbean? Let's make it better…together!

Tourism’s changing profile

Posted on March 21, 2014 in Implementation, Industries, Locations, Strategy

Go Lean Commentary

The experiences in the Caribbean correspond to the observations of this article. Change has come to the Caribbean. Tourism continues to be the primary economic driver in the region; this is a static fact for the last 50 years, even though the dynamics of this industry is in constant flux. The Go Lean … Caribbean roadmap depicts that 4 major change agents have impacted this industry: technology, demographics, globalization, and climate change. This article affirms these issues.

Unfortunately the Caribbean region has not always planned for changes or adapted to them. There is still the expectation that the tourists visiting the islands would be North American or Western European and that the standard languages of Dutch, English, French and Spanish would suffice. Alas, this article depicted that the profile of modern tourism reflect a more global reach. Therefore, Caribbean communities must prepare for this change. They must accomodate the need for language translations, community education and racial/ethnic tolerance.

By: Lyndon Thompson

Tourism has shown remarkable staying power in recent years. Despite political instability, wars, natural disasters and a global financial crisis, the industry keeps getting up for another round. Japan is good example. After the 2011 earthquake and Fukushima nuclear accident, the number of visitors to the country plunged. But in 2013 more than 9 million tourists visited the country, a record high.

International tourist arrivals generally surpassed 1 billion in 2012 and are forecast to reach 1.8 billion by 2030. OECD countries account for nearly 60% of international tourist arrivals, but a shift in the global economy promises to change this picture somewhat as people in emerging economies travel more than before. Today, China spends eight times more on tourism than it did 12 years ago. Chinese tourists spent US$102 billion in 2012, a 37% increase over the previous year and more than any other country.

Russians are also more footloose, and rank fifth in terms of spending on outbound tourism. The number of tourists from India has also doubled since 2006. The UN World Tourism Organization estimates that by 2030, overall annual growth in outbound tourism will amount to 17 million in the Asia-Pacific region, 16 million in Europe, 5 million in the Americas, and a combined 5 million in Africa and the Middle East.

Emerging economies are drawing in more tourists, too. Over the next 15 years, the share of arrivals in emerging economies will increase by 4.4% annually, double the rate of arrivals in advanced economies, with South Asia topping the list. North America, on the other hand, will slip to the bottom.

Tourism directly accounts for 4.2% of GDP, 5.9% of employment and 21% of exports of services in OECD countries, enough for governments bruised by the financial crisis to see the industry as a catalyst for growth. They are becoming more dynamic, bringing in new business models and cutting red tape. They are shortening waiting times by offering online visa applications and automatic border checks, too: Turkey, for instance, introduced e-visa applications in 2013, reducing the need for tourists to queue on arrival.

The profile of today’s travelers differs sharply from that of their predecessors. Demographically, tourists are older–23% aged 55 or above–and more frugal, preferring shorter trips closer to home. Geographically, they tend to live in emerging economies rather than in developed ones. Most holidays are now booked online instead of through travel agencies. The holidays sought are often far off the beaten track and focus on a theme: adventure, culture and heritage, or food and wine. New niche markets have arisen, such as “diaspora”, gay and lesbian holidays, humanitarian tourism to work for good causes, and tourism for medical treatments.

Two other trends in tourism are also worth noting. First there is risky “dark tourism”, from hiking in Afghanistan to hunting pirates off the Somali coast, or even photographing conflict zones in Syria. This fashion should not be confused with the rather more solemn “memorial tourism”, which promotes trips to the scenes of great tragedies and wars, such as Ground Zero in New York, Auschwitz in Poland and war cemeteries across Europe.

With 2014 marking the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the First World War, expect a rise in “memorial tourism” in the year ahead, particularly in Flanders in Belgium and the Somme region of France. In Japan there is a proposal to build a tourists’ village near the Fukushima nuclear plant, with fortified hotels to shield guests against any elevated radiation, the aim being to remind future generations of the 2011 tragedy there.

