[Applause] you know we can all readily list some of
you know we can all readily list some of
you know we can all readily list some of the challenges that act against
the challenges that act against
the challenges that act against development in small island systems like
development in small island systems like
development in small island systems like the Virgin Islands some of them would be
the Virgin Islands some of them would be
the Virgin Islands some of them would be limited natural resources or a narrow
limited natural resources or a narrow
limited natural resources or a narrow economic base emigration of young
economic base emigration of young
economic base emigration of young professionals out of our workforce as
professionals out of our workforce as
professionals out of our workforce as they seek to find better economic
they seek to find better economic
they seek to find better economic opportunities elsewhere or heavy
opportunities elsewhere or heavy
opportunities elsewhere or heavy reliance on outside entities for our
reliance on outside entities for our
reliance on outside entities for our goods and services and being held ransom
goods and services and being held ransom
goods and services and being held ransom essentially to national and global
essentially to national and global
essentially to national and global trends
trends
trends [Music]
we often say well we can’t do anything
we often say well we can’t do anything about these things so our best option is
about these things so our best option is
about these things so our best option is to just do the best we can and call it a
to just do the best we can and call it a
to just do the best we can and call it a day I venture to say that given the
day I venture to say that given the
day I venture to say that given the changes that we’re seeing around us
changes that we’re seeing around us
changes that we’re seeing around us happening so rapidly and unprecedented
happening so rapidly and unprecedented
happening so rapidly and unprecedented chances are we are going to be facing
chances are we are going to be facing
chances are we are going to be facing even more challenges in the
even more challenges in the
even more challenges in the not-too-distant future unless we take
not-too-distant future unless we take
not-too-distant future unless we take some decisive action to help to move us
some decisive action to help to move us
some decisive action to help to move us to a more positive state of affairs but
to a more positive state of affairs but
to a more positive state of affairs but I’m not here today as a prophet of doom
I’m not here today as a prophet of doom
I’m not here today as a prophet of doom and gloom
and gloom
and gloom in fact I want to share with you some
in fact I want to share with you some
in fact I want to share with you some thoughts about an approach that we might
thoughts about an approach that we might
thoughts about an approach that we might consider adopting that will help us to
consider adopting that will help us to
consider adopting that will help us to move in the direction that I think we
move in the direction that I think we
move in the direction that I think we all would like to move in we need to be
all would like to move in we need to be
all would like to move in we need to be able to ride the wave of change into the
able to ride the wave of change into the
able to ride the wave of change into the future we will do this we could do this
future we will do this we could do this
future we will do this we could do this through creative thinking and creative
through creative thinking and creative
through creative thinking and creative problem solving but what is this
problem solving but what is this
problem solving but what is this creativity things that we’re talking
creativity things that we’re talking
creativity things that we’re talking about is it creative writing and
about is it creative writing and
about is it creative writing and creative dancing and creative art well
creative dancing and creative art well
creative dancing and creative art well to some extent but so much more than
to some extent but so much more than
to some extent but so much more than that
it’s more than the everyday creativity
it’s more than the everyday creativity that we use in all of our lights you
that we use in all of our lights you
that we use in all of our lights you know how do we juggle those 14 things
know how do we juggle those 14 things
know how do we juggle those 14 things that we have to accomplish by the end of
that we have to accomplish by the end of
that we have to accomplish by the end of the day or how do we figure out how
the day or how do we figure out how
the day or how do we figure out how we’re going to use that last hundred
we’re going to use that last hundred
we’re going to use that last hundred dollar bill to take care of a hundred
dollar bill to take care of a hundred
dollar bill to take care of a hundred and fifty dollars worth of expenses the
and fifty dollars worth of expenses the
and fifty dollars worth of expenses the creativity that I’m talking about is
creativity that I’m talking about is
creativity that I’m talking about is creativity that can be learned and
creativity that can be learned and
creativity that can be learned and harnessed and when used in the right way
harnessed and when used in the right way
harnessed and when used in the right way can produce amazing ideas solutions
can produce amazing ideas solutions
can produce amazing ideas solutions innovations and outcomes that could
innovations and outcomes that could
innovations and outcomes that could potentially transform the Virgin Islands
potentially transform the Virgin Islands
potentially transform the Virgin Islands from that of a passive follower to an
from that of a passive follower to an
from that of a passive follower to an active leader that’s the US Virgin
active leader that’s the US Virgin
active leader that’s the US Virgin Islands that I would love to see and to
Islands that I would love to see and to
Islands that I would love to see and to be a part of let me illustrate three
be a part of let me illustrate three
be a part of let me illustrate three years ago
Buffalo state’s creativity director dr.
