Electricity Regulations

Using Trusted Data, much of the issues surrounding renewable energy, in many geographic jurisdictions, is legal, not commercial. Existing laws prohibit private electricity generation and supply, with additional regulations hindering usage. Public Policies in small territories, based on depleting fossil fuels and a single owner/operator of the nation’s Generation Plant and Distribution Grid, is outdated. It is critical, with today’s threats and needed security, at a very minimum to double the supply required to fill the current measures demanded. Noting that, it is (Future of Electricity) now physically possible for low capacity generators, located on the same compound, to supply; hospitals, schools, playgrounds, with the sale of excess capacity available to the larger grid.

Returns On Investment

Money knows no borders, as each and every nation competes for large sums of foreign direct investment. Administrations invite investment bankers, hedge and private equity funds to participate in joint ventures. Projects, which benefit the nation's population, where utilities and other infrastructure entities, are built, operated, leased and transferred or commissioned and maintained under specific terms and conditions, while charging the public as regulated. Such opportunities generally allow for a long repayment period during which investors are guaranteed a minimum annual return. But this can only work, if the nation's law-makers legalize, implement and honor such long-term agreements, beyond political periods, requiring an independent office of budgets.

Infrastructure Management 2018

(An extract from Foreign Direct Investment 2018)

Utilizing 20.38% of the nation’s total expenditure, as reported by the office of the Auditor General 2016 and 20.39% in the 2017 revised estimates, while estimating 20.60% for 2018 down by 0.17%, as published by the Ministry of Finance, to maintain and expand public spaces. Such Infrastructure expenditure has widely been realized and accepted to directly impact productivity; outputs, driven by comfortable and safe, work and play environments, for example; organizations to produce and deliver water and electricity, industrial parks, courts, police stations, hospital, schools, housing, administration offices, communications, community centers, open parks, transport hubs, roads and bridges, etc. This Infrastructure Management category consist of the Ministries of Public Utilities, Works and Transport, Rural Development and Local Government, Housing and Urban Development and the Tobago House of Assembly.

The Will to Live

The call is for a better world, new integrated systems, which eliminates Ego and Greed, moves the artisan, dreamer, planner, thinker or visionary, to the top of the social ladder, while downplaying personal wants and replacing them with public needs. Placing efforts to serve the many before benefiting the few. The average citizen, worker, union member, self-employed, politically active, in other words every individual, must understand, the existing reality, before committing to or taking a position in foreseeable disputes, insurrection or war.

Foreign Direct Investment 2017

As global Politics grapples with issues surrounding Open Markets versus Close immigration, investments are kept and driven into the largest economies, which have the strength of market size and numerous trade agreements, increasing access and influence, to record superior returns. Small economies, with much the same issues, have the advantage of granting greater access to decision-making, so investors, far removed from board rooms in large economies, are invited in, to participate, in small economy decisions and development, guiding their own returns on investment (ROI).

Infrastructure Management 2017

(An extract from Foreign Direct Investment 2017)

It has been long realized and accepted that Infrastructure Management directly affects productivity; outputs driven by comfortable and safe work and play spaces, such as; water and electricity, industrial parks, administration offices, community centers, open parks, transport hubs, roads and bridges, etc. Utilizing 19.97% of the nation's total annual allocated expenditure to maintain and expand public spaces, the Infrastructure Management category consist of the ministries of Public Utilities, Works and Transport, the Tobago House of Assembly, the ministries of Rural Development and Local Government, and Housing and Urban Development.

Funding the Future

The nation, which finds itself overdrawn in its current account, needing to raise funds to pay, public sector salaries back pay, overdue bills, recurrent expenditure, finance its infrastructural maintenance and new facilities, and is desperate to diversify its economy, must carefully examine and educate its population about all options. The executive can decide to continue borrowings, locally to finance budget deficits inclusive of capital expenditure, and internationally to meet its foreign currencies import bills and preserve its local currency strength, projecting long-term debt repayments, which would, unless revenues rebound, further grow the current public debt into an unmanageable size. The cabinet can also withdraw from the nation's cash reserves, savings, stabilizing or sovereign funds, invested in foreign low risks, low yield instruments, to finance its previously mentioned needs. Noting that, both borrowings and withdrawals together can solve the nation’s immediate cash flow problems.

