Dickson Igwe. Photo: VINO/File

Possessing a vision of where a country is headed is critical in a modern, free, and democratic country. Vision is bound closely to the values, traditions, culture, and history of a country. Consequently, taking a look at a country’s future, and where that is headed, requires a glimpse into the vortex of the past.

For example, one of the country’s political parties has decided that establishing a maritime and boating culture with a strong oceanographic component will be its overarching vision going forward.

Its leader has stated that his top priority will be the establishment of a maritime and oceanographic programme in the coming years if his party is elected as the governing party. He has further asserted that he will leverage the country’s education, technology, and economy, towards achieving a maritime and seafaring culture which he believes will boost economic and job growth, and strengthen the community socially.

But take a closer look. The Virgin Islands of the 1920s, 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s, was a maritime culture. The country possessed a fine maritime tradition in those past years. A visit to the College’s Maritime Museum at the Marine Center in Paraquita Bay is a window to the country’s maritime past.

The Virgin Islands of 2014 stands on the shoulders of great boat builders and mariners. These were seamen who contributed to the modern Virgin Islands in multiple ways. So the vision of a country that leverages its natural bounty of the sea to boost its social economy is not new. But it is certainly visionary.

Now, a much used proverb, taken from the Bible, a favourite quote of a late Virgin Islands political stalwart and national leader was, “without vision the people perish.” In other words, a country without a national vision of where it wants to go will become stagnant, directionless, and may ultimately face social decline and economic failure.

Party manifestoes attempt to give a picture of where politicians hope to take a country. These documents often fail to live up to their promise. Why? Because they too often become a grocery list of this or that project or programme, that must be completed by the end of this or that 4 year term.

It was noted with interest by this Old Boy that a new political party sounded visionary on September 30, 2014. The President of the party asserted that the country, “had need for an integrated development strategy of policies, programmes and projects.” He further stated that governance in the Virgin Islands was,” very haphazard, disjointed, and disconnected.”

Another party member stated that scholarships in the Virgin Islands should only be granted to students who study disciplines that fit with what the country requires in terms of its social and economic growth.

Then on October 1, 2014, a story appeared in which the new party asserted that millions of dollars were wasted when governments changed, owing to the cancellation of projects started by a previous government.

Now, that was a very good start by the new party. But to fully assess these various assertions of the party on essentially economic matters, further required a visionary backdrop of how these policy matters fitted into a wider vision for the country.

A national economic vision is more than stating the Virgin Islands is a twin pillar economy and therefore a government will do everything to protect the two economic cultures. And it is more than offering a laundry list of policies to Joe Voter.

A national vision decides on the long term aspirations of the people in terms of the direction of a country’s economy and society. It builds a social model into the economy. This is the idea that the economy serves the society and not vice versa.

To be continued

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