Economists make reference in their reports to new investment projects that create employment opportunities or the lack of such. Politicians and the Media refer to jobs. It is more commonly used and fits better in a big bold red cover headline. Jobs have been loss at a growing rate worldwide due to financial uncertainty and technological advances. Opportunities however flourish, driven by desired lifestyles, climate change and a healthy, educated and informed population.Ports of entry, land, sea or air, provide an excellent example of job loss and opportunity gains. Most ports across the world, thirty years ago were extremely inefficient and Governments funded the losses, these ports made available an abundance of what can now be described as low level, manual labor or basic jobs. Governments have since realized it is better to finance health and education activities and improve their population’s lifestyles than to continue to fund corrupt ports. A job unpacking cargo containers for an hourly rate, is difficult to find because this process has be mechanized from factory floor into cargo containers, transported around the world and directly into mega stores. This mechanization process increased efficiencies to reduce the price to the consumer and has also provided numerous opportunities for the equipment designers and manufacturers, the transportation sector, the security industry and as a result has made a new sector for packaging, shipping and direct delivery.
Some will say that such technological advancements, which improved efficiencies, caused climate change but only those who have given up luxury goods and cheap food and medicine may speak. More technological advancements are needed to replace and correct the mistakes of older technologies that may have damaged the planet and to eradicate poverty. This opens new opportunities for smaller research and development companies that can ‘turn on a dime’ to develop workable solutions, test and bring to market quickly. The jobs in these corrected and new sectors will require highly trained and experience operators to drive efficiencies and reverse climate change. Just as the few workers at the ports constantly update their skills and are now seated at monitoring stations, x-raying cargo, operating robots and tracking vessels via Global Positioning System GPS.
Small investors are always advised to follow the big money. Large scale investment projects are driven by proven technologies, access to adequate raw materials and people with an established record of delivering profits. The large organization will directly employ only about ten percent of the people it supports. The other ninety percent are made up of smaller investors, investing in their own business and creating efficient jobs. Therefore, Governments’ role and responsibility is to provide, not jobs but opportunities through, prudent and easily accessible information, affordable and widely available education and health care, manage its natural resources to provide for future generations and invest in infrastructure, research and development to grow their economies.
Rationale
T.A.J & Associates Company Limited uses this occasion to comment on topics that have been covered, both academically and by the mainstream media, to add its opinion and point out investment opportunity, not to invoke any social action.
