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A6 LOCAL
Monday 23 March 2020
The Mayans already knew about 2020

by Cdr. Bud Slabbaert is long overdue. The time ucts are crucial elements
ORANJESTAD — Arche- has come now. The most of growth. There may be a
ologist professor Anzio de common suggestion that potential for young talent
Castamilliana y Fonsata, one hears is furthering ag- and professionals who are
when excavating in the riculture. Isn’t it crazy to see looking for new opportuni-
Central American region that cans of coconut water ties. All economy segments
of San Ramador, recently that are sold here in the su- should be considered. The
found a Mayan tablet with permarket are a “Product objective must be to send
inscriptions. He was able to of Thailand”, from the other out impulses, to suggest
decipher them with Google side of the world? As if there tools for improvements and
Translator. The translated are no coconut trees in the better alignment, fostering
text contained predictions Caribbean. The problem is the expansion of capaci- crazy when they question healthier more productive
of the future; one of them not about having coconuts ties for innovation and driv- dogmas, accumulated lives. Many of the pharma-
suggesting that 2020 would or not, it is about having a ing strategies for the chal- and proven ideas, and call ceutical accomplishments
be the year of a tectonic canning or bottling facil- lenges of the future in a for alternatives. They ex- would have been impos-
shift. ity. Agricultural develop- changed world. press concerns and ques- sible without product inno-
ment is one thing, process- tion matters beyond the vation.
I knew that I could only ing and exporting another. Innovation is about adding traditional ways of thinking,
get your attention with this Agriculture is thing to think value by enhancing inno- patterns of actions, and However, in the context of
headline and introduction. of. Another is developing vation and innovativeness. existing templates. They their traditional culture, for
Currently, there is so much a unique Caribbean fash- Looking for innovation does can be rigorous, but….. Native American Indians
reported on ‘THE’ virus that ion industry. Fashion items not mean that we would they are also innovators. the words ‘Good Medicine’
there is hardly space left that can be exported. How just be looking for a new They are not fixed on stan- have a much broader and
for anything else. If you about encouraging home product or just be helping dard thinking. The fact is richer meaning. And it is not
didn’t already figure it out, industry activities to pro- one particular type of op- that behind every innova- about innovation. In order
you should be aware that duce simple products like eration within an economy. tion are unconventional to have good health one
this article opening is fake souvenirs that don’t need It should also be leveraged ideas. One should not cling must first learn to live life
news. If I would have con- to be imported anymore? to add value to the cre- tenaciously to outdated in complete balance with
tinued with a complete fic- ation, development, and services, processes and at- the natural laws, to have
titious story on the Mayan The Caribbean may run the implementation of new titudes, but instead, one respect for nature, to pos-
discovery, some people risk of missing out on future ideas for processing. It may should question the status sess a kind heart, and to
would have seen a rela- opportunities. We do not be about carefully combin- quo and have the courage have high moral standards.
tion to the virus outbreak exist in a vacuum and none ing existing activities which to think eccentrically and That is what they consider
and put it on their Face- of us has a monopoly on enable and encourage bring forth new benefits to "Good Medicine."
book page to character- wisdom when it comes to ideas to be generated and businesses and communi- Which brings me back at
ize themselves as finders of assessing what a modern grow, support their diffu- ties. Service providers in to- how I started this article
a source of baffling infor- economy needs in order to sion, and harvest a value morrow’s business environ- about a piece of Pre-Co-
mation, or to make them- thrive. Just as Task Forces for the whole economy. ment need to be innova- lumbian culture. Arche-
selves look like inventors of are created to handle the tive in order to survive and ologist Professore Anzio de
a unique bewilderment in current problematic health One has to come up with flourish. Castamilliana y Fonsata
the social media. situation, already Task Forc- solutions and new ideas whom I mentioned in the
es should be assembled to that will help consumers. As an example, let’s look at top of this article. He has
If the soup is salty, the last deal with the economic It is anyone’s choice to re- an industry with a high rate sent me a message inform-
thing needed is an extra situation in the aftermath, main part of a problem or of innovation. The positive ing me that the recently
spoon of salt. So, let’s look which will likely be a reces- to become part of a solu- impact of pharmaceuti- found Mayan tablet also
at things from a different sion. tion. If one doesn’t, some- cal innovation has been explicitly indicated that the
perspective. How often one else will. Are you the far-reaching, affecting the world would not go under,
have we heard individu- The activities of such a Task type of person who op- very core of economies, regardless of the predicted
als say: “If I could start all Force should be establish- poses new ideas until they and quality of life. New 2020 tectonic shift, but on
over again in my life with all ing of a roadmap for future are established? Do you medicines are protective the contrary, it would flour-
that I know now, I would do sustainable economic suc- believe that you know it all and helping people to lead ish thereafter. q
things different.” The time cess in all parts of the busi- already? If so, there may
for making that change is ness environment and at all be serious trouble ahead
coming. levels of human activity. Ev- of you. Are you skepti-
ery economy is significantly cal? Typically, the path to
What can be done in the driven by the dynamics of change is paved with skep-
Caribbean? That the re- small businesses and the tics. No more of the same
gion should explore di- middle-class entrepreneurs. are needed. What may be
versifying its economies Startups and new prod- needed now is to exercise
some transverse thinking.

What are transverse or di-
agonal thinkers? They may
not be liked, but they may
be needed. They are con- About the author
sidered obstructionist and Cdr. Bud Slabbaert is the Chairman and Coordinator
sometimes seen as neurotic of the Caribbean Aviation Meetup, an annual results
or egocentric eccentrics. In and solution oriented conference for stakeholders
their way of thinking, they of ‘airlift’ in the Caribbean which will be June 16-
disturb any traditional pro- 18 on St.Maarten. Mr. Slabbaert’s background is
cess, provoke the estab- accentuated by aviation business development,
lished, and drive someone strategic communication, and journalism.