CALL THE BIRDS HOME!

Dr S Chakraborty

Nothing is more powerful than an idea whose time has come; Victor Hugo

Got a good response in my facebook timeline about last article ‘Want to become your own boss’, especially from many islanders settled abroad and doing good. Majority were asking about the buisness scenario here. It appears they still have the same stereotypical notion about islands with very limited opportunity for entrepreneurs other than tourism. Lack of any industrial hub here is bothering them.  I was overwhelmed by their genuine concern and surely they must be following every development happening ng here.  Through this article, I intend to highlight the potential opportunity we have in the form of skilled human resources settled elsewhere.

Now that another batch of class xii students have passed, I keep wondering about the extra ordinary ability of islanders to keep crunching great score, ably backed by obsessive parents. So majority will leave soon for higher studies and acquire great skills. Will they come back? The answer is  probably a big NO  and they have valid reasons for it. And that means those islanders who have settled here for good, will have to adjust and somehow lead a life expecting ordinary and at times mediocre services in nearly all front.

So islands are a very good launch pad for these students and after that its all brain drain. Recently one Bangalore returned friend said that travelling to mayabunder is like going through time machine to some  decade back. Very hurting but true. Let me give example of two cities. Taiwan and Singapore. Both land locked islands, not much natural resources to speak of, but the giant strides they made in finance and manufacturing sector, put them way ahead.  So why as an island we are far behind?

I feel the most important asset is human resource. And we have that  in  plenty. All those islanders who are well settled in mainland and abroad but emotionally very much connected, shouldn’t be forgotten. Just like Pravasiya Bharatiya Divas, why can’t we have something  like that here. Call  those guys, showcase what we can offer,convince them of ease of  doing  buisness  here, give them red carpet welcome   and bingo what we have then? A  great conducive environment of creative ideas and skill, earned in  best places of the world. Once they are roped in and convinced about the enormous opportunity in so many untouched sectors, investment won’t be far off then.  If given time and we persevere, I am sure , a whole lot of industry will open up other than just our traditional tourism and some small scale industry. Its like driving in a highway of opportunity absolutely full throttle rather than  start  & stop driving with hand brakes on.

So will there  be any  PRAVASIYA  ANDAMAN DIVAS?  I wish  it materializes specially in the present national mood of optimism.