Such emotionally challenging trips allow travelers to reflect on the follies of humankind and the vulnerability of life. They can also serve to bond people together and build co-operation against future conflicts. Rather than an escape, they echo what the writer Samuel Johnson saw as the true reason for travelling: “to regulate imagination by reality, and instead of thinking how things may be, to see them as they are.”

Source: www.oecd.org/cfe/tourism/

The book Go Lean … Caribbean purports that the Caribbean is the greatest address in the world. In order to appeal to the global market, the book, as a roadmap, posits that regional tourism stakeholders must engage these other ethnic populations. The roadmap advocates the use of Internet Communications Technologies and Social Media for bookings, and to sell the attractions of Caribbean culture and amenities. The plan also calls for establishing Trade Mission Offices in divergent cities like Spain and Tokyo for outreach to Mid & Far Eastern markets.

The Go Lean roadmap also advocates 10-Step approaches for elevating events and fairgrounds in the region. The tactical approach is for a technocratic Trade Federation that would finance and construct facilities and amenities as amusement parks, arenas, stadia & other venues structure as Self- Governing Entities. These bordered grounds would be independent of actual member-state governments.

This magazine article was published in the OECD Observer “e-Zine”. This online journal is the public relations arm of the OECD – Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development – an international economic organization of 34 countries founded in 1961 to stimulate economic progress and world trade. It is a forum of countries committed to democracy and the free-market economy, providing a platform to compare policy experiences, seek answers to common problems, identify good practices, and co-ordinate domestic and international policies of its members. The OECD promotes policies designed to …
1). Achieve the highest sustainable economic growth and employment and a rising standard of living, while maintaining financial stability, and thus to contribute to the development of the world economy;
2). Contribute to sound economic expansion in Member as well as nonmember countries in the process of economic development; and
3). Contribute to the expansion of world trade on a multilateral, nondiscriminatory basis in accordance with international obligations.
Source: www.oecd.org/about/ (Retrieved November 2013).

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2008, Tourism, Transform

Egalitarianism versus Anarchism

Posted on March 21, 2014 in Economics, Ethos, Social, Strategy

Go Lean Commentary

This book Go Lean … Caribbean presents the two sides of the debate on “egalitarianism”: catering to the Least Common Denominator (LCD) or elevating the achievers. Let’s expand that discussion here. For the first argument, an essay by Gary Hull (Ayn Rand Institute) in Capitalism magazine which stipulates:

Egalitarianism claims only to want an “equality” in end results, hates the exceptional man who, through his own mental effort, achieves that which others cannot… In an attempt to “dumb down” all students to the lowest common denominator, today’s educators no longer promote excellence and students of superior ability… Imagine the following Academy Award ceremony. There are no awards for best picture or best actor. Instead, every picture gets a certificate and every actor receives a prize. That is not an awards ceremony, you say? So it isn’t. But it is an egalitarian’s dream — and an achiever’s torment. Talent and ability create inequality… To rectify this supposed injustice, we are told to sacrifice the able to the unable. Egalitarianism demands the punishment and envy of anyone who is better than someone else at anything. We must tear down the competent and the strong – raze them to the level of the incompetent and the weak… What would happen to a Thomas Edison today? If he survived school with his mind intact, he would be shackled by government regulators. His wealth would be confiscated by the IRS. He would be accused of ‘unfair competition’ for inventing so many more products than his competitors.^[a]

On the other hand, Alexander Berkman argued the contrast:

…equality does not mean an equal amount but equal opportunity… Do not make the mistake of identifying equality in liberty with the forced equality of the convict camp. True anarchist equality implies freedom, not quantity. It does not mean that every one must eat, drink, or wear the same things, do the same work, or live in the same manner. Far from it: the very reverse in fact… Individual needs and tastes differ, as appetites differ. It is equal opportunity to satisfy them that constitutes true equality… Far from leveling, such equality opens the door for the greatest possible variety of activity and development. For human character is diverse.^[b]

The Go Lean book serves as a roadmap for the introduction and implementation of the Caribbean Union Trade Federation (CU). The book embraces both sides of this debate; on the one hand, as a federal entity, the CU will ensure equal access to regional opportunities to any petitioner; this is Egalitarian in nature. On the other hand, this Go Lean/CU roadmap posits the community ethos that one person can make a difference, and can impact the region for the Greater Good. The CU will foster the unique contributions of the achiever. This meritocracy leaning comes down on the Anarchist side of the debate.

