Closing Remarks – Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Clement Sankat

THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES
ST. AUGUSTINE, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO, WEST INDIES
OFFICE OF THE CAMPUS PRINCIPAL
Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Clement Sankat, BSc (UWI), MSc (UWI), PhD (Guelph), FIAgrE, CEng, FAPETT
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Closing Remarks by the Campus Principal
Forum on the Future of the Caribbean
“Disruptive Thinking. Bold Action. Practical Outcomes”
Hyatt Regency, Port-of-Spain
Thursday 7th May, 2015 | 6.00pm
 Good evening distinguished ladies and gentlemen!
 This evening, we draw the curtains down on a Forum that I can only describe as
special and differentiated! This Forum, though it took many of us out of our
comfort zones, was a very important event for the countries of the wider Caribbean
Region and by extension the people of the Western Hemisphere and the Global
South. The beauty of this Forum has been that all of us have come to this
conference, in a way, as students. We have come with the belief that we all have
something to learn from each other, and that we all have something to contribute to
the future of our region.
 I was truly pleased to see at St. Augustine many young people presented and
contributed to the discussions. It was a Forum that had a large number of students
who were prepared to raise their voices. I was also pleased with the diversity of
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presenters. We had persons not only from across the English-speaking Caribbean,
but from the French and Spanish-speaking Caribbean. We also had persons from
places like Argentina, Paris, Malta, and Canada among many other places. The
questions and comments from the floor and from the audience were always very
though-provoking, sometimes even unsettling ……. but this is the type of
discussion and discourse we need at this juncture in our history as we try to move
our Region forward! It was Dr. Antonio Prado who said on the first day that, “we
need disruptive thinking for a disruptive age”.
 This forum has made it clear that we need to find a way to accelerate Caribbean
convergence. We have heard from you that as individual countries we are too
small to succeed in today’s world. What we heard was based on several technical
assessments that noted that our private and public sectors would be more efficient
if we consider them unified. We have also heard Institutional redundancies have
become characteristic of our region when considered as a whole. Many of these
can be rationalised if we are capable of finding a path that accelerates Caribbean
convergence.
Moreover, when we add to these facts, an analysis of our
“Caribbeanness”, we see a unanimous clamour for faster integration. Yet the
actions that we need to execute to accelerate this process just take too long, or are
sometimes never implemented! I hear you clearly expressing your frustration for
lack of action at the national and regional levels. In fact, over these past three
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days, we have been reminded that we appear to be comfortable with “business as
usual,” and that our institutions are stuck. You clearly told us that you wanted
action, and you wanted such action now! I share your frustration.
 In the Forum you made multiple proposals on many important issues. These
proposals were good because they showed the enormous task ahead. Moreover,
during the Forum it was clear that you were willing to engage and participate in
finding answers to our challenges. You were trying to be the solution to our
problems. But I confess, that a brief analysis of these proposals shows the
enormous challenges that we as a region must address together. We (and I mean,
me, you and all the partners involved) need time to digest and think about
everything that was said in the last three days so we can agree on the most practical
ways to move action.
 I am of the belief that we cannot, and probably should not, try to summarize at this
moment everything that was said at this Forum. We did, however, identify five (5)
broad themes that have been repeated throughout. These themes resonated
strongly, and I wish to present them to you.
1. Firstly, we need a clearer long-term vision of where we are going as a
region. This will shape the intermediary milestones that we need in order to
meet the expectations of Caribbean people, our people, all of us.
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2. Secondly, we realize that we are already part of a process in motion, a
multiplex world that requires coordinated responses within a broadened
Caribbean space.
3. Thirdly, the necessity as we plan for the future, to focus on our youth. This
requires a regional multifaceted approach that includes a focus on
education, talent development, Youth unemployment, poverty reduction
and wealth creation with a strong emphasis on entrepreneurship.
4. Fourthly, we need a regional disaster prevention, emergency support and
reconstruction facility. As we learned in this Forum, we are exposed to
natural disasters but we are not properly prepared to deal with them.
Moreover, we also learned from Minister Dookeran that these natural
disasters are not the exception but the norm for our region when considered
as one.
5. And finally, we have heard that Policy has to be driven by knowledge, data
generation and research.
 These broad themes summarise what was presented. But you and I need more
than this. As I confessed to you before, we need time to digest and understand
the implications of concrete proposals that should come out of our disruptive
thinking sessions. The steering committee behind this forum will meet in two
weeks to define a work programme.
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The work programme will include
concrete actions. We will also identify who will take the lead on these actions
and establish timelines for implementation.
 I should also mention that we welcome suggestions and recommendations
before we meet, so that we may consider them for inclusion in the work
programme. We will keep the communications open to you; please use our
website for submitting your inputs. When we have prepared the programme,
we will announce it and make it public for your additional comments and
suggestions.
 Ladies and gentlemen, the regional University of the West Indies, a unique
university which is supported by the governments of 16 states of the Caribbean
and stands tall as a model for collective action and Caribbean Regionalism is
poised and ready to do our part. Let us remember that in today’s global
environment, this call for solidarity and collective Regional action is
fundamental for the prosperity and survival of our countries and small island
developing states.
 With that said ladies and gentlemen, I extend heartfelt thanks to those
institutions and individuals who have contributed to the success of this Forum.
I extend heartfelt thanks to the:
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 Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Honourable Winston Dookeran, and his
team from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs;
 United Nations Resident Coordinator in Trinidad and Tobago, Mr.
Richard Blewitt and his team from the entire United Nations System in
Trinidad and Tobago; the CARICOM Secretary General, His Excellency
Irwin LaRocque; the Deputy Secretary General of the Commonwealth
Secretariat, Mr. Deodat Maharaj and his staff; the Secretary General of the
Association of Caribbean States (ACS), His Excellency Alfonso Munera
Cavadia; the Representative of CAF in Trinidad and Tobago, Mr. Iwan
Sewberath, OAS Representative, Mr. Riyad Insanally and all our other
international partners.
 The Ambassador of Mexico and the Mexican Government.
 I also express thanks to Professor Patrick Watson and his team from
SALISES; Professor Andy Knight of IIR and Prof Miguel Carillo of the
UWI ALJGBS and my own colleagues from the Principal’s Office –
Debra Coryat-Patton, Mrs. Betty Mc Comie, Shelly-Ann Patrick Harper
and Tessa Horne; and our team from Marketing and Communications led
by Dr. Dawn-Marie DeFour-Gill;
 Thanks to Josanne Leonard for managing the process of our deliberation,
keeping us focused and strenuously on time.
 I also express thanks to Russell George of Hyatt Regency and his team for
their warm service.
 And finally and most importantly I thank all our presenters including our
Vice Chancellor, Sir Hilary Beckles and all participants for contributing
fresh radical ideas to drive our Region forward – you have all made this
occasion historic and memorable! You have stayed the course!
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 Remember, it is imperative that we focus our attention on mechanisms and
modalities for translating concepts into ACTION! Failure is not an option!
 I thank you and do enjoy the rest of the evening!
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