At the PODIUM

WEEKLY SELECTION OF EXCERPTS AND QUOTES

1. I want to suggest four approaches which I believe are essential to moving us forward.

We need to move aggressively to dismantle the bureaucracy which is stifling investment and initiative. We need to make it simple and straightforward to get into business, export and pay taxes. I do not believe that more regulation is the way to go.

We need to set ourselves standards that are higher than those set by the world if we are to beat the world in the several competitive markets and spaces in which we must engage.

We have to demand much more of ourselves. An ordinary effort will not take us through or past this crisis, and certainly will not build the long desired ecosystem for sustainable economic growth, peace and prosperity.

We must believe in ourselves.

- Milton J. Samuda, chairman of Jampro speaking at the wellness & lifestyle awards ceremony and dinner, Environmental Health Foundation, Eden Gardens, April 17.

2. We stand at a very unique cross roads of opportunity and circumstance. From one direction, we see many economic imperatives, some of which may seem constraining. From another comes our education system, the bright energetic children of the formal system and the promise they wait to deliver and the adults with lower-than-desired literacy levels who in Jamaica Foundation for Lifelong Learning's experience can unlock latent talents in as little as a few weeks.

Many of these persons work for us in factories, garages, stores, and even our homes, bright problem solvers who only lack academic tools to drive growth in their personal, employment and community lives. I would strongly recommend to you that this opportunity to rapidly unlock the latent potential of our adult population must be leveraged now, so that we can set upon the path of opportunity, not that of imperatives.

- Audrey Hinchcliffe, CEO, Manpower & Maintenance Services, speaking to the Rotary Club of St Andrew on April 16.

3. Children represent such promise, such hope; that we have an awesome responsibility to prepare them for the future. At LIME, we take our role in ensuring a greater future for them very seriously. We are always eager to support projects that will create a more desirable world for children and foster their overall development.

"We will continue to assist the National Child Month Committee in whatever way we can, to ensure that activities are successfully staged. Our Foundation's main focus is to support initiatives, particularly learning technologies which include online initiatives. We are happy to play a role in the National Child Month Poster and Poetry Competition 2013.

We will be uploading the entries in this year's competition to our Facebook page: Facebook.com/LimeJamaica. Persons will then be invited to vote online and select the winner.

- Errol K. Miller, head of LIME Foundation, speaking at the launch of Child Month on April 17.

4. Experts at the Ohio Centre for Sports Psychology have identified nine mental skills that can help you to be successful in sports and in other areas of life.

Successful athletes:

Choose and maintain a positive attitude.

Maintain a high level of self-motivation.

Set high, realistic goals.

Deal effectively with people.

Use positive self-talk.

Use positive mental imagery.

Manage anxiety effectively.

Manage their emotions effectively.

Maintain concentration.

These skills help you with the following situations:

Singing in front of a crowd

Giving a class presentation

Taking a driving test

Performing brain surgery

Landing a spacecraft on the moon

Taking GSAT

With every new thing you put into practice, you are training your mind to be stronger, tougher and better at problem-solving. Our minds are powerful and can determine how well we do in all situations.

- Shelley Sykes-Coley, manager, sponsorships, speaking at the launch of Prep School Cricket on April 24

5. The difficulties associated with presenting the Budget this time around have increased tremendously. These difficulties have resulted from the Government's own delays, dithering and missed deadlines - which were all self-inflicted wounds.

The key macroeconomic indicators are headed in the wrong direction. The IMF agreement which we were promised in two weeks is yet to be finalised - this after some 68 weeks.

And if that were not bad enough, the forecast for the economy leaves much to be desired. The projections for this quarter and the financial year as a whole are bleak, with the IMF projecting 0.5 per cent growth. The Budget fails miserably in bringing to bear, the kind of dynamism and creativity required in times like these, and will do little to move us forward.

Fiscal consolidation is necessary. Fiscal prudence is required. Our public debt profile must be addressed and our expenditure must be recalibrated. However, these decisions must be undertaken within the context of meaningful reforms that provide space for growth.

- Edmund Bartlett, opposition spokesman on tourism and travel services development, budget presentation on April 24.