As we grapple with increasing violence and crime, I wonder about the use of alcohol. This thought brought to my mind the late Noor Mohamed Hassanali, who served as the second president of TT from 1987 to 1997. Known for his conservative approach, Hassanali made a conscious decision to prohibit the consumption of alcohol at President’s House during his tenure – a policy that no one ever complained about.

Hassanali’s legacy as a devout Muslim and a leader committed to moral and fiscal responsibility is evident in this stance. During his presidency, state functions at President’s House were alcohol-free. Instead of offering alcoholic beverages, guests were served a refreshing fruit drink made from five-finger, a fruit grown on the grounds of President’s House. While some guests may have quietly grumbled, they ultimately accepted and even enjoyed the alternative.

This decision not only reflected Hassanali’s personal and religious values but also underscored his commitment to leading by example. By eliminating alcohol from official functions, he saved the country significant sums of money – funds that could have been redirected to more pressing needs. In a time when the country is facing economic and social challenges, perhaps this approach deserves reconsideration.

The sight of public officials indulging in alcohol sends mixed messages, particularly to younger generations who are often told to avoid drinking. It raises the question: why should we tell children not to drink alcohol, only to show them adults, especially leaders, celebrating with it? This disconnect between the messages we give to our children and the actions of our leaders is concerning.

In the current climate, where economic belts are tightening and social issues are on the rise, rethinking the role of alcohol in state functions could be a small but meaningful change. Imagine if the money saved from not purchasing alcohol for government events was redirected to help those in need. It would be a symbolic yet powerful statement of prioritizing the well-being of the nation over maintaining certain luxuries.

The transformation of TT will only occur when we start making conscious decisions that reflect the values we want to promote. Removing alcohol from government activities may seem like a small issue, but it could have a significant impact. It represents an opportunity to lead by example, promote fiscal responsibility, and send a clear message that public officials are committed to making a positive difference in society.

If we truly want change, it starts with the small things – like choosing a non-alcoholic toast to celebrate our nation’s milestones.

Kyle, a Trinidad native, is a tech enthusiast passionate about leveraging technology and entrepreneurship to create opportunities in the Caribbean. His journey began at university when he launched a platform allowing students to buy and sell items, earning up to $4,000 monthly from advertising. This sparked his interest in building scalable technology businesses.

Upon returning to Trinidad, Kyle co-founded First, a platform which Digicel invested $2 million however the business didn’t succeed. He views failure as a crucial part of the entrepreneurial journey. Learning from his setbacks, Kyle partnered with a Jamaican co-founder to create TechBeach Retreat, which has since grown into a global brand recognized by Entrepreneur magazine as a top event in Latin America.

TechBeach’s unique retreat-style events, offer a blend of technology discussions and relationship-building. The core focus is on technology’s cross-cutting impact across industries, with recent themes centered on artificial intelligence and the metaverse.

Kyle believes that while the Caribbean isn’t 20 years behind in technology, a significant challenge is the lack of internal competence within organizations and governments. This gap creates a fear of embracing innovation. The absence of an enabling environment stymies the growth of tech companies, limiting their potential to scale.

In addition to its signature events, TechBeach has expanded into education and investment, running accelerator programs to help tech founders learn key business skills. Kyle emphasizes the importance of creating a supportive ecosystem for technology-driven businesses to thrive, combining investor support, talent development, and government backing.

He cites Estonia as a model for digital transformation, where the entire society is digitally savvy, from schoolchildren to the elderly and advocates for a cultural shift in the Caribbean, urging governments and organizations to prioritize technology education.

Looking ahead, Kyle stresses the need to embrace AI quickly and dreams of a future where technology skills are central to education and where the Caribbean can compete globally by leveraging its talent and resources. To achieve this, he believes in aggressive, all-encompassing education reforms, from workshops to full-scale digitization agendas.

Ultimately, Kyle’s vision is for the Caribbean to move beyond its current slow adoption and fully embrace the transformative power of technology.

The recent online discussion hosted by UWI’s Trade and Economics Department has added no clarity to the alarming comment by Economist Marla Dukharan that 25 billion U.S. dollars is missing or unaccounted for. I feel more confused by the fact that Dr. Terrence Farrell ended his participation in the conversation by acknowledging that Marla has identified an important issue regarding data collection and the accuracy of balance of payments reporting in Trinidad and Tobago. He commended her for bringing attention to this critical matter, as accurate and timely data is essential for effective policymaking. He then “pelted a big stone” by saying that her conclusions were somewhat sensational and led to unnecessary speculation. This is despite his earlier article stating “Marla was wrong,” a point he reiterated several times during his presentation.

What popped into my mind is a statement by former US President Harry Truman who said: “Give me a one-handed Economist. All my economists say ‘on ONE hand…’, then ‘but on the other…’”

So, Dr. Farrell is saying Marla’s analysis of the numbers is wrong, but she is right to bring this issue to our attention. Who is the one-handed economist who will explain to Trinidad and Tobago that the “loss” of over $2 billion U.S. dollars per year on average, which makes us rank the highest in the world per capita for this item, is nothing to worry about? Who is the one-handed economist who will explain how and why this issue has persisted since 2011?

Anyone employed by the government who defends it against criticism may not be perceived as fully independent. Dr. Farrell, despite being a former Central Bank Deputy Governor and former government policy advisor, (Chairman, The Economic Development Advisory Board) pointed out that there are issues with how the energy sector reports its data and expressed uncertainty about whether the Ministry of Energy has accurate numbers. This situation reflects potential challenges in policy and governance, particularly in managing the energy sector, which has been operating for over a century. If, after more than 100 years of exporting oil and gas, we still can’t get the numbers right, it raises serious questions about governance and where the responsibility lies.

The issue of large unexplained foreign exchange losses appears to have emerged around 2011, possibly linked to changes in the Balance of Payments methodology. If the adoption of a new Balance of Payments methodology in 2011 was the trigger for the massive unexplained hole of over USD 2 billion a year, a comparison of the methodologies used before and after 2011 might help clarify the discrepancies and explain the “errors and omissions” item in the data.

Will the Minister of Finance explain the foreign exchange gap so that the “person in the Maxi” will understand, or will he be speaking to the 15% of the population who actually have credit cards? Will Dr. Roger Hosein explain that this is not just a statistical irregularity but a significant economic problem that requires immediate and serious attention from the authorities? Or will Dr. Farrell return to the Central Bank and help them raise awareness of the problem and find ways to address it? He said that solving the problem would require cooperation from the business community and may involve leveraging data from commercial banks.

What am I, a person who failed economics, supposed to understand when he said that the USD25 billion in question is not actually missing but has already been spent and consumed when I can only get US$100 from the bank to leave this country? Spent on what and consumed by whom?

My takeaways from this 2-hour online conversation are that our country needs to strengthen the economic data infrastructure, promote transparency, and enhance collaboration between government institutions and the private sector. The “persons in the maxi” must be targeted to understand the state of our economy so that we can feel included in the issues that impact our daily lives.