In this vein, the following missions, aligned by Anarchist and Egalitarian, are elaborated in the Go Lean book:

Anarchist – leaning advocacies	Egalitarian – leaning advocacies
Fostering Genius	Bridge the Digital Divide
Help Entrepreneurship	Manage Reconciliations
Promote Intellectual Property	Improve Sharing
Fostering a Technocracy	Impact the Greater Good
Delivering More with Less	Impact Social Media
– Lean Project Management methodologies	Impact Entitlements
Improve Leadership	Battles against Poverty
Impact Beauty Pageants	Protect Human Rights
Impact Lotteries	Help the Middle Class
Impact Retirement	Improve Elder-Care
Impact the One Percent	Promoting Independence
Improve Sports	Improve Education
Improve the Arts	Empower Women
Promote Music	Impact Youth
	Impact Persons with Disabilities

The Go Lean book is published by a movement seeking to make the Caribbean a better homeland to live, work and play. There can be no strict adherence to either egalitarianism or anarchism; the optimal society must reflect a perfect balance of both.

All in all, the Egalitarian versus Anarchist debate may now be considered anachronistic. This may have been a valid 1913 argument, but for 2013 (publication date of the Go Lean book) it is “null-and-void”, irrelevant even. After 100 years of bad history – 2 World Wars and a Capitalism-versus-Communism schism – we must simply apply the lessons learned. Today, we must consider all best practices, and embrace all tools, techniques and talents for success. The people of the Caribbean deserve the best of the best, despite whatever philosophical leanings.

Download the book Go Lean … Caribbean – now!

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Appendix – Citations

a. Egalitarianism: The New Torture Rack, by Gary Hull, Ayn Rand Institute, January 11, 2004

b. Alexander Berkman- Prison Memoirs of an Anarchist. Mother Earth Publishing 1912 – What is Anarchism? pp. 164-5

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Gender, Model, Transform

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John McPhee – LCD versus an Entrepreneurial Ethos

Posted on March 21, 2014 in Government, Industries, Social, Strategy

Go Lean Commentary

The book Go Lean … Caribbean is more than just a publication, it is a movement. This movement is designed to elevate the Caribbean’s economic, security and governing engines. The book serves as roadmap for the introduction and implementation for the Caribbean Union Trade Federation (CU). As such, we are proud to feature role models – institutions, companies and individuals – that extoll the values, community ethos, that we hold dear. This role model, John McPhee, is a prime example.

Among the many community ethos, strategies, tactics, implementation and advocacies in the book is the proposal for the consolidation and integration of the region’s Taxi & Limousine Regulatory Commissions. The book posits that many of the initiatives envisioned for the region are too big an undertaking for any one Caribbean member-state alone; therefore the roadmap call for this functionality to be consolidated and integrated into CU oversight.

John McPhee is on the frontline of Bahamian tourism – he is a taxi driver. But to call him just a taxi driver would be an insult; it would expose a blatant ignorance. John McPhee is the anti-taxi driver; he “zigs” while everyone else “zags”. The industry for taxi drivers is based on the Lowest Common Denominator (LCD); John, on the other hand, rises above the fray, he stands out like a stalk of wheat in a field of weeds. He drives a Chrysler Town & Country mini-van for its roominess, durability and fuel efficiency. (The is the same vehicle class as the Nissan NV200 depicted in Appendix-VIDEO below and on Page 328 of the Go Lean book).

