The Caribbean Communiqué
On the occasion of the Tenth Anniversary of the Caribbean Academy of Sciences, a Conference on Furthering Cooperation in Science and Technology for Caribbean Development was held in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, from September 22-25, 1998. One of the aims of this meeting was to discuss ideas to be shared towards the World Conference on Science to be organized jointly by ICSU and UNESCO in Budapest, in June-July 1999. The Conference was attended by over 130 delegates from 29 countries, as representatives of academia, governments, the private sector, international organizations and many different stakeholders in the complex relationship of science and society.
The core of the Conference work was done in five working groups that discussed the following topics:
- Collaboration between the research community and end users of the research
- Communication and information technologies and challenges
- Disaster mitigation
- Increasing public understanding of science and technology
- Use and management of natural resources
- It is recommended that there be a follow-up meeting in 2 years to measure progress in the areas identified and to identify new measures for strengthening S&T cooperation within the Caribbean region.
- It is recommended that a regional organization, consisting of both national and regional existing scientific organizations be set up to, inter alia, identify and coordinate S&T activities in the Caribbean community.
- It is recommended that steps be taken both nationally and regionally to enhance communication and ties between university and production sector researchers.
- It is recommended that greater effort be applied to inform governments and the general public of the potential benefit of S&T to economic and social needs.
- It is recommended that the collection of data, from which priorities for S&T can be derived, be accorded a high priority.
This conference has attempted to build a consensus on the importance of wider inter Caribbean ties between scientists or research groups in the region. We call on the world scientific community to actively support this initiative and engage in scientific cooperation with their Caribbean colleagues. Science is one of the main resources to cope with the daunting challenges humankind faces on the eve of the new millenium. Let us work together so that every society becomes aware of this and promotes its own capability in this sector. Let us increase the opportunities for research and knowledge to be of essence in the future of every society in the world.
First Caribbean Conference On Science And Technology
Furthering Cooperation In Science And Technology For Caribbean Development
A Brief Report With
Recommendations
Port Of Spain, Trinidad
September 23-25, 1998
Introduction
Science is a powerful means of understanding the world in which we live and is also capable of yielding enormous returns that enhance socio-economic development and the quality of our lives. Increasingly rapid scientific progress will make the role of science even more important in the future.
The countries of the Greater Caribbean region have distinct physical environments, economies, scientific infrastructure and socio-political settings. In spite of these differences however, they share a common desire to improve their economic position and to enrich the lives of their people. Most important to this task is improvement of health, correction of environmental degradation, enhanced agricultural production and the development of trade and industry.
Science and Technology (S&T) is a major tool in meeting each of these goals. Development and use of improved information and communication technologies can accelerate the overall process and strengthen the educational underpinnings needed to sustain it.
The key to improving the application of S&T to the problems of the Caribbean area is greater cooperation among the countries of the region as well as collaboration with other countries that have an interest in benefiting the area. That was the primary objective of the Caribbean Science and Technology Conference. It brought together experts on S&T topics important to the Caribbean to discuss their work, share their experiences and make tangible plans including the setting of priorities for future joint and coordinated efforts. It also examined current regional strategies for cooperation and explored ways for strengthening and broadening these efforts. Joining the meeting were senior governmental officials, representatives of multilateral non-governmental organizations and others with interests in the topics discussed.
Background
The concept for the Caribbean Science and Technology conference stemmed principally from the vision of The Caribbean Academy of Sciences which wished to strengthen S&T cooperation among Caribbean nations and to take the first step toward this goal through an event suitable for the celebration of its 10th anniversary of CAS. The idea subsequently received further encouragement and support from a number of organizations and individuals including especially the late Mr Enrique Martin del Campo of UNESCO in whose memory the Conference was dedicated, Dr Richard Getzinger of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Other major contributors included the Third World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), the U.S. National Science Foundation and the Organization of American States (OAS). The conference proposal was further refined and detailed in a series of meetings held in Trinidad June 1997 and in Mexico City December 1997 in which experts from a number of countries and organizations participated. The final scope and shape of this meeting drew on the suggestions and assistance of the Conference Steering Committee and a large number of staff individuals who contributed their ideas, hard work and enthusiasm to the project.
