The Bajan (Barbadian) people are amongst the friendliest I have ever met. People make this statement quite often, I know, but in this case it happens to be true.

There were, however, one or two character traits that did confuse me somewhat.

In pretty much every encounter I had with a native Bajan, it would take no more than a minute for them to tell me how long they had been doing their particular job. As if this was a good thing.

I have serious reservations about a society that suffers from such an obvious lack of drive and ambition.

“I been doin’ this for fifteen years now” said the man squeezing fresh Aloe Vera out of a cactus-like leaf for my sunburnt friend, G.

“Really? And where do you see yourself in five years time?” I replied.

He looked at me blankly.

“When was the last time you reviewed your career development plan? Have you considered a mentoring program?”

I might as well have been talking Swahili.

They wonder why this part of the world is not as developed as others, but to me it is clear. There is a pressing need for some sort of career advisory service on Barbados, and whoever gets there first will clean up. Give me five years and I could have every man woman and child equipped with an iPod and Blackberry.