Buffalo state’s creativity director dr. Gerard Puccio conducted a study in
Gerard Puccio conducted a study in
Gerard Puccio conducted a study in Buffalo essentially he asked four groups
Buffalo essentially he asked four groups
Buffalo essentially he asked four groups of individuals to tackle a challenge
the basic challenge was how can we
the basic challenge was how can we increase public usage of the bus system
increase public usage of the bus system
increase public usage of the bus system in downtown Buffalo the four groups
in downtown Buffalo the four groups
in downtown Buffalo the four groups represented groups of individuals who
represented groups of individuals who
represented groups of individuals who had varying levels of training in
had varying levels of training in
had varying levels of training in creative thinking and the basic outcome
creative thinking and the basic outcome
creative thinking and the basic outcome was those that had more training in
was those that had more training in
was those that had more training in creative thinking and creative
creative thinking and creative
creative thinking and creative problem-solving produced a greater
problem-solving produced a greater
problem-solving produced a greater number of ideas and a greater number of
number of ideas and a greater number of
number of ideas and a greater number of original ideas and the bottom line is
original ideas and the bottom line is
original ideas and the bottom line is simply this creative thinking can be
simply this creative thinking can be
simply this creative thinking can be taught and when individuals are taught
taught and when individuals are taught
taught and when individuals are taught how to think creatively they produce
how to think creatively they produce
how to think creatively they produce amazing results amazing ideas when it
amazing results amazing ideas when it
amazing results amazing ideas when it comes to challenges but what does this
comes to challenges but what does this
comes to challenges but what does this all have to do with the Virgin Islands
all have to do with the Virgin Islands
all have to do with the Virgin Islands how can we take this fact and apply it
how can we take this fact and apply it
how can we take this fact and apply it in a way that helps us to move forward
in a way that helps us to move forward
in a way that helps us to move forward well the first step would be to unleash
well the first step would be to unleash
well the first step would be to unleash the gatekeepers of our own creative
the gatekeepers of our own creative
the gatekeepers of our own creative potential and that essentially is the
potential and that essentially is the
potential and that essentially is the Box those negative thoughts that kill
Box those negative thoughts that kill
Box those negative thoughts that kill our ideas before they even have an
our ideas before they even have an
our ideas before they even have an opportunity to see the light of day we
opportunity to see the light of day we
opportunity to see the light of day we may for example say I had a great idea
may for example say I had a great idea
may for example say I had a great idea of a way that we could overcome traffic
of a way that we could overcome traffic
of a way that we could overcome traffic congestion in Charlotte Somalia in the
congestion in Charlotte Somalia in the
congestion in Charlotte Somalia in the morning but
or we might say I really wanted to be a
or we might say I really wanted to be a marine biologist but or perhaps you
marine biologist but or perhaps you
marine biologist but or perhaps you might say you know I had a really great
might say you know I had a really great
might say you know I had a really great idea for an innovative business but it
idea for an innovative business but it
idea for an innovative business but it is those but that can be idea killers
is those but that can be idea killers
is those but that can be idea killers and we need to be consciously aware of
and we need to be consciously aware of
and we need to be consciously aware of those butts and by the way that same
those butts and by the way that same
those butts and by the way that same process that we do to ourselves we also
process that we do to ourselves we also
process that we do to ourselves we also do to others sometimes we have it’s a
do to others sometimes we have it’s a
do to others sometimes we have it’s a natural tendency when someone comes to
natural tendency when someone comes to
natural tendency when someone comes to us with an idea to say you know what
us with an idea to say you know what
us with an idea to say you know what that sounds like a really great idea but
that sounds like a really great idea but
that sounds like a really great idea but we need to be able to be conscious of
we need to be able to be conscious of
we need to be able to be conscious of those bucks
those bucks
those bucks work actively against them and give our
work actively against them and give our
work actively against them and give our ideas and opportunity to be examined and
ideas and opportunity to be examined and
ideas and opportunity to be examined and to be assessed and to be developed for
to be assessed and to be developed for
to be assessed and to be developed for their potential
we need to learn to kick our butts and
we need to learn to kick our butts and that’s the difference between a trained
that’s the difference between a trained
that’s the difference between a trained individual in creative thinking and an
individual in creative thinking and an