Organization of the conference
The conference was based on the premise that participants would agree to a series of findings and recommendations that would help governments as well as international and non-governmental funding organizations set priorities for cooperative research activities and support. The organizers made a conscious effort to steer away from a focus on policy analyses that were not likely to lead to concrete results. In order to accomplish this, the invitees selected represented a broad mix of political, financial and technical expertise designed to develop practical steps for moving research into application. Senior governmental, financial, private sector and scientific representatives participated.
The core of the conference work was done in five working groups (WG) which were asked to address select topics, review the experience of the working group members in these areas and develop focused and practical findings and recommendations. These working groups were:
- Group 1: Collaboration between the research community and the end users of the research
- Group 2: Communication and information technologies and challenges
- Group 3: Disaster mitigation
- Group 4: Increasing public understanding of science and technology
- Group 5: Use and management of natural resources
The final recommendations and conclusions were based on the output of the Working Groups, the special presentations, and the additional comments made by a select Committee convened immediately after the conclusion of the organized program September 23-September 25. Five key overall recommendations plus the more detailed list are given at the end of this report.
Key elements of special invited presentations
The conference opened with welcoming remarks by Professor Ramkissoon, Chairman of the Steering Committee, Professor Wilfred Chan, President of the Caribbean Academy of Sciences (CAS), Dr Richard Getzinger, Director for International activities of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Ambassador Christopher Thomas, Assistant Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS) and Professor M.H.A. Hassan, Executive Director, The Third World Academy of Sciences (TWAS). The welcomes stressed the growth and accomplishments of the CAS, the current CAS network of ties with other countries and the rationale as well as preparatory work behind the decision to have this meeting.
Mr Trevor Sudama, Minister of Planning and Development, Trinidad and Tobago, gave the feature address at the Opening Ceremony of the Conference. The Minister pointed out that, while there was a need to remain active in fundamental research, the improvement in the human condition is the most important priority. Linked to this priority is a need for CAS to publicizethe impact of S&T, particularly that which has been developed by regional scientists and technocrats. Science must be seen by society at large to be making an important input into the productive sector. Societal recognition of this role is extremely important in order to enhance allocation of resources to the S&T infrastructure of the region. Both policy makers and scientists must be conscious of the fact that S&T needs to be used as a catalyst if one is to transform Caribbean countries to modern, dynamic societies. Science must be seen as an essential investment in regional development.
The Minister saw international and regional cooperation in S&T as leading to enhancement in the quality of Caribbean research and bringing it up to international standards of excellence to return to. He said his government also strongly supports international S&T exchanges and training, particularly through bilateral S&T agreements.
Minister Sudama noted the small size of Trinidad and Tobago's scientific community and the country's very small expenditure on R&D. Progress in research, therefore, must depend on cooperation, preferably beginning within the Caribbean and Latin American region.
