EDITORIAL - Hard work the key to success
This week the Central Bank of Barbados’ report was read by its Governor, Cleviston Haynes, and it is clear that Barbados has a seemingly long way to go in order to achieve recovery. Combined with the fact that election season is now in full swing, many are looking to the parties for guidance, with some operating under the belief that those politicians whom they support will bring prosperity like ‘manna from Heaven’. However, while politicians, along with other representatives of the Social Partnership, must buckle down to getting corrective economic and social policies in place, everyday Barbadians must also come together and put in the necessary work for the country to prosper.
Over the years across the world, reports emerged about online scams and persons caught taking kickbacks under the table for favours, which reflect negatively on their employers. Here at home we have witnessed some who have engaged in outright theft to maintain lifestyles that had spiralled well out of their control. There is yet another sub-set of persons who live beyond their means and when conditions become unfavourable to the kind of lifestyle to which they have become accustomed, they resort to complaints and blame whomever they deem responsible for their ‘predicament’.
The cost of goods and services has risen marginally, while food prices have steadily risen over the years, but there are those who do not apply common-sense when they play the part of consumer. Hence they continue to fall short within their households while blaming external factors for their descent into debt.
The stories in the media seem to be a reflection of how this yearning for luxurious lifestyles is quickly spinning out of control. We keep seeing court reports of thefts in the press, but what is striking is that you hardly hear of a person committing these acts as a result of hunger; they are more often than not acts of greed. Oftentimes you hear of persons who lament the breaking and entering of their homes and the taking of items that the would have worked a lifetime for. However, thieves generally do not spare a thought for how others acquire property, rather, they have a disturbing lack of conscience that can ultimately destroy persons’ sense of security while giving criminal minded persons the impression that this is the method to adopt if you want to have a ‘high’ standard of living.
These types of situations are not specific to Barbados alone. In fact, many of these criminal acts originate in the larger first world countries and there are countless movies which record past incidents e.g The Wolf of Wall Street. This movie was based on the true story of Jordan Belfort, from his rise to stockbroker to his fall involving crime, corruption and the federal government.
These examples notwithstanding, it is instructive to note that when we examine the progress of some of the world’s most prosperous citizens, a common thread is the tireless hours of work that they have put in to reach those heights. Warren Buffet for example, commonly acknowledged as one of the world’s most successful businessmen, admits to living in a relatively modest home and driving a car purchased in the 1930s.
It is obvious that there needs to be a renewed focus, primarily by parents, on a positive and healthy work ethic for our young citizens. No longer should we accept that spirit of entitlement and indifference so often displayed by persons in the workforce. More attention needs to be paid to raising our personal standards and performance if we are to ensure our future success.