individual in creative thinking and an untrained individual a trained
untrained individual a trained
untrained individual a trained individual will look at a waffle on his
individual will look at a waffle on his
individual will look at a waffle on his breakfast table and see the potential
breakfast table and see the potential
breakfast table and see the potential for an improved track soul and develop
for an improved track soul and develop
for an improved track soul and develop it into a multi-million dollar industry
it into a multi-million dollar industry
it into a multi-million dollar industry true story
true story
true story [Music]
but what I think is even more
but what I think is even more interesting is how can we use this in
interesting is how can we use this in
interesting is how can we use this in the Virgin Islands to change our
the Virgin Islands to change our
the Virgin Islands to change our direction to to have us be able to deal
direction to to have us be able to deal
direction to to have us be able to deal with the incoming or oncoming wave of
with the incoming or oncoming wave of
with the incoming or oncoming wave of change can creativity be used to develop
change can creativity be used to develop
change can creativity be used to develop a Virgin Islands that is known on the
a Virgin Islands that is known on the
a Virgin Islands that is known on the world stage for our ability to create
world stage for our ability to create
world stage for our ability to create incubate and develop innovative ideas
there studies out there that support the
there studies out there that support the power of creative thinking on
power of creative thinking on
power of creative thinking on communities
in 2012 a European assessment European
in 2012 a European assessment European Union assessment of the impacts of
Union assessment of the impacts of
Union assessment of the impacts of creativity on communities across Europe
creativity on communities across Europe
creativity on communities across Europe result revealed that the changes have
result revealed that the changes have
result revealed that the changes have resulted in improvements in innovation
resulted in improvements in innovation
resulted in improvements in innovation productivity education lifelong learning
productivity education lifelong learning
productivity education lifelong learning and environmental sustainability in
and environmental sustainability in
and environmental sustainability in Canada there is a major push for a
Canada there is a major push for a
Canada there is a major push for a policy that mandates creative thinking
policy that mandates creative thinking
policy that mandates creative thinking in all schools as part of the core
in all schools as part of the core
in all schools as part of the core curriculum I’m talking English maths and
curriculum I’m talking English maths and
curriculum I’m talking English maths and creative thinking or as one writer puts
creative thinking or as one writer puts
creative thinking or as one writer puts it a move from the 3 R’s of reading
it a move from the 3 R’s of reading
it a move from the 3 R’s of reading writing and arithmetic to the 4 C’s of
writing and arithmetic to the 4 C’s of
writing and arithmetic to the 4 C’s of curiosity creativity collaboration and
curiosity creativity collaboration and
curiosity creativity collaboration and critical thinking
now if these large countries are seeing
now if these large countries are seeing the benefits and the potential of
the benefits and the potential of
the benefits and the potential of integrating creativity into their
integrating creativity into their
integrating creativity into their communities I think we should also be
communities I think we should also be
communities I think we should also be examined be examining the potential for
examined be examining the potential for
examined be examining the potential for the integration of creative thinking
the integration of creative thinking
the integration of creative thinking into our community we are much smaller
into our community we are much smaller
into our community we are much smaller than them and this means that we could
than them and this means that we could
than them and this means that we could probably implement it a lot more easily
probably implement it a lot more easily
probably implement it a lot more easily and certainly the impacts would be seen
and certainly the impacts would be seen
and certainly the impacts would be seen much more readily in a smaller community
much more readily in a smaller community
much more readily in a smaller community like the Virgin Islands
here’s another interesting thing about
here’s another interesting thing about creative thinking the research is
creative thinking the research is
creative thinking the research is showing that diverse groups are much
showing that diverse groups are much
showing that diverse groups are much more creative than groups that are made
more creative than groups that are made
more creative than groups that are made up of individuals of all all of us in a
up of individuals of all all of us in a
up of individuals of all all of us in a similar background and by background I
similar background and by background I
similar background and by background I mean both professional and
mean both professional and
mean both professional and socio-cultural something happens at the
socio-cultural something happens at the
socio-cultural something happens at the cognitive level when we permit ourselves
cognitive level when we permit ourselves
cognitive level when we permit ourselves to see through the eyes of others it
