Read carefully on why is Haiti poor.
Why is Haiti so poor
I dont profess to know everything about Haiti to the point where i can do summaries without reading or quoting sources, even though I have friends there who have their own accounts of why it is what it is.
It is difficult to assume an enlightened position in the Caribbean when a large majority of the people you interact with think someone is in the sky watching events and selectively choosing to interact and interfere with the course of history.
Subliminally think what it does to the average persons mindset. The average black person, spiritual as they are, subliminally believes that other people are favoured, given that many people have gone through generations of domination by countries who have shown little or no moral compass (or even any adherance to the same faith they pretend to have) and yet who continue to prosper.
Its a logical process and akin to a little child who sees the man in their household who molests them, who could be popular in society, and indeed starts to hate themselves rather than recognise the real evil.
This collective low self esteem manifests itself at times like these when underneath all the debate about helping Haiti, there is a knawing thought process going on amongst Caribbean people. Dem people bligh.
I have a friend from latin America who claims that Caribbean people and Latin americans have the same mentality.
In the face of adversity they throw their hands up in the air and literally say the same thing "quitter yo pour bon dieu" - ie leave it to god.
Of course God does nothing (as neither does Zeus), and the verdict is as suspected. More suffering, more low self esteem, and ironically more fuggin praying.
Until a generation of skeptics start to get their chance to repel the God squad kumbaya thinking which has stunted the development of all African and Caribbean countries and indeed many people of African descent, they will continue to suffer and hope that the afterlife gives salvation and glory.
And then they mock the guy who kills himself for the anticipation of endless virgins in the sky.
Different degrees of the same psychosis.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Saturday, January 09, 2010
Get IN
One of my most active relationships is that where I represent FSI in the membership of IN, the largest network of independent advertising agencies in the world. I was elected to the Board this time last year and it has been a challenge, primarily because of the demands on time (and you dont get paid).
Some of our agencies are very well known. Duncan Channon for example, just won the global esurance account and also have the global Hard Rock Cafe account. Eric Mower Associates also have the Kodak account as well as ran the I love New York Campaign. Our Japanese counterparts have the Nikon Camera account.
Dominica seems like a dream to them given our size. Though FSI represents the Caribbean we are of course the smallest agency even when you take in regional campaigns and projects.
We are currently trying to win at least three accounts jointly with other IN agencies and that is an interesting exercise.
The current one is tourism accounts. There is an irony in it, but we are currently working with Total Media, our UK counterparts to try to win some Caribbean tourism accounts. Total Media pitches the account, and then we get to do much of the ground work which mitigates against their biggest weakness. They dont know much about the region.
WHile having a big agency buy media etc is useful, an agency like FSI can buy through global buyers who are often stronger than any creative agency that say Dominica Tourism are exposed to.
I often think that seeing the same people who are deciding on the account daily passing you in a vehicle in a small island is not a good way to get a multi million dollar account. Its just difficult to pass that money locally especially when there are perceptions about who you are and how large you might get (its real folks). I understand that challenge.
So more and more we are pitching through other entities.
Sometimes you just have to recognise what works.
Some of our agencies are very well known. Duncan Channon for example, just won the global esurance account and also have the global Hard Rock Cafe account. Eric Mower Associates also have the Kodak account as well as ran the I love New York Campaign. Our Japanese counterparts have the Nikon Camera account.
Dominica seems like a dream to them given our size. Though FSI represents the Caribbean we are of course the smallest agency even when you take in regional campaigns and projects.
We are currently trying to win at least three accounts jointly with other IN agencies and that is an interesting exercise.
The current one is tourism accounts. There is an irony in it, but we are currently working with Total Media, our UK counterparts to try to win some Caribbean tourism accounts. Total Media pitches the account, and then we get to do much of the ground work which mitigates against their biggest weakness. They dont know much about the region.
WHile having a big agency buy media etc is useful, an agency like FSI can buy through global buyers who are often stronger than any creative agency that say Dominica Tourism are exposed to.
I often think that seeing the same people who are deciding on the account daily passing you in a vehicle in a small island is not a good way to get a multi million dollar account. Its just difficult to pass that money locally especially when there are perceptions about who you are and how large you might get (its real folks). I understand that challenge.
So more and more we are pitching through other entities.
Sometimes you just have to recognise what works.
It will be interesting
To see Dominicas representation at the Shanghai World Expo. They received a substantial amount of money from the Chinese to build their presence which is being managed through Dexia.
We were involved in the design bid presence and indeed gave advice as to how it could be developed. Of course we did not get through but it is only a mere coincidence that the final design was very similar to what we presented. It was also a big coincidence that the young man who ended up floating the new design happened to have sat in all the meetings with us and received all our submissions and ideas.
My initial reaction and thought process is not printable, but in retrospect its a futile cause. Best watch the results.
For info on the Shanghai World Expo visit en.expo2010.cn.
We were involved in the design bid presence and indeed gave advice as to how it could be developed. Of course we did not get through but it is only a mere coincidence that the final design was very similar to what we presented. It was also a big coincidence that the young man who ended up floating the new design happened to have sat in all the meetings with us and received all our submissions and ideas.
My initial reaction and thought process is not printable, but in retrospect its a futile cause. Best watch the results.
For info on the Shanghai World Expo visit en.expo2010.cn.
Thursday, January 07, 2010
Lawlessness inc
Small LED screen in Roseau.
Right outside Issa Trading and opposite Subways.
Entrepeneur applies to Planning for permission to put this slap bang in the middle of a sidewalk in the middle of town.
Planning Division (usually called Town and Country in many Caribbean islands) REFUSES permission based on ordinance.