Mr. McPhee also accepts credit cards. This is an anomaly among taxi drivers in the Bahamas.

Lastly, he arranges appointments and delivers on schedule. He is the walking embodiment of the vision for the Caribbean Union’s Taxi & Limousine Commission.

John McPhee delivers on a business model that can be profitable, efficient, and effective (as frontline ambassadors) for forging change in a region too accustomed to the status quo (failure); a region with governmental policies designed to benefit the LCD and thus they miss out on victories that one champion can achieve. This is the winning model of both the industrial and information revolutions, where individuals, entrepreneurs and industrialists transformed society with their innovations. John McPhee represents that new corps of Caribbean entrepreneurs.

In a person-to-person interview, recorded in the Go Lean book at Page 39, these were his responses:

What are the details of your project?

A Cashless Payment System for Taxi Cabs. This will allow for passengers to pay their fare by means of any major credit/debit cards. Considering the reality of The Bahamas where many citizens, even in the middle class, do not possess credit cards, the target market will be tourists, and the corporate sector. This service should empower taxi drivers to have a competitive advantage over their peers. This project’s goal is to have 50 cars within a fleet, and to provide all of their dispatch services.

Who are the competitors of this service?

There is the Bahamas Taxi Union, a cooperative among individual taxi drivers. Then there are other private entities like H. Forbes Charters and other similar companies.

Why did you not leave, like the many before you?

The Bahamas can still be a land of opportunity. This is what the people here deserve. This is a small country, I should be a big fish in this small pond, but I’m not. If I’m not the head-of-the class here, how can I expect to succeed as a small fish in a big pond somewhere else. So I do not intend to leave.

How do you feel about Bahamian/Caribbean Security?

A lot is lacking here. All citizens can easily be in danger of the pervasive crime and violence.

How do you feel about Bahamian/Caribbean Economy?

Even more is lacking. This country is not suited to encourage entrepreneurism. Economic growth is only going to come from the private sector, not the government. For the private sector to flourish there must be the appropriate structure, incentives and economic drivers. These ingredients are not here now. For my project, I had to sue the government agency (Taxi Commission) to force their hand in doing the right thing. The governing principle used here follows the policy of egalitarianism. This sounds good on paper, equal opportunity for all, but in practice, it’s a disservice for job creation. Catering to the LCD sets the bar low. Excellence does not emerge from that.

What areas are you most disappointed in when considering the last 20 years?

There is a trend towards social equality, which is good if the equal status is a high standard of living and high moral fortitude. But instead, there seems to be a steady decline in all aspects of Bahamian life in which we are all becoming equally mediocre, inadequate. This indicates a fault in leadership; there is a lack of vision and no plan to elevate, if not for all the people, then at least for an achiever class.

What do you want to see in The Bahamas in … 5 years?

Turn-around from the current path, otherwise there will be a collapse of the middle class.

What do you want to see in The Bahamas in … 10 years?

All societies must innovate, or be overrun with innovations from abroad. If the current trend continues, there will be a disenfranchisement of Bahamians in their own country.

What do you want to see in The Bahamas in … 20 years?

I want to see a social and political revolution; the status quo cannot continue. While a revolution denote a quick sudden change, perhaps an evolution (slow, steady and consistent) is better. But we must start now, by first abandoning these LCD policies and expectations.

What features of North American/Europe would you like to see here?

In addition to a NATO-like force, the Caribbean should be more connected/integrated; there should be a central trading/purchasing entity to represent the entire region.

Where do you consider to be the best place to live?

Canada. They seem open to growth, inviting foreign nationals. There is a common language – but respect for minorities – and plenty of opportunities in the areas that entrepreneurs seek.

How would you feel if your children emigrate?

Being a husband and father, I fear that my son will one day leave. He will need such a move to soar in his endeavors. If that happens, while we will miss him, we will simply accept and support him.

Download the book Go Lean … Caribbean – now!

