Short of a miracle and/or a radical change in the way we do business, it appears we have headed into one of the most challenging tourism summers in recent history – hot on the heels of a poor winter.
With still no game changing strategies, other than one or two tinkering offerings on the horizon, is there more ‘we’ can do to avoid further widespread lay-offs and closures?
The answer has to be YES! And I think we can start by looking at further opportunities on our doorstep.
For ages, I have admired the work of the Barbados Association of Retired Persons. My wife and I have been lifetime members for a number of years and I cannot even begin to think of the savings it has brought us during that period, far outweighing any annual subscription fees.
For a number of reasons I only purchased my first public company shares just over half a decade ago on the recommendation of our accountants. If we are lucky, our small capital investment will return to the level that we initially put into fund by the end of 2013. Ironically, in their latest quarterly report, the fund managers reminded us that during the last five years, cumulative inflation on Barbados reached 38 per cent and that any investment placed with them ‘should outperform money left in a savings account over the long term’. Continue reading