Politicians are not economic managers

KINGSTON, Jamaica - When we consider the state of many of the economics in the Eurozone and especially the recent near meltdown in Cyprus at the end of last month, many do contend that politicians are not at all economic managers. Some would insist that politicians - in Europe, the Caribbean and parts of Africa - have been extremely harmful to their countries' economies. In this instance, we speak of a semblance of free enterprise economic management, and although the 18th-century French philosopher would take issue with the broad generalisation — he is reported to have said all generalisations, including this one, are wrong — even he would be hard pushed to find the exception, starting with his own country.