The Old-Boys Network

As I sit down to work on this week's assignment, I thought about starting with one of those deep, meaningful quotes about change ... and my mind went blank! I know it can't be memory loss due to age, I have not even yet crossed the other side of 30 ... so rather than a cliche phrase, I want this to come from my heart...

I live on a small island, 275 000 people, 166 square miles ... Barbados, gem of the Caribbean Sea ... we are a pretty fortunate country but I think we have rested on our laurels for too long. The Boys-Network, are the persons in a professional and social capacity who want to maintain the hierarchy between the "haves" and the "have nots". It benefits the members of this "club" to maintain the status quo. It is usually the case of a minority controlling the political, economic and social power of the island. If I am the richest person on the island and I pay both political parties - it does not matter which one gets into power, my bread has been buttered on both sides! And that is the problem with my country. Pockets have been lined with corrupt money and treasures. The new ones on the scene start off optimistic, uttering "Be the change you want to see", then a few years later, you stare into their jaded eyes as they are now about "self" and "WIFM" (what's in it for me) ... the bureaucratic nature of my society also presents some challenges and barriers to creating change ... no one has the "cojones" to make a decision and implement it! That's our main problem, the implementation phase. We have great intellectuals and decision makers but we do not have persons who want to stand by and execute...

With the advent of social media and the strength of properly organised NGOs, I think we as a society has been presented with some solutions to overcome some of these challenges and barriers ... no longer can we use the excuse "we don't have a budget/we have no money" to advertise - there is Facebook, Twitter, PulseWire, MySpace and numerous other social media tools and applications that allow us to do this - as long as we have internet access! These tools also provide us with a level of anonymity which is sometimes necessary. Especially in a small island like Barbados, going against the "norm" can lead to discrimination and being ostracized. However, using a "profile" online that can protect your identity in a situation where you are actually protecting your life, is also another way of overcoming the hurdles that the "old boys" club has set up along the way.

One of the things we must always remember though - it is still for some a privilege to access the internet and these social media tools, so we have to work on strategies as to how to help these persons also influence change in their societies...