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I spent last week in Samoa at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Forums, "The Peoples Forum" and "The Commonwealth Business Forum," to provoke optimism in an agenda best by doom and gloom and press predictions of unresolvable disputes and problems.
Andrew McKellar, the CEO of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, chairing a panel, had just told the President of Ghana, "The approach we adopt should fundamentally be one of optimism…"
Andrew turned to the Premier of The Cayman Islands, Juliana O'Connor-Connolly, and asked about the Commonwealth network.
Julianna spoke of "an audacity of optimism."
I then asked the Premier to elaborate on her optimism and that audacity of optimism.
An Audacity of Optimism: Juliana O'Connor-Connolly, the Premier of the Cayman Islands
That Optimism Man Victor Perton
Play
Victor Perton: "Premier, what makes you optimistic? Is it mindset, life experience, faith?"
Juliana O'Connor-Connolly: "I think it's a combination of both. From a very young age, I became a very strong advocate, saying that your attitude depends on your attitude and that your performance is based on your commitment. Together, that gives me optimism that every day my purpose is yet to be fulfilled."
Victor Perton: Today, you talked about the audacity of optimism for the Commonwealth. Would you like to elaborate on that?
Juliana O'Connor-Connolly: "Absolutely. I utilized the word audacity, but I could have equally substituted that by the temerity. I believe that with the Commonwealth, like I indicated, out of many, we're one family. Still, we have failed to really maximize the potentiality that resides within the Commonwealth itself. So today it excites me that we are talking about one Commonwealth, one voice, which means that we have to get back to the basics, consultation and collaboration."
Victor Perton: You also discussed investment, public-private partnerships, and trust. So, what makes you optimistic about the Cayman Islands and the world?"
Juliana O'Connor-Connolly: "Well, I believe that the Cayman progress and despite the many, many diversions and challenges and complexities, our desire to make the lives better for all of our people, the welcoming to persons who have chosen to make Cayman their jurisdiction of choice, which have led us to over 130 plus nationalities, no civil unrest, very relatively little crime and persons who come once, they come back. That is a recipe for success that we are willing and prepared to share with the rest of our Commonwealth brothers and sisters."
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Did I succeed in my objective to provoke optimism at CHOGM?
The 2011, 2013, 2015, 2018 and 2022 Declarations did not mention optimism; the 2024 Declaration did so. I think Julianna had a hand in that!
"Heads reaffirmed their commitment to include, respect, understand, support, and strengthen the voice and agency of the youth—an integral part of the Commonwealth—and to restore hope and optimism in our common future."
That's Paragraph 5 in the Leaders' Statement at the 2024 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Apia, Samoa.
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