to see through the eyes of others it
to see through the eyes of others it creates a whole new realm of options and
creates a whole new realm of options and
creates a whole new realm of options and allows us to extrapolate and build on
allows us to extrapolate and build on
allows us to extrapolate and build on those ideas the US Virgin Islands has an
those ideas the US Virgin Islands has an
those ideas the US Virgin Islands has an amazing diversity of culturally
amazing diversity of culturally
amazing diversity of culturally ethnically and I’m not just talking
ethnically and I’m not just talking
ethnically and I’m not just talking about blacks whites Hispanics I’m
about blacks whites Hispanics I’m
about blacks whites Hispanics I’m talking about diversity Bulls from a
talking about diversity Bulls from a
talking about diversity Bulls from a historical perspective and a
historical perspective and a
historical perspective and a geographical perspective
geographical perspective
geographical perspective syncro alone has had seven sovereign
syncro alone has had seven sovereign
syncro alone has had seven sovereign leaders historically ranging from that
leaders historically ranging from that
leaders historically ranging from that British Danish French the Knights of
British Danish French the Knights of
British Danish French the Knights of Malta and of course the United States of
Malta and of course the United States of
Malta and of course the United States of America in addition to we have
America in addition to we have
America in addition to we have indigenous peoples and their cultures we
indigenous peoples and their cultures we
indigenous peoples and their cultures we have that heritage we have the heritage
have that heritage we have the heritage
have that heritage we have the heritage of blacks Africans who were imported to
of blacks Africans who were imported to
of blacks Africans who were imported to the Virgin Islands and even today
the Virgin Islands and even today
the Virgin Islands and even today geographically just think about the
geographically just think about the
geographically just think about the Caribbean islands each of those islands
Caribbean islands each of those islands
Caribbean islands each of those islands brings a new cultural dimension to the
brings a new cultural dimension to the
brings a new cultural dimension to the Virgin Islands
Virgin Islands
Virgin Islands I’m from Barbados by the way
we quickly say that the US Virgin
we quickly say that the US Virgin Islands has limited resources I submit
Islands has limited resources I submit
Islands has limited resources I submit to you that we have a collective
to you that we have a collective
to you that we have a collective resource of cultural ethnic diversity
resource of cultural ethnic diversity
resource of cultural ethnic diversity that is to this point untapped and if we
that is to this point untapped and if we
that is to this point untapped and if we could just harness it combine it with
could just harness it combine it with
could just harness it combine it with learned creative problem-solving we
learned creative problem-solving we
learned creative problem-solving we could be starting something truly
could be starting something truly
could be starting something truly revolutionary in the Virgin Islands and
revolutionary in the Virgin Islands and
revolutionary in the Virgin Islands and that excites me but I know someone you
that excites me but I know someone you
that excites me but I know someone you might be saying well Nick that sounds
might be saying well Nick that sounds
might be saying well Nick that sounds like a really great idea but you don’t
like a really great idea but you don’t
like a really great idea but you don’t understand some of the barriers that
understand some of the barriers that
understand some of the barriers that exist in the Virgin Islands I think I do
exist in the Virgin Islands I think I do
exist in the Virgin Islands I think I do and I think the first and perhaps the
and I think the first and perhaps the
and I think the first and perhaps the largest barrier again is the barrier in
largest barrier again is the barrier in
largest barrier again is the barrier in our minds we need to learn to kick our
our minds we need to learn to kick our
our minds we need to learn to kick our butts my vision for the Virgin Islands
butts my vision for the Virgin Islands
butts my vision for the Virgin Islands is a virgin islands of people who are
is a virgin islands of people who are
is a virgin islands of people who are willing to think outside the box who are
willing to think outside the box who are
willing to think outside the box who are willing to take risks beyond the norm
willing to take risks beyond the norm
willing to take risks beyond the norm who are willing to fail but who are
who are willing to fail but who are
who are willing to fail but who are known for their ability to be creative
known for their ability to be creative
known for their ability to be creative to start a dynamo of potential change
to start a dynamo of potential change
to start a dynamo of potential change that will lead us from the present into
that will lead us from the present into
that will lead us from the present into a future of awesome productivity in the
a future of awesome productivity in the
a future of awesome productivity in the Virgin Islands thank you
Virgin Islands thank you
Virgin Islands thank you [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
”
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