“Wi likkle but we tallawah” has been a trademark saying for Jamaicans for as long as I can remember, and for good reasons.

This phrase is an acknowledgement of Jamaica’s size and contrasts that with our capacity to be exceptional in certain areas. The saying is, of course, not only substantiated by us, but also by other countries, which marvel at our resources and what we have accomplished using said resources.

Jamaica’s most valuable resource is her people — the human capital that continues to stand out. We are indeed tallawah, but how have we been profiting from our prowess?

I recently penned a piece that was published by the Jamaica Observer titled ‘Is training nurses and teachers for export viable?’. As you can guess, the article was highlighting Jamaica’s ability to train her nurses and teachers so well that they have become highly demanded worldwide. I also expressed the need for subsidised systems to further prepare our prospecting teachers for export.

Well, exceptional Jamaicans are not limited to teachers and nurses as there are other areas in which Jamaicans excel. The most notable of the lot would be athletics. For the longest while, scientists have studied our sprinters in an attempt to unearth the secrets behind our dominance on the track. They have coined terms and theories consequently, but nothing concrete enough to satisfy curiosity.

This I believe is an area in which we can monetise Brand Jamaica. We can do so through establishing programmes for prospecting foreign athletes to live and train as Jamaicans do. Of course these programmes would be fitted with the essential accommodations, education, medical, and nutrition plans. These programmes would have fees attached which could serve as a primary revenue stream for the economy. This revenue could also bleed into other sectors such as tourism for the family and friends of our “tenants”, who travel to and fro to visit and/or vacation.

I expect some people to have reservations and if one is disinterested then please bear in mind that these programmes would not be for you. Programmes or packages of this nature are purely for foreigners who are undoubtedly intrigued, especially the most ambitious aspiring athletes. Jamaica recently ended the 49th Carifta Games with a record medal tally. Excuse the pun, but this is a testament to the fact that Jamaica’s ability to produce track athletes is not slowing down. The world watches, it is curious, and all I am suggesting is that we capitalise on that curiosity.

How do I know that these programmes will be as profitable as proposed? The truth is, I am not suggesting anything that has not already been tried and tested by other nations. My next comment might appear a bit racial but not racist, as it is based on observation supported by known facts. People usually associate a number of things with certain ethnic groups or countries. For us it might be athletics and other things and for the Chinese it might be martial arts, architecture, and other things.

Martial arts practitioners, Shaolin Monks in China especially, have devised programmes of similar nature for foreigners to come to their temples and train as they do. This was found to be a healthy way in which the Chinese preserve that aspect of their culture and gain revenue from their art. There are programmes, such as the Warrior’s Way Kung Fu Bootcamp that spans 12 weeks and is being offered on the Cultural Keys website at the time this piece was being written.

People who want better, do better and learn from those who know better. I am not saying we should go around mirroring every financially beneficial programme worldwide, but very often there are parallels. In this case, the Chinese acknowledge that they are tallawah and are actively benefiting from the world’s curiosity and ambition through programmes of varying sizes with different durations and prices attached.

To list the many examples of other countries employing a similar strategy would take me much longer than anyone would care to read an article. When something works and works well it is quickly adopted and is repeated through history and this programme is no exception.

“Wi likkle but wi tallawah“ ought not to be a way to say we are capable of big things yet used as an excuse to justify having little. There is no reason tallawah people shouldn’t have tallawah money. I know this to be true, but until we agree we will continue to line our pockets with praise.

Hugh Graham is Member of Parliament for St Catherine North Western, and CEO of Paramount Trading Company Ltd.