Francis Wade | Should Jamaica abandon its vision?

As a Jamaican employee, you are worried about the future of our nation. Perhaps it appears as if we are stumbling along, barely keeping our heads above water.

At the same time, you are aware of the power of a corporate vision. You wonder why someone doesn’t create a vision for the 4.8 million people living here and abroad.

The good news: We already have Vision 2030 Jamaica. But why isn’t it making a difference in your day-to-day existence?

There are two aspects of everyday life Jamaicans want to change the most. Over the past decade, neither crime nor our economy seems to have made visible progress. Instead, we envy the hyper-growth of Trinidad (2000-2005), Guyana (2023-2024), and the developed country status of The Bahamas.

Despite that, our main desire is for the low crime rates of Barbados and Cayman Islands. Yet, it used to be different. Today, we just want to differentiate ourselves from Haiti, even as elders remind us of times when we led all these countries.

If we were once the regional leaders, can’t we reclaim that position? Although a direct comparison wouldn’t be fair, there may still be business best practices we could implement as a nation.

A visionary future is one that engages stakeholders from creation to implementation. In for-profits, members of the board, management, and customers groups are involved.

Shouldn’t our country do the same?

Here, there’s more good news. The process used to create Vision 2030 Jamaica between 2003 and 2009 is a world-class model of national engagement. In fact, I share the case study with overseas and online audiences.

Owning the future

Perhaps you recognise the statement: “The place of choice to live, work, raise families, and do business”. In times past, government leaders repeated it regularly.

But now, not so much. It was hardly mentioned in the recent Budget Debate, but we need its power more urgently than ever. Why?

With six or so years remaining until we cross the finish line in 2030, we can’t afford to waste a single moment in mid-race. Remember when a stadium screen caused Shaunae Miller-Uibo to stumble and lose a 400-metre gold medal? We are likely to face defeat unless we focus on the following four elements.

Divisive election: You and I abhor the bitter political combat under way in the United States. It blocks even common-sense cooperation. But within months, our political parties will also be trying to win the next election by emphasising their differences.

While this is normal in a democracy, divisive internal competition undermines any vision. As such, our citizens need to make an extraordinary demand to keep our nation’s ‘board members’ from falling into American-style partisanship.

Continuous inspiration: Your ability to recite our National Pledge and Anthem began in childhood. Let’s elevate the words of Vision 2030 Jamaica to that level of importance. From Dr Wesley Hughes’ forward to the plan:

Today, our children, from the tiny boy in Aboukir, St Ann, to the teenage girl in Cave, Westmoreland, have access to technologies that were once considered science fiction. They seek opportunities to realise their full potential. This plan (vision) is to ensure that as a society, we do not fail them.

Updated business-like measures: How can we publicly track progress made between 2009 and 2023? Do we deserve an A-? Or a D+? Also, are the original targets far beyond reach?

How about fresh measures of success that tell us if Jamaica is indeed becoming ‘the place of choice’? For example, let’s report the changing length of lines outside the US and Canadian embassies for those seeking their escape to permanent residency.

Wheeling and coming again: Companies have no problem resetting their strategies when the old ones fail.

We can do the same for Vision 2030 Jamaica. This is the beauty of long-term strategic planning.

An honest read of the original 2009 document reveals that certain assumptions about the government’s capacity to lead the effort were unquestioned. Now, after over 14 years of effort, we see improvements to be made.

In summary, while we once led the world in long-term national planning, we aren’t doing the same in the challenging realm of national strategy and execution.

Even as the clock ticks down to 2030, things are likely to become more awkward. Why? The human tendency is to avoid such issues entirely, hoping they go away.

It’s still a possibility. But if we don’t confront the gaps in our initial attempt to create a joined-up, faraway vision, our citizens may never believe in a national vision again. That’s an excruciating, high price we need not pay.

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Francis Wade is a management consultant and author of Perfect Time-Based Productivity. To search past columns on productivity, strategy and business processes, or give feedback, email: columns@fwconsulting.com