In our concerted efforts to walk the talk of economic diversification, the CIF 2012 proceeds in the vein of last year’s event.
We will continue the conversation, and explore the tangible benefits and business opportunities for the growth areas we have identified as offering the best scope for income generation, as we shift our dependence from the oil and gas sector.
The CIF 2012 will therefore treat with the creative industries including fashion and entertainment, agri-business, maritime services, renewable energy, green business and ICT.
I believe that the Caribbean Investment Forum remains an ideal platform for collectively exploring the business and investment opportunities we offer to each other as developing CARICOM nations, and for showcasing the potential we offer to the world as a politically stable and enabling business investment destination.
Importantly, the CIF also allows Trinidad and Tobago in particular to position itself as the gateway to the Americas, and the leaders of the thrust into Central and South America.
As such, it is imperative that we continue to engage with our neighbours from throughout the Americas to build closer and more fruitful trade and investment ties. And it is with this objective in mind that on Thursday I leave for Cartagena, Colombia to attend the Sixth Summit of the Americas which takes place on the 14th and 15th of this month.
As is my custom during my official overseas visits - you will remember our positive engagements with Brazil, India and later this year with China and South Africa where I have been invited as a keynote speaker.
We will partner with the Private sector and through the Ministry of Trade, Investt and Eteck will invite the Business Community to accompany us on these Missions - I will be heavily promoting Trinidad and Tobago, at our upcoming Caribbean Investment Forum and Caribbean Investment Week to the 34 Heads of State and Government scheduled to attend the Summit.
I have also accepted an invitation from the President of Colombia, His Excellency Juan Manuel Santos to speak at the Americas CEO Summit, which takes place in the margins of the Sixth Summit.
The CEO Summit is organised by the Colombian private sector and will focus on trade and investment opportunities in the Region in areas including energy, natural resources and human capital for a knowledge-based economy.
Specifically, I will address the open forum on Education and Development. There is much that Trinidad and Tobago can contribute to a discourse on Education and Development. It is only through Education that we will be able to grow our Human resources and reduce poverty.
As you know, a major pillar of my Government’s strategy for sustainable development is the creation of a more diversified, knowledge intensive economy. We want to nurture and build on the talents and abilities of our citizens.
We have surpassed the Millennium Development Goal of Universal Primary Education and can boast of Universal Secondary Education. Now at 42% we aim to increase tertiary enrollment to 60%.
I must say thank you to my former Government when I served as Minister of Education for helping me to achieve this goal over 12 years ago of Universal Secondary education. We have also been able to empower our young people through the school laptop program which has been very successful and we now have students in forms one to three enjoying this benefit, with more to come in the next two years.
In addition in the area of tertiary education we have been able to negotiate with Caricom Heads of Government to amend the treaty to allow other Universities to come in to the region to assist with the backlog of law students waiting to do their Bar exams and begin practicing.
GATE has also been expanded to allow for assistance with other programs.
We are also looking at our roads and the impact of lost time on our productivity and so tomorrow we will launch a National Road Program, and we are looking at proposals for a monorail and investors that can offer proposals to build finance and manage these projects.
Reinforced by stakeholder consultations and empirical data, we are transforming our education system to make it more relevant to our students, teachers and the needs of our country, and we are embracing information communication technology to fuel this transformation process.
The CEO Summit is an ideal platform to showcase Trinidad and Tobago to the world not merely in the area of education but also to sell our unparalleled attributes as an investment destination.
Quite significantly, the theme for the Sixth Summit is “Connecting the Americas: Partners for Prosperity”.
There is no doubt that several of the nations of the Americas particularly our Central and Southern American neighbours have performed well during the global financial crisis. But for us to continue to thrive and weather the economic storms that may still lie ahead, there is a greater need to harness the strengths of each nation to the benefit of the whole group.
Many of our nations still grapple with the challenges of widespread poverty, social inequalities, poor access to technology, citizen security and the impact of natural disasters.
Increased bilateral and multilateral co-operation will foster accelerated development and increase the chances of Prosperity for All, a central focus of the government of Trinidad and Tobago.
With regard to this country, the emerging markets of Latin America present an inroad to non-traditional markets – enabling us to look beyond the United States and Europe while strengthening our South/South trade relations.
From tomorrow, we are set to start the first round of negotiations on a Partial Scope Agreement with Guatemala. This will be followed by a Trade Mission to Guatemala from 16th -19th April.
As you know we now have a Memorandum of Understanding with Panama and His Excellency President Ricardo Alberto Martinelli Berrocal is due to be a guest and key speaker at the Caribbean Investment Forum.
The President was a businessman and he continues to conduct his government like a well-oiled business. Opportunities in Panama are tremendous. I urge you to look at these opportunities and speak with the President and his delegation as there are many opportunities for Manufacturing and the energy sector.
We are also partnering with Canada in the area of the Health sector and Hospitals.
Discussions are also ongoing with El Salvador and the Dominican Republic on similar Agreements.
