Gilbert NMO Morris - Economic Work

Economic Work

Morris was Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Bahamas The Hon. Fred A. Mitchell, MP in 2002-2003. In 2003, he was commissioned by StarCapital/CITIC and the Vice Premier of China - Madam Wu - to conduct the largest Study of The Economics and Logistics of Multi-modal Shipping and Distribution Centres between China and the Caribbean Basin. Morris said of the study in an interview with Jones Communications: "It remains confidential, however, I can say that we confirmed the principle that small nations must triangulate on a cost, tax and financing basis to develop an effective trade platform. Second, it revealed nearly $200 billion in 'pent-up' opportunities for trade in the region". As an Economist, Morris, who uses a "forensic historical approach", has had a series of firsts. In 2000 he wrote: "The West Indies scholar, no matter his capacity to forecast global phenomena, will do so largely in obscurity; unheard by the larger world, and regarded by his countrymen with genteel amusement; if not befuddlement". However, in 2001, at a public meeting in Nassau, (and repeated in 2005) Professor Morris forecasted that "In the next 5 years, I put it to you that Oil Prices will rise to $80 and above $150 per barrel." Then in 2003, Morris, again in a public lecture for the Rotary Club said the following: "I suggest that the US government will continue its 'weak dollar policy', and therefore, it is prudent that all governments of the region using dollars either directly or through an exchange rate, should now convert 10% of their reserves to gold and all of their special drawing rights (SDRs) at the IMF. This would offset the coming losses in value in their reserve positions." At the time gold was $319 an ounce. In late 2008, in the heat of the financial meltdown, Morris wrote an article: "Obamanomics" in which he warned that the new administration should neither bail out the banks or the motor car companies. He said: "The car companies should go into bankruptcy and there reposition themselves. An d there should be no rescue of the banks. There are over 8,000 banks in the US, and 4,000 must die. They do not have a liquidity problem. They have a balance sheet problem. They are worthless and bailing them out will hide that fact and prolong the pain."

From 2006-2008 Morris was Senior Economic Advisor to Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance of the Turks and Caicos Islands, the Hon. Floyd B. Hall, where he led a mission to Singapore, Hong Kong and Wall Street for the Ministry.