————

Appendix – VIDEO: New York Proclaims “Hail Yes!” as First Nissan NV200 Taxicab Hits the Streets of Manhattan – https://youtu.be/za1xO3WcnQs

Published on Oct 29, 2013 – NEW YORK (October 29, 2013) — A new era in public transportation has begun with the Nissan NV200 taxi now in service on the streets of New York City. The meter on the first NV200 taxi fare officially kicked-off at JFK International Airport on October 23, dropping its inaugural passenger near 13th Street and 6th Avenue in Manhattan. Mr. Ranjit Singh, an owner/operator of Medallion No. 7F20, took delivery of his NV200 taxi from Koeppel Nissan in Queens on October 18.
AMC131029102.

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Bahamas, Canada, Model, Poverty, Tourism

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Role Model: Kevin Connolly – Advocate for Muhammad Ali

Posted on March 21, 2014 in Ethos, Social

Go Lean Commentary

This story-line is retrieved from the movie “Muhammad Ali’s Greatest Fight” (2013). See the summary here:

In 1964, world champion boxer Muhammad Ali requested exemption from the military draft based on his religious beliefs. His request was denied and when he subsequently refused induction into the army, he was convicted and sentenced to 5 years imprisonment. His case eventually works itself up the Supreme Court. In their first conference after the case is presented, the justices decide by majority vote (5 to 3) to uphold the conviction and Justice John Harlan is tasked with preparing the majority opinion. He assigns one of his clerks, Kevin Connolly, to prepare a first draft but try as he might [Mr. Connolly] believes that the decision is wrong. His draft argues for overturning the conviction… eventually Justice Harlan agrees with him. The Justice must now find a way to convince his colleagues.
Source: IMDB – http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2061756/?ref_=nv_sr_2

The review of this movie – The Atlantic Magazine – adds great insight and perspective. Consider here:

In 1960 Cassius Clay burst onto the scene – and burst is about the only word to describe it – he was an 18-year-old amateur boxer who lit up the Summer Olympics in Rome with his brashness and youthful exuberance, to say nothing of his breathtaking ability. (He easily captured the light heavyweight gold medal.) Clay turned pro a few months after the Olympics, and within two years, he became more of a media star than the reigning heavyweight champion, Floyd Patterson, or Patterson’s successor, Sonny Liston. From the beginning he transcended boxing, making bold predictions – usually correct – about what round he would stop his opponents in; his hilarious doggerel poetry was recited by school kids who had never seen a boxing match. He cut a record (a cover of Ben E. King’s “Stand By Me”), appeared in a movie (as a heavyweight contender who knocks out Anthony Quinn in the opening moments of Requiem for a Heavyweight) and, in February of 1964, shocked everyone but himself by whipping the fearsome Sonny Liston, a 7-1 favorite for the heavyweight title. Within days of his victory, though, he created an even bigger shock when he announced that he had become a Black Muslim and changed his name to Muhammad Ali. And that was just the beginning.

In 1965, he failed a mental aptitude test for the draft. But early in 1966 the war in Vietnam was escalating and resistance to it was gathering momentum, so the standards for induction were lowered and Ali was classified as eligible for the draft. His lawyer presented a letter to the draft board requesting deferment as a conscientious objector. Three days later, the request was denied, and in 1967 he was arrested, convicted of draft evasion, and stripped of his heavyweight title by New York and other powerful state athletic commissions. In 1971, his appeal was heard by the U.S. Supreme Court. Opinion polls at the time (1971) indicated that the vast majority of older whites believed Ali should have been sent to jail, while an overwhelming number of blacks and younger white college students, many of whom had gone to see Ali on one of his campus appearances, vehemently supported his anti-war stance. Public sentiment about Ali pretty much followed the same lines as public opinion on the war in Vietnam, and as more people turned against the war, more supporters flocked to Ali’s corner.

