Preface

• Author: Courtney Blackman
• Pages: 11-12

INTRODUCTION

xi

The 22 papers on issues of Caribbean economic development

assembled in this monograph were written over three decades,

and reflect 40 years of intense study of economics and

management. My career as bank economist, university lecturer,

Central Bank governor, international consultant, and ambassador,

provided the scope to practice those two disciplines, and also

involved continuous interaction with decision makers and

technocrats in Washington, DC, throughout the Caribbean, and

elsewhere.

These essays represent responses to real-life problems facing

governments, public and private sector corporations, as well as

non-profit organizations. They were certainly not written to

impress academicians, although several of them have appeared

in learned journals. For this reason, economic jargon is studiously

avoided, and diagrams and charts are kept to a minimum. There

is only one mathematical equation in the entire book!

Several institutions and individuals assisted with this

publication. First there are the various groups which invited me

to make presentations, and the clients who sought my services.

The Caribbean Centre for Monetary Studies provided me with

an opportunity to present papers at their annual conference, some

of which are included here. Also, during my tenure at the Central

Bank of Barbados, numerous staff members assisted by typing,

doing research for, and advising on, the earlier papers. Coming

down to the wire, Mrs Aldeen Payne checked out many references

on an urgent basis. To her I express my gratitude.

PREFACE