A regional funding facility to support potential areas for joint research, which would mingle public, private and international funds, would represent a welcome initiative. Such areas are:
- Environment, including sustainable utilization of natural resources
- Renewable and/or alternate energy development and utilization
- Biotechnology for improvement in crops, addressing disease, and in industrial applications
- Informatics
Dr Rita Colwell, Director of the U.S. National Science Foundation, while not able to attend the conference personally, made the following points in transmitted remarks at the opening session:
- Science should move ahead to meet the challenges of the 21st century by being prepared, anticipating and foresight
- Today the tools and methods of science, engineering and technology are very sophisticated
- The data on which our knowledge is based is comprehensive and we have the power and capability to think with anticipation in a way that was never possible before
- While in the past our efforts relied on remediation...solving existing problems...we can now predict these problems and act to prevent them. Two areas highlight this issue...biotechnology and information technology
- In the area of biotechnology we are beginning to understand biocomplexity...the interrelationships of complex chemical, biological and social interactions. These help us access the fundamental principles of sustainability and thus help determine our survival as a human species and the ecological survival of the planet. This is the key to moving from remediation to predictive and preventive capabilities
- In the area of information technology, today's high-speed networks give us the opportunity to make all nations and regions part of the global information infrastructure This tool will make the integrated research described above possible
- The Caribbean region is a model of how information technology will be able to link together centers of excellence and the work related to areas such as environment, health and emerging economic sectors
Ambassador Christopher Thomas, Assistant Secretary General, Organization of American States gave a plenary address to the group on furthering cooperation in science and technology for Caribbean development. Ambassador Thomas noted that the role of S&T as a tool for the development of various sectors of the economy is already recognized but pointed out that the role of science will become even more important in the future; it will determine how the planet and our societies will evolve. He also recognized the opportunity the conference provided to the region for self-evaluation in scientific matters and in applying S&T to all sectors of the economy.
The Ambassador underscored the importance of pooling the intellectual and human resources of the region for the application of S&T to common problems as well as the special role of education and information technology in this process. He noted that socio-economic survival of countries of the region is becoming increasingly dependent on appropriate development and application of S&T. He recommended the design of a regional S&T policy focused on the needs of the region with special attention paid on the role of education and training. Finally, Ambassador Thomas urged recognition of the importance of new information and communication technologies in all areas of economic development.
In another plenary address, Dr R.Elena Simeon Negrin, Cuban Minister of Science, Technology and the Environment noted that the accelerated march toward globalization using science and technology left in doubt the role of smaller countries. She raised the possibility that this latter group might remain underdeveloped while S&T accelerated the development of other countries. She asked whether globalization incorporated universal access to advanced knowledge and technology.
The Minister noted the need for all countries to have the potential to pursue S&T and to apply it to national development, the environment as well as economic and social processes. While scientific knowledge is basically universal, its application to commercial benefits seems more restricted. For instance, certain knowledge that could be considered basic to the interests of all human beings is considered intellectual property. Examples of this are certain vegetative species that might represent a new source of food, disease-fighting compounds and the genetic composition of human beings.
Countries that have the financial resources can acquire knowledge of this sort that could be considered the common heritage of humanity. Developing countries that need to restrict external payments to acquiring basic needs are shut out from this market. These countries would be better positioned for economic and social development by having their own S&T capability. The present international order, according to Dr Simeon, offers little or nothing in the way of knowledge to countries such as those participating in the conference. These countries must therefore develop indigenous S&T capability as well as attempt greater coordination and integration in the S&T area. Strengthened cooperation could address common problems such as saline intrusion, deterioration of coastal systems, availability of water for human consumption and agricultural use, and self-sufficiency in food production.
Dr Simeon stated that Cuba was ready to share its (S&T) knowledge with other Caribbean nations and that this might serve as a bridge to closer ties in other areas.
Other invited plenary lectures were as follows:
- A. Ventura "Poverty Alleviation"
- I. Clark Arxer "Furthering Cooperation in S&T; the Past Experience"
- E. Martinez "The Future of S&T in Latin America and the Caribbean"
- John Evans "The Future of Information & Communication Technology"
Key general recommendations
- It is recommended that there be a follow-on meeting in 2-4 years to measure progress in the areas identified above and to identify new measures for strengthening S&T cooperation within the Caribbean region.
- It is recommended that a regional organization, consisting of both national and regional existing scientific organizations be set up to, inter alia, identify and coordinate S&T activities in the Caribbean community.
- It is recommended that steps be taken both nationally and regionally to enhance communication and ties between university and production sector researchers.
- It is recommended that greater effort be applied to inform governments and the general public of the potential benefit of S&T to economic and social needs.