The Justices reviewing this matter included Thurgood Marshall, as the only black justice on the court at the time. But Justice Marshall recused himself from the case, having been the Solicitor General on Ali’s earlier conviction. [(The Solicitor General is required to argue in front of the court on behalf of “The People”)]. Justice Harlan, the responsible party for communicating the majority decision, delegated this task to Kevin Connolly, his chief clerk; [(the Justices are allowed up to 4 Clerks to do the heavy-lifting of researching and composing opinions on before of their legal “masters”)]. Mr. Connolly was convincingly idealistic in this case; his dogged pursuit of justice helped turn the Court’s decision around.

At the time Justice Harlan, who was dying of cancer and would resign from the Court later that year, became finally convinced of the sincerity of Ali’s religious and anti-war beliefs and, against the wishes of his close friend Chief Justice Burger, shifted his vote to even the balance at 4 to 4. [(There was no further testimony from Ali or supporters, just the ruminated logic of the clerk Connolly and the appeal of a better nature)]. He eventually made such a convincing argument to the other conservatives on the court that the decision became unanimous (8 to 0, with an abstaining Justice Marshall).
Source: Extractions from Allen Barra, The Atlantic Magazine. Posted October 4, 2013; retrieved February 14, 2014 from: http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2013/10/muhammad-alis-most-formidable-opponent-was-the-us-supreme-court/280280/

The advocate in this drama is Kevin Connolly, the chief clerk for Supreme Court Justice Harland. His steadfast commitment to justice prevailed, in the end. He saw the miscarriage of justice in the un-balanced application of the law for religious/conscientious objections for White ministers as opposed to Black Muslim adherents of faith. He wielded his influence on his boss, Justice Harland, who then influenced the remaining court – one man made a difference on this court, and eventually the world.

The book Go Lean … Caribbean serves as a roadmap for the introduction and implementation of the Caribbean Union Trade Federation (CU). The book posits that one person can make a difference in the Caribbean; that there are many opportunities where one champion can elevate society. In fact the book is a collection of 144 different advocacies, so there is inspiration for the Kevin Connolly’s and Muhammad Ali’s of the region to make their mark in many different fields of endeavor. The roadmap specifically encourages the region to foster the genius potential (Page 27) in their communities, forge leadership skills (Page 171) and pursue the Greater Good (Page 37). With the participation of many advocates on many different paths for progress, the Caribbean can truly become a better place to live, work and play.

Download the book Go Lean … Caribbean – now!

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Arts, Civil Rights, Model, Sports

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6.5M Earthquake Shakes Eastern Caribbean

Posted on March 13, 2014 in Ethos, Government, Locations, Planning, Strategy

Go Lean Caribbean

The below news article highlights the regional threat of the active fault line (the Lesser Antilles subduction zone, also known for volcanoes) in the Eastern Caribbean basin. Notice that the countries affected are of American, Dutch, English and French legacies. In addition, there has been a number of small quakes in Puerto Rico in the last month.

Without a doubt, the Caribbean has to be on guard for danger from seismic activities. Plus, with constant threats during the annual hurricane season, there is a need for a full-time sentinel to monitor, mitigate and manage the risks of natural disasters in the region. This is the mandate for the Caribbean Union Trade Federation (CU). The Go Lean … Caribbean roadmap describes the CU’s prime directives as empowering the region’s economic engines, providing security assurances and preparing/responding to natural disasters.

A 6.5-magnitude earthquake northeast of Barbados caused shaking across the Eastern Caribbean early Tuesday morning, according to the United States Geological Survey. The quake, which occurred 172 kilometres |northeast of Barbados, struck at around 5:27 AM local time.

The University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre also recorded the quake as having a magnitude of 6.5 on the Richter scale. The quake was felt across the region, with weak |shaking felt as far north as Philipsburg, St Maarten and light to moderate shaking from |Martinique all the way down to Grenada.

