Editorial – Issue 3

Towards the end of his very long life, former leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, Sir Wilfrid Laurier advised on how Canadians could triumph over future challenges… “Let me tell you that for the solution of these problems you have a safe guide, an unfailing light, if you remember that faith is better than doubt and love is better than hate.” Today, more than ever, Laurier’s advice is every bit as applicable to the Caribbean as it has been to Canada. The Caribbean region should carefully consider Sir Wilfred’s advice within the context of the challenges which the global economic crisis has presented in terms of planning; environmental concerns due to climate change and resource depletion; regulatory factors; construction; use and maintenance of buildings; transportation systems; utilities and other related services.

Even with so much instability within the global marketplace and bearing in mind that faith is indeed better than doubt, we should be hopeful about what 2010 holds for the construction industry. Maybe it could be said that the construction industry suffered a stroke in 2009; however all of the symptoms have not yet been examined to say whether it is a mild or major stroke. In the absence of a final diagnosis, we can be thankful that the industry was not paralyzed by the events of 2009. Thus with recovery or prevention foremost in many of our minds, we should look forward to 2010, with the hope t at activity within the industry resumes. However, if the construction sector is to rebound there is a lot we need to address. We need to find answers to the questions “What have we learnt? What must we do differently to survive and be successful? Are we better able to deal with a crisis?” Since our leaders have failed to identify real strategies to deal with our unique regional problems, not to mention specific sector problems, we must find our own way to success.

The continued reliance on migrant labour limited access to finance, increased competition, an increased perception of corruption within the industry and escalating crime and security concerns are all hurdles on the road to recovery. Arguably, our biggest difficulty lies in the fact that we will continue to feel the effects of the global economic meltdown well within 2010 and beyond. These effects will be compounded by our individual and collective abilities (or inabilities as the case may be) to implement sound strategies which will enable us to compete differently within a changed environment. With the unique and dynamic nature of the construction industry there remains an urgent need for the Caribbean region, as an integrated unit, to start developing strategies and organizational structures which focuses on “doing the right things rather than simply doing them right.”

Many developed countries have suffered for years, as a result of formulating and implementing inappropriate strategies to deal with their imbalances. Historically, the Caribbean always tends to follow in the direction of the United States of America (USA). Whilst the Caribbean, USA, Europe and other parts of South East Asia are all experiencing similar set backs and challenges as they seek to improve their performances and productivity; we must also understand that such anticipated improvements require each nation to adopt their own individual strategy that is in sync with their history, economy, values and customs. So, Caribbean nations are once again faced with a dilemma, in that although there is the need for a regional response, equally important is our individual country response. To put this in perspective, if we are serious about strategy formulation, then this has to be communicated via a framework where we ask our leaders to develop strategies through an integrated approach, aimed at focusing on the requirements and objectives of each individual island.

My humble advice to our Caribbean leaders is therefore to develop appropriate strategies, geared towards the future growth and development of the region, whilst at the same time ensuring that the proposed strategy unifies, integrates and harnesses every individual facet of our respective islands. As we plan for the days and years ahead, w need not look beyond our regional borders for inspiration. Let us see what we can use from the “Guyana Model” to craft our own success. More germane to our long-term success, let us embrace the Guyanese philosophy of hard work, thrift and humility. When put in use together with a positive attitude, it might be just what the doctor prescribes for a speedy and successful recovery and at the very least, we will be better prepared to deal with what the future holds.

Steve J. Rajpatty,

Editor-in-Chief