“For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.” – Psalm 91:11 “A change is as good as a rest” is an old English proverb which means that changing your environment is as beneficial as taking a break from your routine. Travel is one way of changing your environment. …
“Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green.” – Psalm 92:14 Our Creator has a plan for us even though we are not privy to the details. Our responsibility is to make wise decisions to help our bodies live a vibrant and full life and to impart our …
“The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.” – Proverbs 21:5 In 1998, the Caribbean was faced with the declining fortunes of staple sugar and banana exports. The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) had a vision to create a system to facilitate Caribbean entrepreneurs and contribute …
“For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.” – Psalm 91:11 Tuesday, July 5, 2022 marks the 80th anniversary of the birth of my colleague and friend the late Professor the Honourable Oliver Headley who passed away over 20 years ago. We worked on many solar distillation, solar …
“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light.” – Matthew 6:22 Since early secondary school, I have been impressed by the sonnet “On His Blindness” by English poet John Milton, who lost his sight while he was still in his 50s. The …
“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” – Proverbs 22:6 Over the past several years various commentators have been repeatedly saying that because of a declining birth rate, Barbados’ population deficit is 80,000 (nearly 30% of the existing population). Barbados needs …
“Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.” – 1 Timothy 6:18-19 My …
“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” – Psalm 73:26 David Anthony Jerome Holford passed away on Monday, May 30. He has been deservingly revered as a cricketing legend. The Prime Minister of Barbados has praised him as “a true gentleman of the …
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” – Isaiah 43:18-19 My father did not know his father. My paternal grandmother migrated to the …
“One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.” – Proverbs 11:24 When The Marketplace Excellence (MPE) Caribbean report recently featured accomplished Barbadian tennis coach Lionel Eli on receiving his “Unsung Hero” award from the Barbados Government at the Barbados Consulate in Canada, Lionel remarked: “I think the best …
“This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.” – Matthew 15:8: St. Lucian Nobel Prize winner Sir Arthur Lewis posited (circa 1950) that “… in the West Indies islands, it is not the case that agriculture cannot continue to develop if …
I was privileged to have been asked by the family of the late Hewley Lyte Hutson to give the eulogy as we celebrated the life of my friend of almost 72 years on Friday, May 6, 2022. This reflection was an emotional experience for me and I was gratified by the family’s expression of appreciation …
“She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.” – Proverbs 31:26 Women possess a superior intuition (women’s intuition), an almost psychic — and somewhat frightening — knack for knowing what others are feeling and thinking. Experts say this intuition is based on an ability to read facial expressions and body language. It …
“Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it. Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.” – Psalm 96:11-12 The concept of sustainable development was described by the 1987 Bruntland Commission Report as …
“Keep alert, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong.” – 1 Corinthians 16:13 It is important to work hard and smart. Without hard work and smart work nothing grows but “weeds”, some of which are harmful, while others are extremely aggressive and destructive. Failure to act is not an option. This week we …
“My child, don’t reject the LORD’s discipline, and don’t be upset when He corrects you. For the LORD corrects those He loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.” (Proverbs 3:11-12) Each country in the world is primarily profiled by its land, marine footprint and its people. Its land is normally …
“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” – Proverbs 27:17 The Caribbean is the most tourism dependent region of the world and the COVID-19 pandemic has dealt a devastating economic blow to the traditional travel patterns of the global industry. “Tourism is Our Key” and sustainable tourism development is critical for a successful …
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” – Ecclesiastes 3:1 Just over six months ago while chatting casually with some of my Marketplace Excellence (MPE) colleagues, it was suggested that after decades of a traditional business presentation format, my column should now pivot to more of a …
“She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.” – Proverbs 31:26 Those of us World War II babies would have witnessed a significant change in the status of CARICOM women. Initially, it seemed that mothers were destined to play an important role in their children’s lives, loving them, looking after the home, …
“All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.” – John 1:3 I remember the days of the piggy bank and the savings account which were secure repositories for the precious pennies gained from our pocket money, birthday and Christmas gifts and earnings from odd jobs. I …
“Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?” – 2 Corinthians 6 Malcolm X is credited with the following quote: “Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.” As I progressed on my …
“Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it.” – Proverbs 22:6 Our children are our greatest asset, we must develop them to the fullest. Teach them well and let them lead the way in the pursuit of happiness. What children learn at …
“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” – Psalm 133:1 One of the enjoyable experiences in writing my weekly column is the feedback from readers which leads to content for another column. Last week was no exception. “Thank you Basil for this great article on community tourism …
“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” – Proverbs 27:17 Over the last 65 years, more than 30 warm-weather tourism destinations in the Caribbean archipelago of islands and coastal communities have attracted leisure and business visitors alike. Tourism has matured into a world-class service sector. Our people are our greatest asset, and we …
“Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.” – Matthew 19:14 When planning for our children’s development it is difficult to find words that embrace our feelings more effectively than those of worldwide hit “Greatest love of all”. “I believe the children …
There has been a plethora of comments in the media following the outcome of the Barbados general election, including last week’s column which evoked a few interesting responses from readers. Of great concern are (1) periods of no opposition may pose a debilitating threat to democracy; (2) views of non-Barbados Labour Party (BLP) voters may …
