August 22, 2023
Here we are reflecting on the Caribbean Export Development Agency’s upcoming Caribbean Investment Forum and its theme, “A Bold New Caribbean,” we can’t help but stop to think if they mean this bold and new Caribbean for everyone? Or is it just for the top few, as it has always been?
We cannot have a new Caribbean without having everyone on board and in alignment with what the agenda is. We have not done enough to penetrate into the marginalised areas in our respective countries, which to us is quite foolhardy. Because, how can you build anything with a sizeable portion of your country ostracized, cut off from the grace and blessings that our beautiful countries provide?
So, it’s easy to call for a bold new Caribbean, but is it for women? Is this bold new Caribbean for young men under 21? Is it for gays and homosexuals, artisans, poets, musicians, Rastafarians and Indians?
When we speak let us invite all of these subsections of the society into the discussion because that in itself will be bold and new all at the same time.
We can only encourage, because we have a strong belief that this energy will be spent on the hoity-toity primarily. While we need them, they should not dominate the entire affair. A bold new Caribbean has to be dirty and not stoosh and posh. We need to dig deep and bring out all that is within these countries we call the Caribbean and dare to be bold to bring forth the new.
We can only encourage.
I agree, there are still many groups of people marginalized and excluded as noted in the article. More inclusion is needed.