I think blogging is one of those activities best done at night when one is in a reflective mode. I am studying for a post-grad diploma in Leadership and Management and a few weeks back I had my first tutorial (one to one via Sype) since being elected. My tutor Prof John Parker asked me what my vision was for the future of the island now that I was elected. He was not asking me what I wanted to achieve in this term he was asking me what was my strategy for realising my vision.
This made me think that before developing a strategy I had better have a vision. I guess I always had one but it would be fair to say that it was the usual off the peg stuff, a fair society, sustainable development a community that cared for the most vulnerable. All very good but rather lacking in substance.
So here goes.
There is no doubt that without economic development the island will decay and the social fabric will deteriorate. I am concerned though that the cost of economic development could also lead to a different sort of degeneration and one that tears the social fabric apart.
It goes without saying that St Helena will always be a small and isolated place whether it continues as a resilient community is really up to us. This is why I have some problems with the party line, the 'high value low volume tourists' and resort developments. There is an argument that we need a flagship hotel as if this will be the mother ship for the tourist industry. You know what I am beginning to get a bit worried by this. I have never stayed in a fancy resort but my understanding is that people who like to stay in them do not usually worry too much about the locals as long as they are serving the drinks and making the beds.
What about small hotels, B&Bs and perhaps a social enterprise training hotel/restaurant that is owned and operated by the community? A sort of SHAPE type tourist enterprise. We are informed that we need to be ready for the airport, well we may need a few more places for people to sleep in and some more places to eat but we do not need to be lined up in our uniforms like some sort of modern version of the Downtown Abbey staff,lined up and waiting on the master to arrive.
How about a more organic model of development? A bit here a bit there, no problems with some improvements in customer service but also need to retain some of the eccentricity and individualism that makes this such a wonderful and at times frustrating place to live.
This is not say that we want to avoid change, the island has always been in a state of flux, I think that Saints do change quite well but we need to be doing it because it is right for us, that way it is genuine. We don't go in for too much of the fancy and sophisticated stuff and I fear that if we put on airs and graces just for the Hivallowvols then we are selling our soul.
I quite like that, 'Hivallowvols' maybe it will take off and I will have introduced a new Saintenglish word.
So back to the future. Ok, I have to say a thriving community but by that I mean that we have lots of individuals benefiting. Small shops, homely restaurants, local tour guides, perhaps some interesting businesses who have found a niche that we haven't even thought of. Quite like the idea of an affiliated academic centre; just Googled the Uni of California 'Center for British Studies' which has a focus on the British Empire. Maybe some institute like that could set something up.
Who knows what the future will bring but let us think small rather than big and grandiose.
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