By Fernando Gonzalez Nicolas
Participating in a conference recently dictated by the prominent journalist Andres Oppenheimer, we could appreciate that countries like the Dominican Republic have been able to transform from poverty to prosperity.
Oppenheimer dictated a conference to mark the 40th anniversary of the founding of the insurance firm, Ros y Asociados.
The conference stressed how in less than 40 years certain countries have managed to make it out of poverty and today enjoy development and wellbeing.
He cited countries such as Singapore, Malaysia and South Korea among others. Forty years ago these countries were more backward than the Dominican Republic, while today boast real wellbeing and a generalized prosperity.
The question is, how did these countries manage to transform from poor states to prosperous ones? The answer was education, education and more education.
A comparison that struck us was that of the paper currencies of Singapore and the Dominican Republic.
Singapore, a small country in southern Asia, which forms part of the Commonwealth, is a global example of development and prosperity.
In Singapore’s case its one dollar currency bill has many children in a school and a large book printed on it.
The message is "educated children symbolize a prosperous future."
The Dominican peso meanwhile has our three Founding Fathers, very meritorious men, but which symbolize the past.
Another common denominator which the populations of countries which managed to escape poverty have, is that the most popular and sold books are those dealing with topics on improvement. In Latin American countries on the contrary, the most popular books are those related to history, or issues of the past.
This is a time of reflection on yearend 2012, another year ends and new one begins.
Consider the examples of countries which have advanced like Singapore, Malaysia, Mauritius and others. Let’s copy these examples.
Other elements which we believe are also required to manage a transformation in addition to education are to encourage foreign investment and zero tolerance of corruption and incompetence.
Positive foreign investment has proven to be imperative for countries to achieve prosperity and development. Successful countries protect foreign investment which provides the resources and technology needed to develop.
The Administration which has just begun in our country, we perceive it as well-meaning and we see it starting to take steps that can help achieve widespread prosperity which we and all Dominicans aspire.
Let's be optimistic, it is possible for us to advance and transform the Dominican Republic.
---------
Ed: Mr. Gonzalez Nicolas is the founder and president of the Roundtable of Commonwealth Countries in the Dominican Republic, a not-for-profit entrepreneurial association that promotes bilateral relations with that global group of nations.
Written by: josean, 2 Jan 2013 12:25 PM
From: United States, Fighting the Dictatorship of the Narco PLD Mafia; Guillermo Moreno President 2016
"The question is, how did these countries manage to transform from poor states to prosperous ones? The answer was education, education and more education."
NOT METROS?
I am going to sue this guy for copying josean!
Written by: Cacique, 2 Jan 2013 1:21 PM
From: Dominican Republic
Chief Nicolas speak truth, no school no progress for tribe, stay in past, no see horizon. How!
Written by: Atabey, 2 Jan 2013 1:38 PM
From: United States, NYC
guess what? The states that have managed to eradicate deficiencies in education HAVE DONE SO BY INCREASING the % of GDP to the State in order to Promote the effort.
Spending 11.9% of GDP for the past 30 years when there are SO many needs has proven that ONLY more resources and good management of these resources will ever get to the heart of eradicating many of the social and public deficits that abound in DR.
It's not rocket science: Spend and manage professionally adequate amounts on education, and within two generations the deficits will have been solved. Perhaps even sooner.
Starve the State of adequate resources and the problems will fester-as has happened in DR.
Costa Rica and other peer countries have largely eradicated their educational deficits BECAUSE they have given the STATE adequate resources to meet the challenges. 5-8% of GDP and even higher sums have been allocated to the educational sector to make this happen. Sadly, in the DR this has NEVER happened
Written by: josean, 2 Jan 2013 4:40 PM
From: United States, Fighting the Dictatorship of the Narco PLD Mafia; Guillermo Moreno President 2016
There is no more room for the Johnny come lately TAX without accountability IDIOT IRS Atabey on josean's from Day One its about EDUCATION Bandwagon!
You made YOUR METRO FIRST BED NOW LAY ON IT!
Written by: Trujillo, 2 Jan 2013 6:01 PM
From: Dominican Republic
And by education they mean science and math, not social studies or making up heroes. Read Andres Oppenheimer's books.
Written by: Atabey, 2 Jan 2013 6:13 PM
From: United States, NYC
It's ironic that NO ONE SINCE Trujillo has been able to harness the 20% of GDP tax burden!
Had the leaders of the Dominican Republic stayed firm with such a dedicated effort & applied the resources to the eradication of our nation's historical deficits in education, infrastructure, health care, etc., we would be among the leading nations of Latin America.
But sadly, the State was starved of resources and the much needed resources NEVER MATERIALIZED for the eradication of these legacy deficits.