Man proceeds to erect structure and screen as if nothing happened. Soon the Ministry of Tourism are advertising on it.
A simple diary of lawlessness.
Right outside Issa Trading and opposite Subways.
Entrepeneur applies to Planning for permission to put this slap bang in the middle of a sidewalk in the middle of town.
Planning Division (usually called Town and Country in many Caribbean islands) REFUSES permission based on ordinance.
Man proceeds to erect structure and screen as if nothing happened. Soon the Ministry of Tourism are advertising on it.
A simple diary of lawlessness.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Funny things about where I live
No traffic lights on island. sweet
No cinema. Not sweet.(well maybe not actually)
rivers to dip in after you go to the sea. sweet
no indoor sports courts, bball, football, tennis...anything. Not sweet
fresh fruit, and vegetables. sweet
the most punitive import duties you can find. not sweet
The result is that there is a wonderful opportunity to build a sports arena, a cinema and to spend alot of time driving around island.
Would not like Dominica to end up like Barbados, but, there is a halfway house we can reach.
No cinema. Not sweet.(well maybe not actually)
rivers to dip in after you go to the sea. sweet
no indoor sports courts, bball, football, tennis...anything. Not sweet
fresh fruit, and vegetables. sweet
the most punitive import duties you can find. not sweet
The result is that there is a wonderful opportunity to build a sports arena, a cinema and to spend alot of time driving around island.
Would not like Dominica to end up like Barbados, but, there is a halfway house we can reach.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Island Intellect
The egos of men drive most development. It also leads to their demise. When I moved here I took a risk. Its not a risk quantifiable in dollars. Its far greater than that. Whilst there are real benefits to living in a small tropical paradise it insulates you from so many things in the real world.
Your parameters for growth are limited. Its almost mathematical. The range of people you can meet on an island is extremely limited.
When you then have to interact constantly with someone for example who has never worked anywhere but on an island you face real challenges. It doesnt mean people cannot be briliant or groundbreaking, and it certainly doesnt mean they arent great. But it does mean they can be extremely narrow in their thinking.
Its why I guess the more tangible forces for change anywhere are those who are insecure about their knowledge and are eager to learn. And it also works that those most likely to be agents of stupidity are those who are closeted in their own little enclaves, thinking they have reached the apex and are only interested in functional knowledge that enables them to make money and curry favour or try to manipulate people.
These are the people who are convinced that their risks and their effort are the greatest of all. Put them on an island and you have Napoleon meet Hitler. Give them a few disciples and you have Jim Jones too.
Do you know someone like that second model ? Run from them very fast. You could waste time building them into even bigger beasts than they really are.
Your parameters for growth are limited. Its almost mathematical. The range of people you can meet on an island is extremely limited.
When you then have to interact constantly with someone for example who has never worked anywhere but on an island you face real challenges. It doesnt mean people cannot be briliant or groundbreaking, and it certainly doesnt mean they arent great. But it does mean they can be extremely narrow in their thinking.
Its why I guess the more tangible forces for change anywhere are those who are insecure about their knowledge and are eager to learn. And it also works that those most likely to be agents of stupidity are those who are closeted in their own little enclaves, thinking they have reached the apex and are only interested in functional knowledge that enables them to make money and curry favour or try to manipulate people.
These are the people who are convinced that their risks and their effort are the greatest of all. Put them on an island and you have Napoleon meet Hitler. Give them a few disciples and you have Jim Jones too.
Do you know someone like that second model ? Run from them very fast. You could waste time building them into even bigger beasts than they really are.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Chavez
is in Dominica.
Its like the uncle who comes with some cash in his pocket and the whole family gets lined up by the door of a recently cleaned room.
Its embarassing but Venezuela is our IMF. You gotta dance to their tune. Unlike many I dont have a problem with that until we conntinue dancing even after the music stops. What is worrying is that when Chavez is gone, all the nice treats get put away and out comes the whip.
It would be good if the mobilisation of resources that was done to get the place ready for the visit, was a constant of life here.
Its like the uncle who comes with some cash in his pocket and the whole family gets lined up by the door of a recently cleaned room.
Its embarassing but Venezuela is our IMF. You gotta dance to their tune. Unlike many I dont have a problem with that until we conntinue dancing even after the music stops. What is worrying is that when Chavez is gone, all the nice treats get put away and out comes the whip.
It would be good if the mobilisation of resources that was done to get the place ready for the visit, was a constant of life here.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
A Caribbean oddity
I dont think its a Dominican one, but I am sure we do it more than other islands.
Its both a very serious thing (which it is) and a total joke (which it is as well).
I refer to how the government calls a signing ceremony complete with speeches and hushed tones to launch everything from a public convenience to fixing a road to building a sea wall to giving a scholarship.
Imagine if after a surgery procedure a doc comes out and calls a press conference to announce that they had successfully stitched your forehead. Well...the irony of this is that these are things that governments are SUPPOSED to do, yet somehow they turn it into a back slapping self congratulation complete with odes to the PM and accolades for all.
Its so funny its sad.
Its both a very serious thing (which it is) and a total joke (which it is as well).
I refer to how the government calls a signing ceremony complete with speeches and hushed tones to launch everything from a public convenience to fixing a road to building a sea wall to giving a scholarship.
Imagine if after a surgery procedure a doc comes out and calls a press conference to announce that they had successfully stitched your forehead. Well...the irony of this is that these are things that governments are SUPPOSED to do, yet somehow they turn it into a back slapping self congratulation complete with odes to the PM and accolades for all.
Its so funny its sad.
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