The most reports of shaking were felt in Martinique, which was about 128 kilometres directly west of the quake’s epicentre, along with Barbados. There were not any reports of damage or injuries, although authorities in Martinique were recommending “extreme caution” in coastal areas, according to reports. Other countries that felt shaking included St Lucia, Dominica, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Guadeloupe, Trinidad and even Venezuela. It was the second 6.5-magnitude earthquake in the region in just over a month, following a similarly-sized quake in near Puerto Rico in January.

It was the strongest quake in that portion of the region since 2007, when a 7.3-magnitude quake struck near Martinique. As a point of reference, the earthquake in 2010 in Haiti was a |7.0-magnitude on the Richter scale. The 2007 Martinique quake had been the largest in the |region since a 6.9-Magnitude tremblor near Antigua in 1974.
Source: Caribbean Journal Online (Retrieved 02/18/2014) –
http://www.caribjournal.com/2014/02/18/6-5m-earthquake-shakes-eastern-caribbean-from-martinique-to-grenada/

The book details the aftermath of the 2010 Haiti Earthquake as an indictment for the region’s lack of planning/response. What’s more the book, as a roadmap, posits that there is the threat of even more earthquakes along the Enriquillo fault line.

Earthquakes are Mother Nature’s fury 100%; there is no way to prevent them, only plan for their eventuality. Unfortunately the Caribbean region has not planned accordingly, despite due warning. Despite the constant threats for disasters, we have failed! There is no integrated agency to monitor and manage these threats. Yes, there is the US Geological Services, but this agency’s American priorities may not align with the priorities of the Caribbean people as a whole.

The roadmap does implement an integrated agency. Without this implementation, the region can only beg for help. Lastly, the Go Lean roadmap advocates a 10-Step approach to outgrow the statue of a perennial beggar for International Aid. The Caribbean, by the end of this roadmap, should at last be a better place to live, work and play.

Download the free e-Book of Go Lean … Caribbean – now!

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Disaster, Security

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Could the Caribbean Host the Olympic Games?

Posted on March 12, 2014 in Ethos, Locations, Planning, Social, Strategy

Go Lean Commentary

Freedom of speech is great for the flow of information in a democracy. But freedom of speech has its limits, notwithstanding libel, slander and defamation possibilities. If a person yells out “FIRE, FIRE” in a crowded theater, knowing that there is no fire, the resultant panic and crush of people fleeing for the exits is actually criminally liable. In some jurisdiction, if death results, the culprit can be charged with statues against “depraved indifference”. Wow, that could be serious!

On the other hand, there is the practice of dreaming and acting on dreams. Some of the biggest accomplishments in world history, started as someone’s dreams. Once actuated, one step after another led to the eventual fulfillment of the dream.

See this article here from Caribbean Journal Online News Site; retrieved 02/12/2014 from http://www.caribjournal.com/2014/02/13/caribbean-idea-could-the-caribbean-host-the-olympic-games/:

While the Caribbean has become relatively accustomed to dominating at the Summer Olympics, this year’s crop of Caribbean winter athletes has us thinking. With all of the Caribbean’s continued success in international athletics, why couldn’t the region (or one of the countries in the region host the Summer Olympics?

The Olympics has been held in the US, Asia, Australia, Europe and (soon) South America, but never in the Caribbean. So we looked around the region to think about which countries could, at least hypothetically host the Games. The Games must be based in a single city; given much of the region’s size, the Games would likely need to be held across an entire island, though perhaps nominally based in a city.

A potential Caribbean host country would also need several major qualities: a large enough territory to host the myriad events held in the Summer Games; a high enough level of infrastructural development; a big enough airport and a hotel stock large enough that it could expand without too much difficulty to meet the needs of the Games. We isolated several Caribbean islands: Jamaica, Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic), Trinidad and Tobago, Guadeloupe, Puerto Rico.

Jamaica is large enough and its hotel stock is big enough, but its infrastructural development would need work; given Jamaica’s brand equity around the world (and its athletic dominance), this could be a natural choice, with Montego Bay being the best fit for a single city given its topography. Hispaniola would be the most provocative choice: could two neighbors that often have a stormy relationship bridge their divides and come together for international sport? Lack of infrastructure, particularly on the Haitian side, would be an issue, but adding that infrastructure would also enormously benefit the western half of the island.