We are, finally, beginning to address this issue and given more steadfastness and determination on the part of our country's leadership, will in short time-say by the end of this decade be approaching the 20% of GDP figure. And with these adequate sums, a real and material attack will take place against all the historical social and public deficits.
It took us a long time getting to our current mess & it will take some time to move out of the hole; but positive steps are happenin
From: United States, Vivir sin Patria, es lo mismo que vivir sin Honor.
the only way a country can move forward is if corruption is kept in check and the money is spent where it really counts; education, health & infrastructure.
Written by: josean, 3 Jan 2013 5:21 PM
From: United States, Fighting the Dictatorship of the Narco PLD Mafia; Guillermo Moreno President 2016
IDIOT IRS Atabey is just like Superman!
Written by: Atabey, 3 Jan 2013 6:55 PM
From: United States, NYC
Written by: hernandez5482, 3 Jan 2013 5:14 PM
From: United States, Vivir sin Patria, es lo mismo que vivir sin Honor.
the only way a country can move forward is if corruption is kept in check and the money is spent where it really counts; education, health & infrastructure."
Check out South Korea for a case study of Corruption AND Massive development.
Written by: Danilo, 4 Jan 2013 2:53 AM
From: Dominican Republic, www.DuckyDeals.com
Maybe the government should start handing out self-improvement and motivational books. We know that some people will use them to light their stoves or prop up their table, but hopefully most will read these and become inspired.
From: United States
The education formula is an over simplified solution to prosperity. We have all heard this once before, its nothing new. When these 3 countries were used as examples of prosperity they forgot to mention culture. Culture is an important factor. Don't get me wrong, I believe in education, but in and of itself is nothing. Knowledge is vain and the world is full of educated derelicks. It is oversold as the panacea to the cure of all ills. Education is good but only if it is combined with other important factors.
Is not Cuba highly educated? How about Colombia and Argentina? All were, are and have been economic disasters. Unless you mix education with ethics, hard work, dedication, sacrifice, discipline and strong family values, education is worthless. The people of those nations have strong work ethics and their lives evolve around work. There is little time for sex, booze, music and dance. The focus of their cultural values is family and work. That's it. No need to reinvent the wheel
From: United States
“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan Press On! has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.” US President Calvin Coolidge
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"The question is, how did these countries manage to transform from poor states to prosperous ones? The answer was education, education and more education."
NOT METROS?
I am going to sue this guy for copying josean!
Spending 11.9% of GDP for the past 30 years when there are SO many needs has proven that ONLY more resources and good management of these resources will ever get to the heart of eradicating many of the social and public deficits that abound in DR.
It's not rocket science: Spend and manage professionally adequate amounts on education, and within two generations the deficits will have been solved. Perhaps even sooner.
Starve the State of adequate resources and the problems will fester-as has happened in DR.
Costa Rica and other peer countries have largely eradicated their educational deficits BECAUSE they have given the STATE adequate resources to meet the challenges. 5-8% of GDP and even higher sums have been allocated to the educational sector to make this happen. Sadly, in the DR this has NEVER happened
There is no more room for the Johnny come lately TAX without accountability IDIOT IRS Atabey on josean's from Day One its about EDUCATION Bandwagon!
You made YOUR METRO FIRST BED NOW LAY ON IT!
It's ironic that NO ONE SINCE Trujillo has been able to harness the 20% of GDP tax burden!
Had the leaders of the Dominican Republic stayed firm with such a dedicated effort & applied the resources to the eradication of our nation's historical deficits in education, infrastructure, health care, etc., we would be among the leading nations of Latin America.
But sadly, the State was starved of resources and the much needed resources NEVER MATERIALIZED for the eradication of these legacy deficits.
We are, finally, beginning to address this issue and given more steadfastness and determination on the part of our country's leadership, will in short time-say by the end of this decade be approaching the 20% of GDP figure. And with these adequate sums, a real and material attack will take place against all the historical social and public deficits.
It took us a long time getting to our current mess & it will take some time to move out of the hole; but positive steps are happenin
IDIOT IRS Atabey is just like Superman!
From: United States, Vivir sin Patria, es lo mismo que vivir sin Honor.
the only way a country can move forward is if corruption is kept in check and the money is spent where it really counts; education, health & infrastructure."
Check out South Korea for a case study of Corruption AND Massive development.
Is not Cuba highly educated? How about Colombia and Argentina? All were, are and have been economic disasters. Unless you mix education with ethics, hard work, dedication, sacrifice, discipline and strong family values, education is worthless. The people of those nations have strong work ethics and their lives evolve around work. There is little time for sex, booze, music and dance. The focus of their cultural values is family and work. That's it. No need to reinvent the wheel