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Observer Editorial
If we know what's good for us...
Friday, November 19, 2010
THE development of science and technology (S&T) is one of the essential components of economic progress, especially in the current circumstances where innovations appear, are applied, and are replaced within a few years.
If S&T is to make a significant contribution to economic development in Jamaica and the Caribbean, there must be a functioning group of trained, high-calibre S&T personnel and an awareness of S&T among the population, most importantly, the politicians and policy makers.
Very few, we suspect, will disagree that for the S&T community to "function" it must have adequate resources for research and development.
Caribbean states have fallen behind other developing countries because of a lack of resources allocated to research and development (R&D) of science and technology. A feeling has emerged in the region that all that is necessary is to import and adapt technology because we do not have the personnel, research infrastructure and funds to generate our own technology.
The private sector does almost nothing in R&D and is notoriously abstemious and short-sighted when it comes to funding scientific research. What little research is done is dependent on the empty coffers of governments and grants from international institutions and donor agencies.
The downside of this is that R&D in the Caribbean is not fully driven by the needs of the region's economic development.
Only a small fraction of our university-trained cohort has studied science disciplines, and of these the majority do not remain in their professions. The available figures show that roughly 30 per cent is lost to migration, 25 per cent to fields unrelated to S&T, such as selling insurance, and 10 per cent to maternal commitments and retirement.
The S&T community is a fraction of those trained and that in turn is a mere fraction of what Caribbean development urgently needs.
Despite these very severe limitations, Caribbean scientists have made numerous and significant contributions to science and technology — many of which are produced outside the Caribbean and are invariably not heard of in their native lands.
It is appalling how little attention is given to the achievements of the S&T community of the Caribbean, while even minor accomplishments in sports and entertainment are lauded.
These circumstances are not propitious for our international competitiveness and for the productivity of the labour force in a global economy driven by technological innovation and knowledge.
More resources have to be mobilised and invested in the development of local capacity for science and technology. One way to do this is to more closely link R&D with private sector activity, so that R&D becomes an entrepreneurial activity and does not have to depend on solicitation.
We therefore welcome the establishment and launch of the Caribbean Science Foundation (CSF), the main aim of which is to stimulate technology-based entrepreneurship.
It proposes to accomplish this by, first, identifying and funding science and technology projects in new and existing enterprises that are relevant to the economic development needs of the region. Second, by accelerating education that supports technology-based entrepreneurship by promoting and funding programmes that focus on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.
In pursuit of these goals, it intends to harness the expertise that resides in the Diaspora. Good plan.
If we know what's good for us...
Friday, November 19, 2010
THE development of science and technology (S&T) is one of the essential components of economic progress, especially in the current circumstances where innovations appear, are applied, and are replaced within a few years.
If S&T is to make a significant contribution to economic development in Jamaica and the Caribbean, there must be a functioning group of trained, high-calibre S&T personnel and an awareness of S&T among the population, most importantly, the politicians and policy makers.
Very few, we suspect, will disagree that for the S&T community to "function" it must have adequate resources for research and development.
Caribbean states have fallen behind other developing countries because of a lack of resources allocated to research and development (R&D) of science and technology. A feeling has emerged in the region that all that is necessary is to import and adapt technology because we do not have the personnel, research infrastructure and funds to generate our own technology.
The private sector does almost nothing in R&D and is notoriously abstemious and short-sighted when it comes to funding scientific research. What little research is done is dependent on the empty coffers of governments and grants from international institutions and donor agencies.
The downside of this is that R&D in the Caribbean is not fully driven by the needs of the region's economic development.
Only a small fraction of our university-trained cohort has studied science disciplines, and of these the majority do not remain in their professions. The available figures show that roughly 30 per cent is lost to migration, 25 per cent to fields unrelated to S&T, such as selling insurance, and 10 per cent to maternal commitments and retirement.
The S&T community is a fraction of those trained and that in turn is a mere fraction of what Caribbean development urgently needs.
Despite these very severe limitations, Caribbean scientists have made numerous and significant contributions to science and technology — many of which are produced outside the Caribbean and are invariably not heard of in their native lands.
It is appalling how little attention is given to the achievements of the S&T community of the Caribbean, while even minor accomplishments in sports and entertainment are lauded.
These circumstances are not propitious for our international competitiveness and for the productivity of the labour force in a global economy driven by technological innovation and knowledge.
More resources have to be mobilised and invested in the development of local capacity for science and technology. One way to do this is to more closely link R&D with private sector activity, so that R&D becomes an entrepreneurial activity and does not have to depend on solicitation.
We therefore welcome the establishment and launch of the Caribbean Science Foundation (CSF), the main aim of which is to stimulate technology-based entrepreneurship.
It proposes to accomplish this by, first, identifying and funding science and technology projects in new and existing enterprises that are relevant to the economic development needs of the region. Second, by accelerating education that supports technology-based entrepreneurship by promoting and funding programmes that focus on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.
In pursuit of these goals, it intends to harness the expertise that resides in the Diaspora. Good plan.
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