July 10, 2013Dear Sir,It has been a pleasure — for me at least — to know that the new OBA Government is now guided by sensible economic policies. That is, until the article entitled “NTB Workforce Plan” contained in your July 10th edition.In case anyone missed this nonsensical message from NTB chairman Jeff Sousa, it was that the rich can spend Bermuda out of trouble. A secondary message was that the NTB is expecting a report which will tell government what skills are needed for the next generation to make the Bermuda economy flourish.Firstly, spending does not get economies out of trouble. Spending arises from what people think is desirable for them to enjoy their lives. Rich people became rich not because of spending, but mainly because of savings and its twin investment. To ask rich people to spend on kitchens and building renovation is like asking a Baptist to spend more at his local bar.What Bermuda needs is not spending, but investment in international business and tourism. That will only happen when circumstances are right for such investment to take place. The OBA by virtue of its more liberal immigration policy and its desire to cut wasteful government expenditure is on the right track. But that will take time to remedy the destructive financial policies of the previous government.Secondly, nobody but nobody know what skills the next generation will need to boost the Island’s economy and the last organisation to ask that question of is government. People in government are endowed with power — they are not endowed with wisdom. Just look at the rest of the world including USA and UK to see what a mess their governments are making of economic management.What can be said with some degree of confidence is that those young people who can write clearly, can understand mathematics, as well as being proficient in other academic subjects like history and geography will be able to guide Bermuda in the future. To believe that a government quango like the NTB has the necessary knowledge and ability to foretell the future is whistling Dixie.Yours faithfully,ROBERT STEWART.