“Come now, and let us reason together.” — Isaiah 1:18
Government needs more scientific thinking — and more people trained to solve complex problems.
What is the range of skills represented among our elected parliamentarians? It is a question worth asking, not only in Barbados but across the wider Caribbean.
Consider the Barbados Cabinet appointed in February 2026. It includes accomplished attorneys, a medical doctor, economists, Ph.D. holders, educators, business professionals and experienced political and community leaders.
These are capable people representing a wide range of experience. But where are more of the engineers, agronomists, data scientists, hydrologists, energy specialists and systems thinkers?
This matters because many of the most pressing problems before governments today are not primarily legal or administrative. They are increasingly scientific, technical and systemic: climate resilience, water management, sargassum, the renewable energy transition, food and nutrition security, noncommunicable diseases, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.
These are not problems that can be solved by rhetoric alone. They require evidence, testing, measurement and adaptation — the disciplines at the heart of the scientific method.
In the ManOBiz Matrix, planning without data is wishful thinking, and controlling without measurement is theater.
Different professions bring different strengths. Legal training emphasizes interpretation, advocacy and the application of rules. Scientific training emphasizes evidence, testing and discovery. Community activism brings an understanding of people and priorities. Engineering focuses on making systems work within real-world constraints.
Government needs all of them.
The issue is balance.
We can strengthen that balance in several ways. First, political parties should deliberately recruit candidates with scientific, technical and problem-solving backgrounds, alongside those with political and community experience. Second, Parliament should establish a Science and Technical Advisory Unit capable of providing independent evidence and analysis on major legislation and national initiatives. Third, governments should make greater use of the Senate, statutory boards and advisory bodies to tap Caribbean scientists, engineers and specialists at home and across the diaspora who are willing to serve but may never contest an election.
The Caribbean won political independence with powerful advocates, organizers and orators.
Achieving greater economic resilience and independence will also require scientists, engineers, innovators and systems thinkers around the table.
Dr. Basil Springer GCM is a corporate governance adviser. Columns are available at www.nothingbeatsbusiness.com.