"The great object of civil government is the improvement of the conditions of those who are parties to the social compact." So wrote the sixth President of the United States, John Quincy Adams in his first annual message to the Congress.Within the ambit of the Peoples Partnership Government lie the Opposition, the private sector, the working class, farmers, civil society, the unemployed, the media and the state itself, all of whom have critical roles to play in creating and sustaining the compact for effective, democratic governance.Coinciding with what is called the Spring Equinox, on March 21, 2011, a new local programme will be launched on CNC3, cable television channel three, called Making a Difference in Our Economic Space.
Produced as a dynamic programme, this TV magazine concept is designed to illustrate the buoyancy of and build local and foreign investor confidence in the Trinidad and Tobago economy.Another critical goal of the programme is to enlighten the population regarding business and the economy and so empower us to seize opportunities for development and growth. The 30 minute show will be aired live, with pre-recorded elements on Monday evenings at 9.00 pm on CNC3.The creation of Global Harmony Multi-Media Productions Ltd and co-produced by Guardian Media, Making a Difference in Our Economic Space is brought to the nation by First Citizens in an effort to address the dearth of quality local television programming content in Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean.
In an effort to learn from the 2007 Global Economic Recession, from which this country, the region and the world are only now beginning to emerge, the programme will demonstrate how, with creativity, tact, thoughtfulness and responsible conduct, we as a nation can navigate the turbulent economic currents which surround us and overcome the cynicism which too often infects the popular imagination regarding business and the economy.Hosted by Executive Producer, Felipe Noguera, a Harvard graduate, who was responsible for communications during the Fifth Summit of the Americas and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Trinidad and Tobago, the show is divided into three segments-The Business of Politics and the Politics of Business- which encourages informed debate to shed light on controversial issues of economic policy; Caribbean Economic Forum which focuses on entrepreneurial excellence and best practices locally and regionally and Common Sen$e, which tests the barometer of public opinion from the "man or woman in the street" on economic matters which affect them.
The first episode of the 13-part series appropriately looks at the Peoples Partnership Government's policy to make Trinidad and Tobago Carnival an international brand which redounds to the benefit of the local economy.According to Minister of Arts and Multiculturalism, the Hon Winston 'Gypsy' Peters, the aim of this policy is to engender year-round business activity and income for musicians, masqueraders, promoters and all of the ancillary skills and service providers needed to support it. Clearly, such an undertaking requires considerable, collective management and coordination.
Other episodes will explore such themes as The Greening of the Economy, Diversifying and Sustaining T&T's Leadership in the Energy Sector and Making a Difference in Labour, Productivity and Competitiveness.Additional unique features of the show include the use of Skype to support audiovisual teleconferencing for interviewing guests not located in the studio or in Trinidad and Tobago.Surveys and polls to constantly gauge public opinion on controversial issues will also assist in offering unprecedented, media-generated, data-driven advice on public policy and the economy.Making a Difference... will be the first programme on the local economy to make full use and incorporate all aspects of traditional mass media-print, radio and television, and new social media, which includes, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Podcasting, and Video on Demand.
Finally, the editorial policy of supporting participatory democracy, underpinned by universal human values is a primary motivation to encourage our citizens to think critically for themselves in the search for truth."It is Truth and Truth alone that is one's real friend, relative." The aim of the show is to encourage the embrace of truth and righteous, responsible action by the population, government and media as part of the social compact which can help to set new benchmarks for local, regional and international broadcasting.