- It is recommended that the collection of data, from which priorities for S&T can be derived, be accorded a high priority.
Group I: Collaboration between the research community and the end users
To Government and regional organizations and lending institutions. In order to support a critical mass and regional impact it is recommended that:
To Universities and Research Centers. To enhance the benefits of cooperation among these organizations and the Productive Sector, it is recommended that:
To the Productive Sector. It is recommended that:
Group 2: Communication and information technologies and challenges
It is recommended that:
- governments be made aware that they must adopt modern information and communication technologies in order to be competitive in the global market place
- governments, in order to successfully adopt and utilize these technologies must educate citizens, at all levels, in the use of these technologies and should provide universal access to these technologies to the degree possible
- education should not only involve computer literacy but also incorporate the economic and business management environment in which these technologies are to be employed
- governments must adopt a vigorous role in technology education, in the provision of infrastructure and in the development of information and communication policies
- a data base for the development of information and communication technology strategies for the Caribbean region should be established, with special emphasis on the standardization of data
- Caribbean nations should cooperate to develop and implement appropriate information and communication strategies
- Caribbean nations need to keep abreast of new communication technologies such as the new internet systems, virtual laboratories, and activities associated with virtual reality, in order to remain economically competitive
Hazard, vulnerability and risk. It is recommended that:
- close collaboration of physical scientists, engineers, medical and social scientists be encouraged, to prepare risk analysis maps and scenarios, at local, regional and national levels
- the concept of vulnerability be revisited to encompass not only the structural and locational but also social, economic, cultural, organizational, institutional, educational and ideological vulnerabilities
- vulnerability and risk be expressed, as some measurable index and should be event, location and population specific. It is necessary to take into account that most Caribbean countries exist under multi-hazard conditions, which in itself complicates vulnerability analysis
- information on existing risk levels and their economic and social implications be effectively communicated to decision-makers and to the public in general
- mitigation should avoid the implementation of homogenous and purely structural solutions
- structural and non-structural measures should be conceived and implemented with the collaboration of physical, engineering and social scientists
- adherence to appropriate land-use plans and building codes based on an update of CUBIC standards be enforced and encouraged by non-regulatory mechanisms such as financial and fiscal incentives
- public awareness campaigns and organizational strengthening be implemented in all Caribbean countries
- mitigation measures be incorporated into development and environmental planning at all levels.
- specific local parameters and characteristics must be recognised in order to earn social, economical and cultural acceptably and community level participation
Education, research, training and awareness
- public education programmes with regard to the advances in science and technology as they relate to disaster mitigation should be undertaken
- disaster mitigation concepts, should be included in the curricula of educational institutions from kindergarten to the tertiary level, to ensure that the benefits of the science and technology are transferred to the population at large
- tertiary institutions in the Region should create a capacity for research, training and technical advice on disaster management. Examples of initiatives in this area can be seen in the recent cooperation between Florida International University and the Broward County Emergency Management Centre
Decentralization/Participation
- necessary resources must be made available at the individual and community level for risk assessment, identification and disaster reduction. Use of municipal and community resources must be encouraged
- people be encouraged and empowered to take care of themselves and their futures. The private sector should be involved in this process.
Regional/International Co-operation
- a clearing-house mechanism within the Caribbean be established for the provision and dissemination of all pertinent data/information on hazards and potentials hazards.
- databases on events which are likely to create hazards and disasters be developed or strengthened.
- existing storm hazard assessment models be used to stimulate the total impact of storm surge, wind and waves on population, economic activity and infrastructure in vulnerable coastal areas.
- more accurate inshore bathymetry and coastal elevation data for all countries within the wider Caribbean be given top priority.
- countries of the Caribbean be made aware of the urgent need to keep abreast of the scientific assessment of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Global Warning and Sea Level Rise, and the use of IPCC common methodology to assess coastal vulnerability and to use this information for social and economic planning.
