Jamaica Chamber Of Commerce President Advocates Stronger Nexus Between Commerce and Science & Technology
MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica – President of the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce and Attorney-at-Law Milton Samuda has challenged the University of the West Indies (UWI) to foster a stronger nexus between commerce and science and technology. Addressing the Board retreat of the American Foundation for the University of the West Indies (AFUWI) at Golden Castle in Montego Bay recently, Mr. Samuda lauded the Foundation for its efforts in garnering the resources to fund not just an institution but by extension the participation of deserving young people in our region.
The JCC President commended the institution’s vision with regard to the implementation of research/innovation across the various campuses, which brings the business community together with students, researchers and applied scientists. To this end, Mr. Samuda encouraged the UWI to tell its story boldly and unapologetically. “Most people, for instance, might now be aware of the groundbreaking work – and subsequent commercialization – done with respect to the use of marijuana derivatives for a range of ocular problems, but how many are aware of the other work done in a range of other areas by our own homegrown talent?” Samuda noted.
According to the noted attorney-at-law, “many of the world’s major universities are the spawning grounds of new businesses, with today’s largest international brands – particularly in ICT and biotechnology directly originating in the classrooms of tertiary institutions (even though it must be admitted that some of the leading examples decided to drop out of university to pursue their business ideas!)”. Mr. Samuda pointed out that we not only need to ensure that our firms achieve international competitiveness for their sustainability, but we must also encourage the stimulation of a multiplicity of new businesses. The Jamaica Chamber of Commerce head asserts that there is much more that we can and must do for the institution of higher learning to do more for our children – our future.
In his remarks, Mr. Samuda urged UWI to deepen its role in fostering entrepreneurship. He said this ought to be undertaken within a context where there can no longer be much argument that our economic future is tied to our performance in the services industries (led by tourism, the creative and other IP-driven industries) and in niche agribusiness and a few other areas. “We need to be seeing more businesses creatively investigating and exploiting the niches that offer us best opportunities and doing so hand in hand with the indigenous output of R&D including that from UWI,” remarked Samuda.
He noted that even while we have witnessed an expansion in the number of institutions in the marketplace of learning, we are providing tertiary education to less than 6% of our nationals. “That level of tertiary education cannot make our regional countries internationally competitive; it cannot make our people internationally competitive; it cannot lead to the type of economic growth that fuels us toward our developmental goals”, emphasized Samuda.
The JCC President had high praises for the “Adopt a Student Program” the brain child of AFUWI Partnership Board Chairman, Lowell Hawthorne (CEO of GoldenKrust Caribbean Bakery and Grill) as one major initiative which would go a far way in enabling a number of eligible nationals desirous of continuing their education beyond the secondary level, to be able to afford to take that step.
