Dear Editor,
The Emancipation project of Dr David Hinds demands that people of African descent doggedly pursue science and enterprise. Anecdotally, people of African descent in the Americas may be no less likely to pursue mathematics and science at pre-tertiary and at undergraduate levels of education and training than all other ethnic groups. Yet, with a sprinkling of exceptions, they seem not to make any noticeable impact on the world of the Americas in these fields. Furthermore, it appears that more graduate with art and social science degrees rather than in the mathematics, natural science, technology, engineering and business disciplines. In addition, more seem inclined to seek jobs rather than the alternatives of self-employment and private enterprise.
The problem may be that the vast majority continue to be socialised this way. Their political leaders love to talk to them about jobs. It is past time that those leaders should instead relentlessly hammer home the ideas behind science and enterprise, promote the underlying values of investment and private enterprise, and do all they can to create the enabling conditions for a larger number of them to pursue self-employment, facilitate the founding of start-ups and support their private enterprise. If people of African descent are not encouraged to be job creators and to take up the serious responsibility of becoming contributors to the task of job creation, why should any other ethnic group create jobs for them?
The trouble is that when the job seekers cannot find employment the complaint is often that this is because some other race has discriminated against them. There is discrimination, no doubt; however, this will not change in the foreseeable future.
Outside of Africa, the African diaspora is mostly Christian. Their religious leaders talk a great deal about what God will provide, and he will. However, they may consider more frequently the practical instructions relating to the parable of the wise and foolish virgins. One’s life experience is both spiritual and material. To harvest richly in both one must prepare and be ready.
There are three ways to make a living, namely, to work for someone, self-employment and through creating a business. Depending on government to create jobs is a lame ambition. People of African descent must be properly instructed in all three. Self-employment and private enterprise are vital elements of the Emancipation project. To promote a change of culture and to expand the catchment basin for a growing number of actors this instruction must happen and be reinforced at home, in school, in religious institutions, from the political bully pulpit and through policies and programmes.
The struggle for social justice and equal rights is very important. Study in the fields of the arts, social sciences, humanities, etc, is invaluable. However, in order to become stronger and faster, one needs the additional critical tools of science and private enterprise. One must therefore learn to create jobs for oneself. A wise minister of government from a certain Caricom country said some two decades ago, that the future will be less about race and more about class. He may have a point.
If I had anything to do with it I would encourage African families to radically shift the educational and training balance in favour of maths, science, technology, engineering, architecture, medicine, dentistry, etc, and business disciplines. Their governments should do likewise. In addition, my mantra would be to adopt a new world view, comprised of two clarion calls. Firstly, students should strive to become educated members of the business and investor class, and secondly, it should be recognized that every family is an enterprise.
In a free world those who do not want these can choose other disciplines and job-seeking as their first option. However, as a people, all should be aware that two critical elements of the Emancipation project, that is, science and enterprise are missing.
Yours faithfully,
Ivor Carryl
