The Rasheed Griffith Show

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While Barcelona scapegoats tourism for its housing shortage, Madrid is setting the standard for development with initiatives to improve its housing stock. The “capital of capitalism” is once again employing proven liberal governance techniques to position itself as a premier city in Europe. Diego Sanchez de la Cruz returns to the show to discuss policies being enacted to expand living options for the fastest-growing city in Spain. 

By abolishing oppressive rent controls, improving mortgage accessibility, and unlocking new zoning for construction, Madrid is acknowledging the challenges that come with being the city of choice for many new residents and nomads, seeking new opportunities that also strengthen the city’s workforce and future-proof it for growth. Spain’s dynamic political landscape provides fascinating insight into juxtaposed methods of administration and poignant lessons for Latin America and the Caribbean.

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It's not all love, peace and brotherhood and if you're looking for Bob Marley, you're out of luck there too. Join CPSI director Rasheed Griffith and podcast producer Shem Best for an unfiltered foray into reggae, its historical starting point, political ramifications and cultural proliferation throughout the region and the world. 

Reggae is first and foremost a vehicle of protest. We explore the societal context which forced the hands of the Rastafarians, producing anthems of anti-establishment sentiment that resonated with a growing movement which was finding itself increasingly at odds with a post-colonial government.

What is "Babylon" and why are so many of these songs calling for us to burn it down? A greater understanding of rasta ideologies is required and we've got a basic crash course right here. 

Japanese Rastas may appear to be an improbable cultural anomaly, but it's a much more fitting match than you think. Reggae has become a global phenomenon, thus bringing the fight to seemingly unlikely locales. How has its message evolved over time and how effective is it today in a much more culturally mature and homogenous world.

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At 25 years of age, José Pérez Barboni is one of the youngest members of Panama’s National Assembly. Join us for a thought-provoking discussion on the intricate state of politics and governance on the isthmus and the peculiar system of elections that continues to shape the development of one of Latin America’s most pivotal economies.

More than a canal…

Panama, the proverbial (and literal) bridge of the Americas, is not defined simply by the infamous trans-oceanic marvel that is the Panama Canal. The country of just over 4 million sits at the forefront of an immigration crisis brought on by the veritable collapse of its neighbor Venezuela. Barboni, who is intimately familiar with the state of affairs, gives insights on what is being done to alleviate the strain on Panama’s resources, as well as bring regional and international attention to the precarious balance between humanitarian efforts and diplomatic action on the largest exodus in the modern history of the continent.

Fool me once!

Say no to colonial trade zones. José gives the rundown on local opposition to a mining deal and the true underlying cause of the early 2023 riots that paralyzed Panama. An aversion to repetition of the unfair conditions of the historic Panama Canal Zone and public frustration with a continued lack of government transparency fueled month-long protests which resulted in the rejection of an environmentally dubious mining contract.

The future could be bright.

How can we bring younger minds and opinions into governing roles? José shares his thought process and journey to the National Assembly. What can the rest of Latin America and the Caribbean learn from Panama’s prominent independent candidate culture and how has this shaped José’s party, Otro Camino?

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The role of the Church in dismantling the slave trade must not be understated. This is just one of many hard truths we examine on this episode featuring British writer and medical doctor, Alexander Chula. From his book "Goodbye Dr Banda: Lessons for the West from a Small African Country", Dr. Chula guides us through harmful misconceptions on Western culture.

Western culture, the Classics and many of its trappings were not simply tools of subjugation. To frame them solely as such is to apply a reductionist view of a much broader and complex history where they were also tools of enlightenment and civilization building. In his book, Dr Chula introduces one such prolific character who recognized the utility of Western culture and used it to enrich and spotlight his own country's literary prowess. Malawi's first prime minister, Hastings Banda serves as the focal point for understanding the true role of Western influence via colonialism in Central Africa.

His own history and initiatives on return to his homeland provide insight on the contributions of the Church of England, not via force but through countless missionaries who sought to bring development to the region by appealing to humanity. 

Fast forward to the present, and these contributions have been almost entirely forgotten or overlooked. In its place is a regrettable sense of guilt, guiding the narrative solely on emotion, rather than empirical evidence and manifesting via counterproductive reparations movements. How did we get here?

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Would V.S. Naipaul have made a good venture capitalist? Join us for a whirlwind episode with prolific British writer, Henry Oliver as we tackle thought-provoking inquiries surrounding the age of heroes, cities as imaginary spaces, the tragedy of unique talent and, the late bloomer.

Imaginary Cities
To best describe a place you hold dear, you must leave it. Or perhaps you find it oppressive to your ideas. Again, you must leave it. Henry describes cities written by icons like Joyce as meta-physical spaces, distinct from their geographical analogs, but often more real. We all experience a city differently, but those who step out of it can best perceive and concretize those collective experiences.

Has the age of heroes ended?
We theorize that the Great Man Theory of History may be to blame, or rather its rejection. Henry attributes this shift to a backlash against the idea that history is shaped solely by individual actors, emphasizing the importance of systems and broader forces. This "impersonalisation" of history from the common man has removed the reverence once attributed to various figures and barred new ones from joining their ranks. But perhaps it is time to give the relevant thinkers their laurels once more.

The Tragedy of Talent
The right people, with the right ideas, at the right time, can change the course of history. Take Paul Kagame, the savior of modern Rwanda. Can we replicate his genius elsewhere or even again within Rwanda to continue his legacy of forward momentum for one of Africa's fastest-developing economies? What does the theory of personalities have to tell us about the rare harmonization of variables necessary to produce such development?

And what of talent, whose capabilities present themselves later in life? Are we doing a disservice to the workforce by disregarding the late-bloomer? Shouldn't the collective experiences of those who find calling in non-traditional phases of life count towards their contribution potential within organizations?

