CARICOM Secretary General, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque has underscored the pivotal role of tertiary education institutions as the Community moves towards building a knowledge society and economy.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Regional Headquarters of the Univer-sity of the West Indies at Mona, Jamaica, on Wednes-day, Secretary General LaRocque also said that “it is within the walls of those institutions, including the UWI, that the Community will look for the development of the quality of intellectual and cultural capital which will make the Region competitive and contribute to overcoming underdevelopment,” according to a copy of his remarks released by the CARICOM Secretariat at Turkeyen.
He also observed that the splendid building itself is an example of the kind of collaboration among regional institutions, agencies, the private sector, private individuals and governments that must be fundamental to the integration process and the development of the region.
And he lauded the coming together of the UWI, the governments of Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), Trinidad Cement Limited (TCL) and others in the interest of the development of the region’s human capital.
“This is a fine example of public-private partnership and regional institutions working together to achieve a desirable end,” the CARICOM Secretary General said.
LaRocque also noted that the UWI has been at the heart of the development of the English-speaking Caribbean for more than 60 years and in that time many of the decision makers of the region, in diverse fields, have had their groundings in this institution.
“UWI has not only entrenched itself into the life of the regional society but has acquired a well deserved reputation for excellence in many disciplines,” Ambassador LaRocque asserted, adding that the fruition of the idea behind the establishment of the headquarters building, of bringing together the centres and institutes of research cutting across many disciplines, but dedicated to one goal, will enhance that reputation while bringing greater efficiencies to the operations of the University.
He also acknowledged that the pursuit of the goal of building human resource capacity to promote the development of the region is continuing with the ongoing expansion in academic and research programmes geared to both national and regional advancement.
To bring that goal even closer, the commitment to developing the region has not only spanned the Anglophone Caribbean but under the stewardship of the Vice Chancellor, the Association of Universities and Research Institutions of the Caribbean (UNICA) has been revitalised and there is beginning to be greater synergies among the university systems in the region.
“This revitalisation I am advised is as a result of the assistance rendered to Haitian universities and their students, led by the UWI, after the catastrophic earthquake of 2010. The potential that it has for broadening the scope and reach of tertiary education as well as promoting greater regional integration makes for an exciting future.”
In this emerging scenario, La Rocque added, the UWI is positioning itself to be a leading light in the new configuration, even as it strives to become more of a ‘learning organisation’.