Could the Games be held in Port-au-Prince and Santo Domingo together? Trinidad and Tobago has the infrastructural development, the territorial size, and the airport, but a small hotel stock. Could Port of Spain host the Games with many events held in Tobago? A system of fast ferries and increased flights would make for an entertaining twin-island Olympics.

Guadeloupe would be a bit of a wild card; its roads and infrastructural development far outpace much of the region; it has enough undeveloped land and a relatively large size. Could the Games spread across each of the islands of the archipelago? Puerto Rico is large, with developed infrastructure, and it’s part of the United States, with a relatively robust hotel stock and strong existing sports infrastructure. Of course, its debt problems would pose a significant hindrance to hosting the Games in the next few decades.

Cuba is another option, although the continued embargo from the United States would likely be a significant stumbling block. Otherwise, the island has the size, infrastructure and level of development to be considered. There’s another option — what about a regionally-hosted Olympics? Would the IOC ever support something like that? Would the Caribbean grant temporary approval for foreign airlines to operate regional service? Would a fast-ferry company seize on the opportunity?

If the region could source the majority of the funding from sponsorship’s and other external sources, the benefits of new hotels, infrastructure, investment and prestige could be significant. But the Caribbean would need to ensure that the foreign money was enough that it didn’t put it any further into already-crippling debt. Ultimately, the question is this: instead of spending billions on developed countries hosting the Games, why not spend the same money for an Olympic Games that actually leads to development?

Imagine a Trinidad or a Jamaica or a Hispaniola with fresh, modern hotels, large stadia and, crucially, sparkling new roads (not to mention the vast tourism marketing potential of hosting the Games). Of course, there’s another major issue: the weather. Summer in the Caribbean means the risk of hurricanes. But with major storms popping up across the globe, is the Caribbean really alone in that risk anymore? And couldn’t Olympic development be done at a hurricane-proof standard?

What do you think? Could the Caribbean ever host an Olympic Games?

The Caribbean hosting the Olympics is just dreaming, not reporting. Most men and women standing on the podium receiving their winning medals can trace their origins back to some dream. A dream for the athlete, coach and/or parent. Sometimes, too the whole community is dreaming. Is the thought of the Caribbean hosting the Olympics some day just a dream now in 2014 or can the “dominoes” be put in place that once actuated can lead to an eventual successful bid to host some future Olympiad?

Tipping the “dominoes” to enable a better business environment is the mission of the Go Lean … Caribbean roadmap. This even applies to sports. The books purports that sports can be a great economic driver for the region, and that the business model of the Olympics can be forged in the region on a minor scale. In fact the book proposes the CU Games as a bi-annual event that encompasses many Olympic-style events, more than just Track & Field. This approach would bring the necessary regional integration necessary to develop any long time plans for a big dream of the Olympics. (But the recommendation here is to NEVER host one).

This commentary declares that the merits of the foregoing article is pure rubbish. No one Caribbean country possesses the population base and economic engine to make an Olympic bid viable. While comparisons can be made for Greece, the host country for the 2004 Summer Olympics, this example is a better argument for opposition of any Olympic hosting. Greece experienced much financial distress as a result of their Olympic hosting; the country was near insolvency during the European Sovereign Debt crisis of 2009 – 2012, if not for the bail-outs of the European Union.

To the contrary, the entire Caribbean region tallies 42 million people and the results of economic integration can yield a GDP of $800 Billion (2010). Greece on the other hand had a population count of 10.8 million and GDP of $250 for the same period.

Lastly, the Go Lean roadmap calls for the emergence of the Caribbean dollar unified currency. This structure would spur the elevation of the region’s capital markets (9) for stocks and bonds. This approach would satisfy the liquidity needs to finance the construction of any and all sporting facilities required for sporting events.

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