Writing the History of our Generation

EACH OF US CAN WORK TO
CHANGE A SMALL PORTION
OF EVENTS AND IN THE TOTAL
OF ALL THOSE ACTS WILL
BE WRITTEN THE HISTORY
OF OUR GENERATION.

~ Robert Kennedy

Of Note: The Millennium Development Goals formulated through the United Nations set out a blueprint for humanity to improve its record of Right Human Relations. This is mankind's test to improve the lot of its brothers and sisters because of a growing understanding of the whole. It may come as a surprise that several small Caribbean islands are leading the world in meeting those goals. Barbados leads the way. 40% of its citizens live in cities and "have life expectancies in the mid-70's, all births are attended by skilled practitioners, 100% of the population has safe water and sanitation, and the infant mortality rate is 11 per 1,000 birth." What's more, the number of births per family is 1.68, well below the replacement level of 2.0. This progressive country has received the highest UN rating as "very high human development." Barbados is joined by other Caribbean countries such as Antigua, Dominica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and the Grenadines. Work still needs to be done, of course, but with government safety nets in place, these tiny nations rank with such wealthy powerhouses as Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. One scholar noted the reason for success in attaining the Millennium Development Goals: "In the small countries of the Caribbean, the whole nation plays the role of the community. Government is close-up and personal and much more likely to be responsive to citizens needs." Communities at work are the key, which is just another way of saying Love-in-action. Barbados and others are leading the way to Right Human Relations, and their collective actions are an example to the rest of the planet.