The New Year is a time to stop, reflect on the previous year and chart a course for the New Year. Most people commit to New Year’s Resolutions that frame actions or attitudes they hope to have during the up-coming year. The nation might benefit from the same process, of course, and many of us wish to see certain things during the up-coming year that we feel would be nationally beneficial. In that spirit we looked back and wondered what we could wish for ther nation for 2023 that would make a stronger, better nation when we look back in a year. Instead of specific actions or events we might pursue over the course of the year, we decided that it would be more beneficial if we considered the beliefs and thoughts that would frame those actions. Here, then, are five beliefs we would encourage during this New Year, regardless of what actions we might choose to pursue.

Religion

“Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me”

Vince Gill

The most divisive force in the world is religion. Wars, hatred and anger are blamed on what is supposed to be man’s search for his God. Religion is the device created by humans to organize his personal relationship with the Creator of the Universe and everything in it. Just about every religion confirms two truths:

  1. There is one force that created the Universe, the one we call God
  2. That we are all its children

Therefore, there are no enemies, just family we don’t know. I wish that belief to underpin our national efforts this year and beyond.

Party Politics

“…they say if you don’t vote, you get the government you deserve, and if you do, you never get the results you expected.”
E.A. Bucchianeri, Brushstrokes of a Gadfly

Party politics is a way to offer the citizens of a nation alternative ways to solve national problems. Parties are expected to disagree on how to solve those problems and how to create the best nation, but that does not mean that the members of either party wishes to destroy the nation they are trying to build for their grandchildren. The best results from a party-pollitical environment requires citizens to become aware of the problems being addressed and the alternatives being offered. That is the job of being a citizen. Making decisions based upon club membership short-changes the future and diminishes the country we create.

The Job of a Government

“Governments are responsible for providing services that individuals cannot effectively provide for themselves, such as military defense, fire and police….”

Encyclopedia.com

The job of a government is to create an maintain an environment in which every citizen has the opportunity to develop to his or her full potential. To succeed in that job it must continuously maintain the systems that satisfy the needs for physical survival (Commerce), safety/security (the Rule of Law), the development of a sense of community (Cultural Activity), a sense of our value in the society (Recognition aand Appreciation) and self-actualization or fulfillment (Training and Education). I find that most people involved in front-line politics are at the very least foggy on this job description, and that the public thinks Government’s job is to be as benevolent as possible with the nation’s resources. The fact is that the Constitution spells out what Governments should be giving to citizens as part of the satisfaction of those five systems above, and everything else is not government, but politics.

Natural Resources

“And I dream of the vast deserts, the forests, and all of the wilderness of our continent, wild places that we should protect as a precious heritage for our children and for our children’s children. We must never forget that it is our duty to protect this environment.”
— Nelson Mandela.

The most important natural resource a nation has is the imagination of its people, and it is through the opportunities for exposure to cultural and creative activity that that muscle is developed and strengthened. As it happens, cultural activity is also the primary ingredient in the development of a sense of community and a strong identity. The imagination of its people is therefore the most important element in the development of a strong nation and the key to nation-building.

Economic Development

“As we are pursuing economic growth and economic development, we have to make sure it happens with and by and for everyone. That everyone gets opportunity.”

Betsy Hodges
 

Economic development requires the building of wealth in the local economy, not employment alone. Access to financial education must begin early in the schooling process, and Government must understand that the purpose of financial institutions must be to make local wealth creation possible. The licensing of financial institution must be based upon their role in local wealth creation. While job creation has its place, wealth creation must underpin all government’s efforts at economic development.

These are five of my personal beliefs, although in conversation I find that most of the people I know wish they were part of a wider belief system. I wish these beliefs for a successful 2023 for my Bahamas.