work, volcano, translated into spanish. i will also point out that volcano was her winning entry back in 2004, which goes to show that entering and winning the fcle has legs. moreover, as we continue to innovate and digitise, the orange economy presents opportunities for leveraging technology. e - books, audiobooks, and online platforms can 1 / 2 bis - central bankers'speeches amplify our voices even more, reaching audiences far beyond our shores and turning creativity into a sustainable livelihood for our artists. tonight, i extend my heartfelt congratulations to all of this year's finalists and winners. to those who may not walk away with an award, let me encourage you : the act of putting your work out into the world is itself an achievement. perseverance, discipline, and a commitment to your craft will bear fruit. to all writers here tonight, i say this : you are custodians of our stories, ambassadors of our culture, and architects of our identity. keep writing, dreaming, and daring. the fcle exists because of you and for you. to our dedicated committee, which as i mentioned earlier, is led, and ably so, by dr. yvonne weekes, your vision and hard work continues to instrumental in the competition's success. your efforts ensure that the fcle continues to uphold its high standards and remains an inspiration to barbadian writers. and to you, the audience, thank you for showing up for these artists and their work. your encouragement helps fuel their creativity and strengthens our literary culture. may we all remember that by supporting the arts, we are investing in a richer, more vibrant future for barbados – one where our stories are not just told, but celebrated. so, as we honour the finalists and winners of this prestigious award, let us also commit to championing our writers and the creative sector as a whole. let us recognise that investing in the arts is not a luxury but a necessity for national development. as we look to the future, i am confident that the frank collymore literary endowment will continue to thrive, offering a platform for exceptional talent and fostering a deeper appreciation for the written word. here's to another year of literary brilliance and to the enduring power of storytelling. congratulations once again to our winners and participants. thank you, and enjoy the rest of the evening. 2 / 2 bis - central bankers'speeches

incorporate into practical guidance for policy. our academic research needs to be in depth and grounded in caribbean realities. that requires deep understanding of the theory, careful observation of caribbean experience and economic behaviour, and painstaking analysis of the data. you also need to read widely on the topic, and set aside time for thoughtful reflection, as you proceed with the research. the reward will be genuine insight and useful contributions to our understanding of how our economies work. if i have a criticism of much of economic research in the caribbean nowadays, it is that it is too derivative, an unthinking application of imported theories and methodologies to caribbean data, often accompanied by econometric pyrotechnics which anyone with mathematical training can very easily see through. at the end of the day this kind of research leaves the policy maker with little guidance, and the general public puzzled and apprehensive. there is a need, in barbados, in the caribbean, and indeed in the wider world, for economics that people can understand. the economy is no more than a convenient way of thinking about all the commercial transactions that take place in the national space in the course of a day or a month or a year. the varying nature of these transactions, and the relationship between them, are mind - bendingly complex, and the economic theories we offer in explanation are pitifully oversimplistic by comparison. good economics consists of essaying a theory that seems to fit the circumstance under investigation, observing the outcome, making adjustments, and repeating. it is a process that of necessity involves the people who are doing the transactions that produce the observed result. if they are mystified about what you ’ re doing and why, chances are you will not get the expected result. that is why it is always most effective to end with economics that people can understand, whatever your theoretical starting point. here at central bank we do academic research to deepen our understanding of economic processes, but it is always with a view to coming up with better policies and prescriptions, whether it is with respect to taxation, fiscal policy, tourism development strategy, import substitution or the many other burning issues that we must address from time to time. bis central bankers ’ speeches