Letters & Opinion

THERE always comes a time when, forced by circumstances, you must do what you would have preferred not to. Mourning Fidel Castro’s death in words is my challenge today. But it is one which also allows the opportunity to reflect on the 40 years since his words inspired those of us here to establish the first Saint Lucia-Cuba Friendship Association in the wake of the 1976 terrorist bombing of the Cubana Airline in Barbados.

Dear John: In your column of November 19 you accuse me of journalistic mischief, indicating that I had suggested that you possessed insider information on the recent CDB Report. That implication however came from your article of October 1 in which you state “In fact my understanding is that the report went even further to advise that the analysis is showing that a reduction in VAT has a minimal multiplier effect, and thus will not improve the revenue of Government.”

WHY does the sun rise in the east and set in the west? Perhaps, it’s because the global economy spins towards the east. Already we know that the Sun, the Moon, the planets and the stars all rise in the east and set in the west. As major economies have long tied their economic fortunes to the east, many more – especially emerging markets – are increasingly turning east where the sun rises, giving their backs to the west.

IN our discussion last week, we explored the impact of investment in the agriculture and construction sectors, concluding that while investment in both sectors was desirable, the data provided by the IBRD arm of the World Bank on Jamaica also suggested that the impact on economic growth was identical for the two sectors.

IN recent discussions, we have referred to the review of our economy by the CDB and the Bank’s conclusion that, …

THE world has never been more connected – and yet globalization is under strain as never before. Beggar-thy-neighbour economic policies …

IT’S still too early to say what effect the election of Donald Trump as the next US President will have …