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Full transcript on cpsi.media.

The gay “movement” in the Caribbean has stalled and we think it’s because they haven’t done their due diligence. The various rights groups throughout the region have skipped the necessary steps in the evolutionary progression of gay concepts in the Caribbean. They’ve hastily pushed to emulate their more developed American and European colleagues and now risk a paralyzing backlash that could set gay rights in the region back for generations. 

How have we arrived at this critical impasse? We think the gay drain is to blame. Brain drain is a term coined to describe educated individuals who emigrate away from the Caribbean to seek out better opportunities for their degrees and fields of study. It’s no surprise that these emigrants are also, very gay. The “D.C gay” as we call them in this episode is any gay man or woman who has graduated from fighting for rights, to enjoying them. Whether they were on the streets with placard to bring them to being, or simply worked to escape the Caribbean region and join a more comfortable life abroad, these individuals have exited the conversation entirely. 

With these moderate fighters gone from the equation, more radical personalities who often see the progress abroad and seek to copy it at home are all that’s left. And this overwhelming body of extremes is the new face of the gay rights movement in the Caribbean. The role models all but gone. Western societies are now at a completely different stage of the rights conversation, one that has been unnecessarily obfuscated by the introduction of concepts like trans rights, that are are not synonymous with the gay rights that were fought for earlier. This dilution of the gay rights movement via the addition of more and more letters now paints a picture of a slippery slope that conservative developing parts of the world are terrified of and keen to avoid. In our modern environment that is becoming hostile to external changes perceived as threats to culture, what paths are there to progress?

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The traditional definition of sovereignty is not afforded to the small island states of the Caribbean and should be redefined in our newly evolved and globalized world. Ivelaw Griffith joins us for another insightful discussion of the political balance of the Caribbean, this time in the context of true independence versus perceived independence.

"Who is really paying the bills?" Dr. Griffith brings attention to the honesty of politicians and their willingness to have difficult talks with the population on the true nature of financing and governance in a region that is still deeply connected and in some cases vertically integrated with their colonial parents. 

"Where has the political willpower gone?" The stagnation of the socio-political landscape of the Caribbean has dulled the electorate's curiosity to the idea of competent and dynamic governance. Interest in necessary unions like CARICOM and their continued improvement are falling by the wayside in the minds of more recent generations. Why?

Without answering these pertinent questions, the most basic pillars of stability in the Caribbean remain shaky, especially regarding immigration, crime, and resource allocation.

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Economic collapse, the largest native exodus in Latin American history, and border woes with Guyana. In this episode, we sit with political analyst Parsifal D'Sola to unravel the last three decades of Venezuela's tumultuous history and the path ahead for the embattled former juggernaut of South America. 

Venezuela has fallen from its prized position as the most influential economy on the continent. Its financial influence is now only felt in the massive burden imposed by the mass migration of its citizens away from their homeland. 30% of the country has now fled, leaving all but a few cities like Caracas as centers of any viable economic activity. 

While Parsifal acknowledges some stability being established, he also posits that this is mostly due to the country hitting rock bottom. After all, you can only go up from absolute ruin. The political landscape, now stunted by incumbent President Maduro is facing a slim chance of revival via María Corina Machado, who despite being banned from running, has named her alternate candidate Corina Yoris on a platform that poses a credible threat to the Maduro hegemony. 

But what exactly has kept Maduro in power throughout Venezuela's precipitous decline? A cabal of business owners who have benefitted from nepotism may be a key cornerstone of the administration's continued existence. Alternate sources of income to prop up the ailing government and the legitimacy granted by close ties to Beijing also complicate any efforts to turn the country's political fortunes around. In this episode, we examine the current state of Venezuela and try to ascertain where the country could go from here. 

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And we mean that. Rihanna's cultural relevance (despite her foray into cosmetics and fashion) remains deeply rooted in Caribbean society. Behind the generic summer beats and a few questionable lyrics, lies a regional thinker who has created 8 memorable albums, each chronicling her own evolution and development as an artist. Join us for another frank musical discussion, journeying from "Pon De Replay" to "Work", as we cover Rihanna's cultural influence and contributions to the Caribbean's sociopolitical landscape.

This episode contains some adult language and references. Listener discretion is advised. 

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How do we categorize the Milei administration and its policies? Today on the show, we're joined by Argentinian economist Iván Carrino in a deep dive into political movements throughout the country's history, from the authoritarian economics of Juan Domingo Perón to the controversial interventionism of the Kirchners. Can Milei's own brand of Libertarian populism work to revitalize Argentina? 

Argentina has fallen from lofty heights, and all eyes are on Javier Milei to right the ship. Once having the highest GDP per capita in Latin America, Argentina is now eclipsed by Chile, Panama, Paraguay, and Uruguay. We explore the ideologies over successive governments that have eroded Argentina's stability, namely the mantra of "spend, spend, spend" that has ballooned the country's deficits in what has been deemed a decadent approach to economics. 

Iván takes us through the evolution of "La casta," a seemingly ever-changing metaphor used by incumbent political parties to provide direction for public outrage, which Milei's administration has flipped yet maintained its effectiveness to the voters. Milei's most recent victory, "Ley Bases," a collection of laws aimed at fiscal correction through privatization, shows there is hope yet for his congressional capabilities, which were in question in no small due to the hyper-conservative ideologies of his colleagues. The same ideologies could clash with Milei's strident Libertarianism. 

And what of his aspirations for dollarization in the early days of the campaign trail? They are on the back burner for now. Milei's current objective is balancing Argentina's fiscal budget and controlling inflation. Then, once those previous US dollars can be shored up to back the peso, dollarization may finally return to the fore.