As a Region, CARICOM enjoys trade agreements with Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba and Venezuela. It is time to capitalise on our bilateral relations.
Like the leaders and visionaries who came before us some 50 years ago, it is time to step boldly into paths unknown but with the conviction that we have the capacity and capability to succeed.
The Caribbean Investment Forum is not about me. It is not a public relations tactic. It is about your future, your children’s future and the future of this great Nation and our Region.
We cannot afford to be complacent.
The dynamics of the global economy are constantly changing. We must learn to adapt, innovate and create. We must continually monitor our levels of productivity. As individual nations we must actively seek to move up the ranks of the Global Competitiveness Index.
Within ourselves we have the power to create the social and economic transformations we desire in our Nation and in the Region.
I have also accepted an invitation from the President of Colombia, His Excellency Juan Manuel Santos to speak at the Americas CEO Summit, which takes place in the margins of the Sixth Summit.
The CEO Summit is organised by the Colombian private sector and will focus on trade and investment opportunities in the Region in areas including energy, natural resources and human capital for a knowledge-based economy.
Specifically, I will address the open forum on Education and Development. There is much that Trinidad and Tobago can contribute to a discourse on Education and Development. It is only through Education that we will be able to grow our Human resources and reduce poverty.
As you know, a major pillar of my Government’s strategy for sustainable development is the creation of a more diversified, knowledge intensive economy. We want to nurture and build on the talents and abilities of our citizens.
We have surpassed the Millennium Development Goal of Universal Primary Education and can boast of Universal Secondary Education. Now at 42% we aim to increase tertiary enrollment to 60%.
I must say thank you to my former Government when I served as Minister of Education for helping me to achieve this goal over 12 years ago of Universal Secondary education. We have also been able to empower our young people through the school laptop program which has been very successful and we now have students in forms one to three enjoying this benefit, with more to come in the next two years.
In addition in the area of tertiary education we have been able to negotiate with Caricom Heads of Government to amend the treaty to allow other Universities to come in to the region to assist with the backlog of law students waiting to do their Bar exams and begin practicing.
GATE has also been expanded to allow for assistance with other programs.
We are also looking at our roads and the impact of lost time on our productivity and so tomorrow we will launch a National Road Program, and we are looking at proposals for a monorail and investors that can offer proposals to build finance and manage these projects.
Reinforced by stakeholder consultations and empirical data, we are transforming our education system to make it more relevant to our students, teachers and the needs of our country, and we are embracing information communication technology to fuel this transformation process.
The CEO Summit is an ideal platform to showcase Trinidad and Tobago to the world not merely in the area of education but also to sell our unparalleled attributes as an investment destination.
Quite significantly, the theme for the Sixth Summit is “Connecting the Americas: Partners for Prosperity”.
There is no doubt that several of the nations of the Americas particularly our Central and Southern American neighbours have performed well during the global financial crisis. But for us to continue to thrive and weather the economic storms that may still lie ahead, there is a greater need to harness the strengths of each nation to the benefit of the whole group.
Many of our nations still grapple with the challenges of widespread poverty, social inequalities, poor access to technology, citizen security and the impact of natural disasters.
Increased bilateral and multilateral co-operation will foster accelerated development and increase the chances of Prosperity for All, a central focus of the government of Trinidad and Tobago.
With regard to this country, the emerging markets of Latin America present an inroad to non-traditional markets – enabling us to look beyond the United States and Europe while strengthening our South/South trade relations.
From tomorrow, we are set to start the first round of negotiations on a Partial Scope Agreement with Guatemala. This will be followed by a Trade Mission to Guatemala from 16th -19th April.
As you know we now have a Memorandum of Understanding with Panama and His Excellency President Ricardo Alberto Martinelli Berrocal is due to be a guest and key speaker at the Caribbean Investment Forum.
The President was a businessman and he continues to conduct his government like a well-oiled business. Opportunities in Panama are tremendous. I urge you to look at these opportunities and speak with the President and his delegation as there are many opportunities for Manufacturing and the energy sector.
We are also partnering with Canada in the area of the Health sector and Hospitals.
Discussions are also ongoing with El Salvador and the Dominican Republic on similar Agreements.
As a Region, CARICOM enjoys trade agreements with Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba and Venezuela. It is time to capitalise on our bilateral relations.
Like the leaders and visionaries who came before us some 50 years ago, it is time to step boldly into paths unknown but with the conviction that we have the capacity and capability to succeed.
The Caribbean Investment Forum is not about me. It is not a public relations tactic. It is about your future, your children’s future and the future of this great Nation and our Region.
We cannot afford to be complacent.
The dynamics of the global economy are constantly changing. We must learn to adapt, innovate and create. We must continually monitor our levels of productivity. As individual nations we must actively seek to move up the ranks of the Global Competitiveness Index.
Within ourselves we have the power to create the social and economic transformations we desire in our Nation and in the Region.
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