Vision for Region in 2050 needed: UWI St. Augustine Principal

MUCH of the Caribbean is now struggling economically and so the region must create a vision for where it wants to be by the year 2050, advised University of the West Indies (UWI), St Augustine principal, Prof Clem Sankat.

He was speaking on “The Role of Higher Education” at the media launch of [this week’s] “Forum on the future of the Caribbean — disruptive thinking, bold action, practical outcomes” on Friday at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tower C, Port-of-Spain. Saying poverty and inequality were big issues in the region, Sankat said many citizens were so used to TT’s oil-wealth that they were unaware of how much other places in the region were struggling economically.

Also present at the forum were United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) head, Richard Blewitt; Prof Miguel Carillo of the Arthur Lok Jack school of Business and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Dookeran.

Dookeran said the region was now at a turning point and he was optimistic that the minds of participants could craft a new vision to take the region forward. Carillo said a sense of desperation must be created to drive solutions, while Blewitt effused that 25 percent of forum participants would be youngsters.

The forum is expected to draw 400 participants and is being hosted by UWI, the United Nations (UN), Caricom, the Government, the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).

On Tuesday, at UWI, St Augustine, the theme is “Stimulating radical ideas”, including a discussion of Caribbean convergence, the resilience of small-island developing States and the quality of data for crafting a sustainable future. On Wednesday at the Hyatt Regency, Port-of-Spain, the forum theme is “Rethinking the Caribbean future” including a vision of where the region wishes to be in 2050.

On Thursday the forum continues at the Hyatt Regency on the theme, “Taking action for sustainable outcomes” involving the creation of momentum to take bold action for the future.

The event seeks to capture the ambitions of the region, embracing Caribbean convergence, tackling poverty and inequality, advocating innovative financial solutions and shaping a new global compact through diplomacy, said literature given to reporters. Speakers include Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar; St Lucia Prime Minister, Dr Kenny Anthony; St Vincent Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gosalves; and the Bahamas Minister of Foreign Affairs, Frederick Mitchell. Also due to speak are leaders from UWI, Caricom, UN, Inter American Development Bank (IDB), OECS, Association of Caribbean States (ACS), Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), The Commonwealth, and institutions in France, Malaysia, Malta, Canada and Cuba.