Caricom member states must give firm support to the proposals for the establishment of a regional accreditation authority for tertiary education as the region moves to address issues on trade in education and services.
Addressing the opening of the Second Joint Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) and the Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) at Buddy’s International Hotel recently, Co-Chairman of the meeting, Jamaica’s Minister of Industry and Commerce Karl Samuda said that concerns for the proliferation of institutions in the Caribbean which in some cases impact on the quality of academic programmes in the region must be looked into.
Samuda said there must be a careful and coordinated national and regional effort to support the strengthening of the University of the West Indies so that the region could benefit from the trade in education services. In this regard, he said, “firm support must be given to the proposals for the establishment for a regional accreditation authority for tertiary education.”
He also emphasised the importance of the linkages between culture and trade for the development of the cultural industries in particular.
Cultural industry
Stating that it was one of the most important issues that would engage the attention of both COTED and COHSOD, he said that many were now recognising the significant potential of Caribbean cultural industries with data emerging in the global market that the cultural industry is the fastest growing one in the world at present. In addition, he said that it was also one which has a competitive advantage for the region. “Our people are extremely creative, our cultural expression, especially our music, has penetrated significantly markets all over the world,” he said.
He said that the task was now to develop political will and to promote policies, programme and measures to enhance the capacity of these industries and the players involved in the accumulation of wealth and prosperity for the region.
And in brief remarks also, Co-Chairman and Minister of Education, Youth and Sport of Antigua and Barbuda, Bertrand Joseph noted the relevance in presenting to his COTED counterparts the critical dimensions of accreditation programmes for unifying and standardizing the valuation of the region’s educational products and the maintenance of its high standards necessary if the region’s human resources are to be competitive in the global arena.
He said among other things that it was necessary for COHSOD to remind COTED that economic incentives for cultural industries were essential features for stimulating economic growth and development; the need to place health as a necessary ingredient for development; and emphasis on food security, healthy foods and access to medicine in the trade policy.
Also delivering welcome remarks were Minister of Foreign Trade and International Cooperation Dr Henry Jeffrey and Caricom Secretary-General Edwin Carrington who pointed out that most of the issues that were in their embryonic stages seven years ago, when the first COTED/COHSOD meeting was held, were now reality. These include the CARICOM passport and the common lines for citizens, residents and CARICOM nationals at regional airports.
In spite of a number of global factors that have also impacted on the region, such as the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States, affecting security and the tourism industry; and the erosion of preferential arrangements with Europe for bananas, sugar and other agricultural products, Carrington said that these changes serve to fortify the Caricom’s resolve to push ahead with deepening the integration process.
These include the establishment of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) in 2005, the launching of the CARICOM Single Market in 2006 and the revision of the Treaty of Basseterre in 2007 and the inauguration of the CARICOM competition commission in Suriname on 18 January, 2008.
“When you add to this the signing last 16 December of the new Economic Partnership Agreement with Europe, which changes fundamentally and forever our relations with that continent, then one gets the full picture of the dynamism of the times and of the integration process,” the Secretary-General said.
Carrington also recognised the “vibrant leadership” of former Prime Minister of Barbados, Owen Arthur in advancing the work of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).
Arthur’s vibrant leadership as Head of Government with lead responsibility for the implementation of the CSME, he said, has helped “in no small measure to shape this robust agenda” that forms the basis of the deliberations.
Issues on the meeting’s agenda included the growing recognition of the importance of social and cultural agendas in the formulation of trade policy; trade in educational services, cultural industries and trade-related intellectual property rights, trade issues impacting on health and a regional policy framework for science, technology and innovation. (Miranda La Rose)