Selling State Assets

There is no need to dispose of state owed assets, new listings on the stock exchange can bring much needed cash into the treasury without losing the assets' future earnings capabilities, at the same time, forcing greater efficiencies by adding more regulations from the Securities Exchange Commission. Protecting employment, both Workers and Management jobs in line with performance, from threats associated with state funding and offering Investors peace of mind as to future annual returns.

Data Driven Decisions

Drastic action is necessary, for nations to deliver improve living standards to its population, driven by Data from Births to beyond Deaths, to adequately and efficiently meet sustainable development requirements. A National Database, publicly accessible, with its backbone of registered births, which is linked to all aspects of life; Governance, Resource Preservation, Human Development, Infrastructure Management, Economic Drivers, Fiscal and Monetary Policy, to calculate the best use of resources.

Infrastructure Management (An extract from Foreign Direct Investment)

In times of surpluses, savings and investments, especially in infrastructure should be expanded. In times of deficits, infrastructure must be preserved; efficiently utilized and maintained. The nation’s housing stock, buildings and general monuments, public utilities, works and transport, and other miscellaneous items needs urgent attention.

The Ministry of Public Utilities facilitates the effective delivery of efficient, affordable and quality public utilities services through a committed, resourceful team of professionals in close collaboration with all stakeholders. It provides meteorological information and advice consistent with international standards towards the pursuit of national, scientific, social, economic and cultural goals and sustainable development. It is responsible for the inspection and certification of electrical works. Directs and regulates the fare distribution of electricity, water and the management of waste through its allocation to and oversight of State Enterprises. And through its Community-based Environment Protection and Enhancement Programme (CEPEP), focuses on environmental protection, enhancement and beautification in communities.

A level playing field

Getting the politics out of financing crucial nation building issues requires strong, enforceable and actionable procurement legislation. Under the threat of fines and forfeitures and lengthy jail terms, Politicians and public sector employees must play no role in the award of commonly called Government Contracts. All private sector operations depend on the rule of Laws and enforceable Regulations to create success for their very survival. The public sector employees are placed in a difficult situation, a moral dilemma, witnessing politically driven abuses and being offered financial inducements, far in excess of their salaries, to turn a blind eye or, in many cases, actively participate.

Public Money

Apathetically, we the people are born owing money; live naively contributing to the ever increasing unpaid bills and will die leaving the next generation in more debt. Totally unaware, and in most cases, indifferent to the state of our economy, as we selfishly divide along political party lines or even worse, individually, failing to acknowledge responsibility for or of the out of control debt. The people must now unite or with be forced to come together later, by international lending agencies, when we cannot pay our current bills. Neither Politicians nor Individual Greed can build a prosperous future.

Eco Cities

This is not an attempt to fix all of humanities problems but a call to prioritize and direct resources to the best solutions. In a multiple action approach, Governments (we the people) must address; the elimination of depress areas, the improvement and preservation of a healthy educated population, the reduction of poverty and the creation of new employment opportunities. Hiding from long-term problems, which require sustained actions over numerous political terms, will not solve them. The best solutions are, approaches required side by side to the existing, to invest in new industries and sectors, surrounded by new and refurbished commercial and residential areas, participate in finding new and renewable energy sources, while addressing the effects of climate change, and using the new technology to increase food yields, purify water and reduce air pollution.

Necessity, the mother of Action

Another reaction, by energy policy-makers of the Caribbean region, to the very predictable crisis of increasing energy (oil and gas) prices, at the end of a one-day Special Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) held in Guyana on March 24, 2011. A media release acknowledged that the energy situation remained dire, for the net oil importing Members of the Community, given the recent surge in oil prices intensified by the ongoing political turmoil in the Northern African and Middle Eastern Region. “Having identified gaps and areas for strengthening, including those related to renewable energy and climate change issues, the Ministers mandated that the finalization of the CARICOM Energy Policy be expedited.

