Paragraph on nation strength
Answers
A nation’s strength depends on its citizens - its people! And while its natural resources, infrastructure, system of government, and economic activities will aid in generating and sustaining its competitive advantage, it is its people who will determine its overall growth and the level of sustainability that is achieved. Dr. Eric Williams was right when he pronounced, on Trinidad and Tobago’s Independence Day, that “The strength of the nation depends on the strength of its citizens.”
The skills that people achieve, the standards they hold dear, the attitudes and behaviours of a people, can make a significant difference in relation to the cumulative outcome of a nation. The culture, the norms, the values that citizens portray can play a major role in influencing foreign direct investment (FDI) that can propel and sustain economic growth. And so, we remind ourselves that a nation’s strength is not only measured by its economic growth. That is only one of the many variables to be considered when doing such an assessment. The people, the citizens, must be considered a major variable in the whole exercise.
Just as the overall strength of the chain is determined by the strength of each link, so too, each person has a significant role to play in the overall outcome of the nation. Thus, as we strive to build strong nations, we must drill down to make sure that we have strong communities, strong neighbourhoods, strong families, and strong individuals. Every one of us contributes to the overall strength of our nation. And that strength is not limited to physical prowess; we must demonstrate strength of character and a resolve to pursue noble and honest causes.
So where are we in terms of our level of contribution to a strong nation? What am I doing to fortify the social, spiritual, and emotional fabric of our society? What are you doing to add value to this place that we proudly call home? We are reminded that, while we may seek to influence others along noble paths, the only person that we have the power to change is that individual who stares back at us when we look in the mirror. Yes, and that is as good a place as any to start with this nation-building task that is assigned to each of us. We must live the behaviours that we expect to see demonstrated in our communities.