Group 4: Increasing the Public Understanding of Science and Technology
It is recommended that action should be taken to:
- change the school curricula from primary level to ensure that: children are taught how to learn and to continue to learn throughout their lives; acquire problem solving and research skills; retain their natural creativity and curiosity
- train teachers to deliver the new curricula and to teach children how to learn
- involve practicing scientists directly in the teaching/learning process within the education system and in community activities to promote the popularization of science and technology
- promote the popularization of Science and Technology as integral to poverty reduction strategies in key areas e.g. nutrition, health, shelter, environment, disaster preparedness, life issues
- establish a Caribbean Science and Technology popularization network
- promote more wide scale use of the media and the sensitization of media in the region to facilitate popularization of Science and Technology
- encourage the establishment of science centers in each Caribbean country
- encourage the production/publication of books, multimedia products, software and other materials for the popularization of science and technology
- use new technologies to explain and popularize science using a holistic approach
- form a broad lobbying group for the popularization of science and technology in Caribbean countries
Group 5: Natural resource management
It is recommended that:
- the applicability of options for natural resource management such as preservation, conservation or management be examined on a case by case basis, and not as a generalized policy
- resource managers use participatory management techniques to manage the region's natural resource base. This should include:- - ecological, social and economic impacts an understanding of ecological dynamics of communities and the natural history of exploited species; - acquiring social listening skills (to all stakeholders) Social facilitation and policy analysis skills (e.g. conflict mediation/ resolution); - an involvement of local communities, working as teams with decentralized structures; - economic literacy; - computer/information literacy; - establishment of priorities and policy implications for natural resource management particularly for small island nations.
- the existence and/or effectiveness of indicators of success be examined
- an active role for women in the development of Science and Technology agendas be ensured
- a standardized inventory of Science and Technology capacities in the Caribbean be undertaken to include, scientists by category, institutes, training programmes and specific initiatives
- the information collected should be used to develop interdisciplinary networks to facilitate information sharing and avoid duplication of effort
- technology should be used to lower costs of meetings, advisory boards etc
- strategies be developed for capacity building in the natural resource management for the Caribbean region by utilizing expertise of scientists in the global Caribbean diaspora by: - providing tax incentives for returning retirees; - greater recognition to graduates of Caribbean Technological Institutes (as members of the Caribbean Academy of Sciences); - more regional training and strengthen environmental education at all levels, incorporating interdisciplinary courses and technology courses in the development of curricula.
- the Caribbean region should develop an agenda for Science and Technology needs which must seek to assure intergenerational equity
- regional priorities for research in biological information, resource evaluation, assessing effects of environment, biological and anthropic factors on resources be identified
Recommendations for Caribbean Academy of Sciences (CAS)
It is recommended that:
- the Caribbean Academy of Sciences should facilitate the preparation of case studies in community participation in natural resource management, analyse successes and/or failures and share this information with the Caribbean Science and Technology community
- a natural resources subcommittee of the Caribbean Academy of Sciences
should be established. One of its priorities will be to identify funds to
implement the recommendations above
- the Caribbean Academy of Sciences web site be expanded to include science and technology popularization issues and important science and technology publications
- Caribbean Academy of Sciences members should make an effort to develop presentations to schools
- the Caribbean Academy of Sciences report to Prime Ministers of the region, emphasizing the importance of implementing measures to popularize science and technology
- state scientists should become members of the Caribbean Academy of Sciences
- the Caribbean Academy of Sciences establish a forum to identify regional priorities for forest environment, tourism, fisheries, energy, and sustainable development of the Caribbean Sea
- Caribbean Academy of Sciences must participate more actively in regional fora, to strengthen the interface between academia and the public, specifically for marine and terrestrial resources at ACS meetings, UNEP Caribbean Environment and IICA Programme
Prof. Harold Ramkissoon
 |  |  |  |
Nature © Macmillan Publishers Ltd 1999 Registered No. 785998 England.