The Tribune

By ROCHELLE DEAN

IN a time of economic woes and of war and decline it is imperative that the world - and particularly The Bahamas - takes a closer look at sustainable development and where it intends to progress for future generations.

The year 2015 was historic as the government worked to implement a National Development Plan focused on sustainable growth to the year 2040. From a nationalistic standpoint, one can look at this as a substantial step in the right direction for the country: however, from an economic standpoint one can conclude a war still looms.

Globally, countries are aggressively seeking sustainability of their major industries. The reality is we have developed countries being challenged by developing countries and major industries being saturated by goods and services of inferior quality. Countries are polarised and gross domestic product (GDP) now takes a back seat to having a brand.

This brings us to the idea that we must all be committed to the alleviation of poverty in order for there to be extensive growth in the Bahamas and the world. The United Nations continues to transition from the Millennium Development Goals to Sustainable Development Goals - and the number one goal is poverty alleviation.

As a nation, we must look at the many different ways that poverty affects a country and its growth. There is something intrinsically and fundamentally human about being valued and not about being valued for those traits that cannot be taken away from you. Traits that build your character. Those things that set your path, even those negative things that have to be weeded out to propel you toward your true being (self).

It is innate human nature that craves, desires and needs to build something, whether it’s a family, business, even another human being. It makes us appreciate, it makes us empathetic and it’s attributed to empowering others. This is what distinguishes true wealth from poverty.

Bill Gates, a successful entrepreneur and philanthropist, dropped out of university and started Microsoft, a company where he makes billions of dollars. He started the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, where he is feeding his innate human nature and empowers other human beings as he alleviates poverty. He is committed to human development.

Human development is the greatest indicator to poverty alleviation globally. Developed countries such as Norway, Canada and Russia - all very diverse in the industries that grow their GDP - all have human development indexes. Development eliminates poverty, first by changing the mindset of mankind, which produces different actions and better results.

We all must play a role in poverty alleviation. And we do this through adjusting our attitudes toward the poverty mindset, collaborating with like-minded individuals to introduce programmes but also to disseminate information that will bring a clear view of the impact the different forms of poverty are affecting the world at large.

Currently, one per cent of the world is wealthy. The other 99 per cent are headed to a marginalised poverty line.

The Bahamian people must begin to identify the interlinkages of poverty and how it affects the mind. There is now a global initiative to eradicate poverty by disseminating its weakest link, our understanding of it. As a nation we must ask ourselves: “What are we truly committed to?”

We are unable to help people with a poor way of thinking. The world is in a state of poverty and as GDPs decline, so does human development. Our moral compasses must be adjusted or any other form of development is in vain.

We tell students education is the key, but self-knowledge and a strong value system builds prosperous nations. We must teach morality which builds strong character and fosters healthy competition and innovation. This builds a strong economic system of healthy individuals with a nationalistic view of country.

Every human being is created to part take in the development of something, whether it’s people who will impact the world or some project that will do the same.

We no longer can afford not to prepare ourselves or participate in the global framework. We must encourage real entrepreneurship. We must value each other’s skills and not be close minded toward non-conventional innovators.

The Bahamas must shift and catch up with the rest of the world and, in some cases, have the fortitude to do something different, something unique.

Development is progress it alleviates poverty. Poverty alleviation comes through change. In order to alleviate poverty and move our homeland forward we must commit ourselves to change.

Rochelle R Dean is a Bahamian scholar, research fellow and peer-reviewer and a theory writer of economics presently completing a Bachelors of Science dual degree in economics and public administration with Liberty University, Lynchburg, Virginia.