WHITHER BARBADOS? – BASIL SPRINGER COLUMN (JANUARY 24, 2022) The snap election in Barbados is now history. Notwithstanding many issues which were raised to postpone the election, the people have spoken. We must (1) congratulate Prime Minister Mia Mottley and the Barbados Labour Party (BLP); (2) urge the dynamic and charismatic Mia Mottley to become …
ANATOMY OF THE “FAMALAY” – BASIL SPRINGER COLUMN (JANUARY 17, 2022) As we pick up the pieces and strive to build the future after the devastation of “World War III”, otherwise known as COVID-19, the music of our family engine will help us to dance our way into the future. I am reminded of the …
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea.” – Psalm 46:1-2 To follow on from last week’s new year resolutions, we now focus on reality. For government, business, trade unions, the civil …
“Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.” – Colossians 3:14 Let us address our New Year resolutions within the context of a snap Barbados general election, protection and survival in a COVID-19 environment, embracing the end of the pandemic, stabilizing our minds, and rehabilitation in the face of the …
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” – Romans 12:2 As we conclude this series on stabilizing our minds, let us address the self-actualization component of Maslow’s …
“One man esteems one day as more important. Another esteems every day alike. Let each man be fully assured in his own mind.” Romans 14:5 Satisfying our needs as human beings and achieving harmony living in the same space on Earth is a complex affair. We compete for resources to satisfy our physiological survival needs, …
“Love your neighbour as yourself.” – Matthew 22:39 This third article about our love and belonging needs comes after physiological and safety and security needs. Our basic premise is that disharmony in the minds among our 7.9 billion fellow humans is the scourge of modern society. After satisfying our basic needs, our hypothesis is that …
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. “Psalm 23:4 Six weeks ago, we focused on the first of Abraham Maslow’s five hierarchical needs of the human being – our physiological needs. We …
“I am leaving you with a gift— peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” – John 14:27 Future BARBADOS is an impressive youth organization which is a long-term public inspiration and innovation engine to fast-track Barbados’ transformation into the …
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11 The focus of my PhD dissertation, nearly 54 years ago, was a specific theoretical computer simulation solution of an optimization problem. The mathematics …
“As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” – Proverbs 23:7 Two Sunday nights ago I was invited to participate on Irwine Clare’s IRIE JAM RADIO show in New York. Irwine, an award-winning community leader and communicator in the Caribbean Diaspora, shared that he was impressed by the leadership and communication skills of …
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.” – Psalm 46:1-3 The …
“I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.” – 1 Corinthians 1:10 Many of us were brought up …
“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:19 Disharmony in the minds among our 7.9 billion fellow humans is the scourge of modern society. We need help in stabilizing these minds in the interest of the earth’s sustainability. Abraham Maslow (1908-1970) was …
“The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.” – Proverbs 16:9 Three weeks ago in this column, I shared a story about how we as vaccinated elders managed the outward journey (Trinidad to Barbados) of our first COVID-19 pandemic travel experience. We transitioned painlessly, arrived safely, and prayed for a …
“With upright heart he shepherded them and guided them with his skillful hand. – Psalm 78:72 Over the last three years Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley’s vision, intellect and wisdom has projected her on the local, regional, international scene as an individual who is well-equipped to lead the indigenous Caribbean in implementing solutions which will …
“Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward.” – 2 John 1:8 My maternal grandfather, circa 1900, entered the job market as a teenager. He got married and started a family in his late 20s and soon after fulfilled his passion and became the …
“Then you will go on your way in safety and your foot will not stumble.” – Proverbs 3:23 We, as elders in retirement mode, had grown quite accustomed to annual visits from or to our combined grandchildren, who are scattered far and wide. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a change in lifestyle from …
“Then the Lord answered me and said: ‘Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it.’” – Habakkuk 2:2 Sustainable economic growth in a country depends on the economic success of its network of business enterprises over many sectors. The micro, small, medium, large enterprises within each …
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Matthew 6:21 Let me paint a picture of the essential pillars of entrepreneurial success – plan, path, passion, persistence, and patience. All responsible parents should have an educational plan for their children’s future whether they become entrepreneurs or employees. The processes available …
“And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” – Hebrews 13:16 When my son Bevan suggested to me last weekend: “Maybe a column on walking,” I paused and replied “Oh, OK.” The indelible memory of my last friendly cricket match 40 years …
All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty” – Proverbs 14:23 The cultivation of an unswerving positive mindset is an asset as a problem solver. This was originally inspired by the book “The Power of Positive Thinking” by the Rev. Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, which I read as …
“In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty.” – Proverbs 14:23 All persons alive and well have a gift of time from God of 24 hours per day and the free will to make the best use of it. If today’s airline seat or hotel room is not sold, …
START YOUR BUSINESS WITH A BOARD MEETING – BASIL SPRINGER COLUMN (AUG 16, 2021) “Put these things into practice, devote yourself to them, so that all may see your progress.” – 1 Timothy 4:15 About eight years ago I accepted an invitation to give a guest presentation on The Shepherding Model (guidance and access to …
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” – Romans 12:2 Post-COVID-19 Growth – Role of startups The role of startups is to present creative ideas …
“I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” – Philippians 4:13 The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a major global paradigm shift in the business world. My series of columns has been based on Peter Drucker’s revolutionary teachings: “Management is doing things right (efficiency); leadership is doing the right things (effectiveness).” In …