Trade ties need big picture thinking

Jim Morrison was right. People are strange.

We’ve heard nothing but good buzz about the recent visit of Scottish billionaire Sir Tom Farmer to Kings County, yet some folks are grousing. I don’t get it.

Sir Tom arrived with an open mind, met with representative members of business communities in Hants, Kings and Annapolis counties and made no bones about it; he’s ready to spread some cash around here.

God knows he has plenty. Farmer is a self-made man with entrepreneurial skill and an ability to identify market trends. For instance, he created a chain of tire shops and garages that were so successful they captured the interest of the Ford Motor Company, which purchased his Kwik-Fit tire business in 1999 for a reported one billion pounds. That’s about $2 billion Canadian if you’re counting. Billion, people, with a ‘b’.

He’s a noted philanthropist who owns, incidentally, the island of Inchkeith in the Frith of Forth. I have no idea what or where the Firth of Forth is, but come on. The guy owns an island – how cool is that!

However, despite his expressed intent to talk business with his people back in Scotland, we’ve heard some folks locally bemoaning the cost related to Sir Tom’s visit. Not that Sir Tom didn’t pay his way. Let’s get real.

Rather, concern has been raised over what it cost Kings County council to send a delegation to Scotland last year to entice Scottish business interests to consider investing in the region generally and the county particularly.

The trip checked in at about $45,000 and anyone who’s interested can likely get a full accounting at the municipal office. I’m sure it’s not a secret. I think also too much is being made of the expense.

Sure, it’s a lot of money - more than what most people in the region make in a year -- or two. But the naysayers need to chalk it up as a necessary business expense.

You need to spend money to make money and the mere fact of Sir Tom’s arrival speaks to the trip’s success. When one of the richest guys in the UK shows up at your door and limbers the wallet, it’s safe to say the junket paid off.

Even if nothing comes of it, we can only imagine how well connected Sir Tom is in his world and a good word here or there could result in a tremendous trickle-down of significant economic benefit.

It’s a competitive world out there, kids, and we’re either in the game or watching from the stands. If a modest investment turns into a multi-million dollar return – if a trade delegation translates into a cash infusion and more jobs locally – guess who wins?

We all do. It’s called big picture thinking, and we need more of that around here if we’re going to continue to enjoy all the benefits of the lifestyles to which we’ve become accustomed.