Beautiful Virgin Islands

Thursday, Sep 04, 2025

Lowering benchmarks is not the answer

Lowering benchmarks is not the answer

Listening to specific politicians and commentators reveals this country still has a steep hill to climb to develop socially and technologically.
One of the key drivers of underdevelopment is the failure to invest in the type of social and economic infrastructure that empowers a country’s population.

Countries that fail- and Nigeria is a great example- possess a low expectation of the abilities of their own people to meet the mark of high quality in all spheres.

And hence the norm of sending citizens abroad to gain an expensive education, the damaging belief that imports are better than products produced at home, and toxic low self-esteem that tells people deep within their minds that alien cultures are better than the national type.

However, how can a country develop when it fails to invest in its own educational, social and economic infrastructure? That dilemma faces most underdeveloped countries.

On top of the preceding, is the crippling fact of entitlement!

Nepotism, cronyism, and racism, are a fact. The world is tribal. Societies will invest first in people that belong. However, entitlement becomes a problem when it goes overboard.

Offering a person a job owing to his family background, race or ethnicity, and social links, can backfire on a society. In a highly competitive world that is becoming technologically borderless, the fittest and best prevail.

A local company- notwithstanding what it sells – must meet not just local standards, but increasingly, global standards to survive.

The effort and ethics that drives excellence is the same everywhere. To meet the highest standards of quality in services and products demands a culture that produces excellent outcomes.

A yacht charter company on Tortola must be equal or better than a similar business in Dubai or Sydney. A supermarket on Virgin Gorda must meet the same quality standards as one in New York. A medical clinic or dentist in the Virgin Islands must offer the same service as one in Washington DC, and vice versa.

The term global village is not a misnomer.

Today, what happens in London is soon in the British Virgin Islands. A recession in the USA means US travelers may decide to stay at home and visit Martha’s Vineyard, instead of spending a week on Peter Island.

Poor customer service is not a good reputation for a country’s tourism, in whatever area. Consumers today have many options. Most products are available online at the click of a mouse.

Consequently, using the best and brightest is the only way to drive excellence.

The pool of talent is far wider than the select few from specific families or geographies.

In the USA, fortune 500 companies will hire the best from anywhere on earth to ensure cutting- edge products that drive competitiveness.

Entitlement fosters mediocrity. A mediocre country is at a disadvantage in many ways, in today’s world. A mediocre workforce and economy will keep a country in the social and economic doldrums.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Putin Celebrates ‘Unprecedentedly High’ Ties with China as Gazprom Seals Power of Siberia-2 Deal
China Unveils New Weapons in Grand Military Parade as Xi Hosts Putin and Kim
Queen Camilla’s Teenage Courage: Fended Off Attempted Assault on London Train, New Biography Reveals
Scottish Brothers Set Record in Historic Pacific Row
Rapper Cardi B Cleared of Liability in Los Angeles Civil Assault Trial
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
Couple celebrates 80th wedding anniversary at assisted living facility in Lancaster
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
The White House on LinkedIn Has Changed Their Profile Picture to Donald Trump
"Insulted the Prophet Muhammad": Woman Burned Alive by Angry Mob in Niger State, Nigeria
Trump Responds to Death Rumors – Announces 'Missile City'
Court of Appeal Allows Asylum Seekers to Remain at Essex Hotel Amid Local Tax Boycott Threats
Germany in Turmoil: Ukrainian Teenage Girl Pushed to Death by Illegal Iraqi Migrant
United Krack down on human rights: Graham Linehan Arrested at Heathrow Over Three X Posts, Hospitalised, Released on Bail with Posting Ban
Asian and Middle Eastern Investors Avoid US Markets
Ray Dalio Warns of US Shift to Autocracy
Eurozone Inflation Rises to 2.1% in August
Russia and China Sign New Gas Pipeline Deal
China's Robotics Industry Fuels Export Surge
Suntory Chairman Resigns After Police Probe
Gold Price Hits New All-Time Record
Von der Leyen's Plane Hit by Suspected Russian GPS Interference in an Incident Believed to Be Caused by Russia or by Pro-Peace or by Anti-Corruption European Activists
UK Fintechs Explore Buying US Banks
Greece Suspends 5% of Schools as Birth Rate Drops
Apollo to Launch $5 Billion Sports Investment Vehicle
Bolsonaro Trial Nears Close Amid US-Brazil Tension
European Banks Push for Lower Cross-Border Barriers
Poland's Offshore Wind Sector Attracts Investors
Nvidia Reveals: Two Mystery Customers Account for About 40% of Revenue
Woody Allen: "I Would Be Happy to Direct Trump Again in a Film"
Pickles are the latest craze among Generation Z in the United States.
Deadline Day Delivers Record £125m Isak Move and Donnarumma to City
Nestlé Removes CEO Laurent Freixe Following Undisclosed Relationship with Subordinate
Giuliani Seriously Injured in Accident – Trump to Award Him the Presidential Medal of Freedom
EU is getting aggressive: Four AfD Candidates Die Unexpectedly Ahead of North Rhine-Westphalia Local Elections
Lula and Putin Hold Strategic BRICS Discussions Ahead of Trump–Putin Summit
WhatsApp is rolling out a feature that looks a lot like Telegram.
Investigations Reveal Rise in ‘Sex-for-Rent’ Listings Across Canada Exploiting Vulnerable Tenants
Chinese and Indian Leaders Pursue Amity Amid Global Shifts
European Union Plans for Ukraine Deployment
ECB Warns Against Inflation Complacency
Concerns Over North Cyprus Casino Development
Shipping Companies Look Beyond Chinese Finance
Rural Exodus Fueling European Wildfires
China Hosts Major Security Meeting
Chinese Police Successfully Recover Family's Savings from Livestream Purchases
Germany Marks a Decade Since Migrant Wave with Divisions, Success Stories, and Political Shifts
Liverpool Defeat Arsenal 1–0 with Szoboszlai Free-Kick to Stay Top of Premier League
Prince Harry and King Charles to Meet in First Reunion After 20 Months
Chinese Stock Market Rally Fueled by Domestic Investors
×