The Next Big Thing

Great business ideas have always made a targeted individual feel special, a member of a select group, standing out of a crowd, ahead of the curve.

Approximately twenty years ago, the Chief Executive Officer of a successful advertising agency asked about the next great trend in advertising, the answer at that time was referred to as Secret Rewards. This was described as a discount or benefit program to win and sustain customer loyalty, with very little promotional cost. It worked in the retail environment by simply allowing a manager to select a particular type of customer and, without fanfare, bestow a significant discount or reward on them. The resulting word-of-mouth advertising led to what is referred to today as Social Marketing. A network of reward based recommendations that reduced the cost associated with direct promotions, media advertising and telemarketing strategies.

Money or Ideas

Which comes first, Money or Ideas? This common question has always justified hopelessness – a poor person is someone without education therefore with limited access to income (jobs and opportunities) and is trapped in a cycle of poverty.

Here is some money – buy your way out of poverty. This approach has be tried and tested numerous times by well meaning institutions seeking goodwill and publicity, and claiming to be helping, with highly educated and experienced people talking down to and disrespecting the very people they are supposed to be helping up. Micro loans have been seen as a success but this system is widely misunderstood. Gifts and Loans do not help without the guiding support of education.

Free Thinkers

It is societal issues, identifying problems and choosing solutions, that drives free thinkers not personalities, political parties, financial rewards or any other allegiances. This is the demographic politicians do not like and labeled swing voters. Independents; whose only thought is on securing a better future and vote on the issues. Security, education and healthcare, which are funded by taxpayers, whose jobs and business are dependent on growth in the economy.

Security, including well monitored social assistance and make work programs to help reduce poverty and petty crime combined with training in the discipline of choice, adequately funded with highly trained staff and well maintained and supplied police stations, court houses and prisons, driven by crime prevention techniques, strong laws and penalties, speedy detection and justice, a reconciliation philosophy and parole back into society. A well funded strategic plan to reduce crime, calls for policy decisions that strengthen on numerous fronts while reducing waste and corruption, is needed.

Money Migration

As many developed nations grapple with immigration issues, trying to protect their own social security and healthcare programs, underdeveloped nations are being targeted as financial engines of growth. From the sale of infrastructural works by specialty engineering firms to support services involving high technical equipment, development is good business offering high returns. Funded by inter and multi-national agencies, pooling money from donor countries under the premise that by developing a poorer country it will reduce illegal immigration from, and increase trade with, that particular country, to lay the necessary foundation for economic stability.

True Development

Building a society is not as simple as providing well paying long-term jobs, modern basic infrastructure or support services. Developing a society involves, raising the level of poverty. Housing the homeless, training the unskilled, treating the addicts, is only part of the journey. Giving hope, where none exist, is a tried and tested motivator used by criminal enterprises to recruit and keep members. Social scientists, having studied the criminal enterprises, have recommended such a give-hope program. This technique involves make-work, training, treatment and reward programs, without all components, especially the reward portion it simply does not work as intended. Relocating from a high crime area to a newly designed community with jobs, training and treatment, in which five year old workers are rewarded with their own rental apartment and after resident for ten years, a house, designed with the possible effects of earthquakes, hurricanes, climate change and on indigenous people in mind. These new residents will help reduce crime both in their old and new communities.

Morals Compassion

The future of any society rest with its children and it is the society’s ability to firstly educate them and make of them productive, taxpaying contributors with a keen sense of right from wrong and clear understanding as to how a society should and or to functions. The balance between the rights of an individual and the greater good to society, has to and should, be decided on a case-by-case basis, with new lines being drawn as the society expands and develops. This is done through the amendment of society’s laws anchored on its constitution or rulebook.