As the nation of Barbados attained the commendable achievement of 50 years as a sovereign state, the time is ripe for a discussion on the future development of our economy and society, to ensure we can position our nation to continue as a truly independent country.

This has become imperative in light of the decline in key matrices that are used to measure a country’s development. These include the Human Development Index, the Global Competitiveness Report, Ease of Doing Business Report, to name a few, all of which show that Barbados has been in decline in recent years. This is further compounded by deterioration in social factors such as the growing number of persons living below the poverty line, an obvious increase in gun-related crime and the drug trade, and a growing sense of hopelessness among the citizenry, particularly the youth.

A country once celebrated as “punching above its weight” and the envy of the Caribbean seemed to be in a race by itself, to the bottom of the development ladder, as regional economies are rebounding following the global crisis of 2008.

There is need therefore to have an urgent discussion on these issues. Yet our civil society practitioners, business leaders, academia and particularly the legislators seem reluctant to have this dialogue. It is because we have become so polarised that any critique of national development issues is often painted with the proverbial political brush?

Unfortunately we do not have the luxury of pride, since this country we all love and which has been good to us, is facing the most severe development challenge in its five decades of sovereignty. The pervasive sense of fear hovering over our nation must be disbanded if we are to move forward as a people.

While we celebrate our Independence, let us also evaluate. The vision of being “friends of all and satellites of none” coupled with our commitment to social democracy and creativity demands a rethink of our governance model.

Economic prosperity through a diversification of the economy and the enfranchisement of the masses should be a revisited model for the future. Governance by the people, for the people, ought to be considered as we adopt an approach of empowering the citizens to participate fully in their country’s development. After all, those in power are hardly ever the only innovators that provide structural change or lasting solutions for sustained development.

Our evaluation requires that the voice of citizens, civil society, academia and business be heard and to be embraced as a source of critical and innovative thinking. Engaging the masses and allowing them to freely contribute must be an integral part of the next dispensation of development, since breaking away from our mother country some 50 years ago should have transformed us to be free. We cannot educate our people and not expect them to have a contribution to make to our development. Impeding freedom of critical thought, of innovation, of dialogue and becoming self-centred and introverted as a small dependent nation, is tantamount to regression and worse, instability.

Politicians or political parties that sit on the levers of power for extended periods of time often become complacent, losing their ability for flexible and innovative strategic thinking. These key players must be change agents in this vision for a better Barbados, and must be infused with fresh blood and strategic planners.

The Holy Scriptures requires that “he who has ears to hear let him hear”. In being loyal sons and daughters all we must of necessity get up and change our course. Let us encourage celebration of our Independence, but more so let us pause to evaluate where we are and where we need to be. There is hope on the road ahead.