2nd High-Level CARICOM Science and Technology Meeting
“Strengthening and Utilizing S&T in the Caribbean”
26 March 2015
Romain Murenzi, executive director
The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS)
Opening Remarks
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Honourable Doctor Keith Mitchell, prime minister of Grenada; excellences; ladies and gentlemen; colleagues and friends –
I am honoured to be here with you this morning, and I thank you for your invitation and your warm welcome to this beautiful island.
TWAS historically has had close relationships with the Caribbean nations, dating to the earliest years of our Academy. I have enormous respect for the scientists and policy leaders of CARICOM, and their long commitment to our common vision. Prime Minister Mitchell, I know, has for many years been an inspiring advocate of increased Caribbean support for research and development. Professor Harold Ramkissoon, a vice president at TWAS, has been an energetic leader in support of science for human prosperity.
CARICOM itself has an admirable history of using science cooperation and science diplomacy to support human and economic development. In this, CARICOM and TWAS have much similar experience, and we have common interests for the future.
Organizations like CARICOM are extremely important in the world right now. Scientific discovery has created so many new and positive possibilities, and yet the earth and its inhabitants are facing changes and challenges unprecedented in modern history. The Caribbean Basin and its life-systems are particularly sensitive to changes in climate and the environment. And yet it often seems that nations here, and all over the world, are struggling for resources and political will to answer these challenges.
The needs are immediate and they will be ongoing, and science is central to solutions. Responding to climate change. Developing sustainable sources of energy. Protecting the health of our oceans. Producing more food. Improving human health and supporting economic development. And even as we work on these issues, we need to engage young women and men and encourage their interest in science and engineering. We must strengthen our schools and universities so that they can provide excellent training and education in these important fields. Building on this foundation, we can help to assure that our young scientists will have good opportunities without leaving the region.
These are complex issues. None of them is easy.
But this is also true: We dohave resources. Look at the tremendous intelligence, experience and commitment assembled in this room. In our young people, we have an incredible resource – of energy and imagination – and they have tools and knowledge of the world that we never had at their age. Now it is up to us to nurture their potential and help it to flower.
There are partners around the world who are eager to work with us. I bring you greetings from colleagues in Italy and at UNESCO, and from the 90-plus nations representedin TWAS. All of us, together, are allies, and I hope that over the next two days we may strengthen our alliances and build new friendships.
Thank you very much.
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