Dear Editor,
Despite years of failure, it can still be argued that Jamaica is on the cusp of greatness. The reason for this optimism is not the success of the economic reform programme, but rather the ability to exploit the resources at our disposal.
We are hearing about the economic benefits of several commodities from limestone to bamboo, but there does not seem to be a coherent strategy in place to maximise their potential, and creating advisory councils will not solve the problem.
Since Jamaica has over 84 of the 160 recognised medicinal plants in the world, and 27 per cent of the country's plants are only found in Jamaica, we can build on our comparative advantage in pharmaceuticals. It is interesting to note that many of these plants are also used in the production of cosmetics.
Presently, there is a big competition to see which country can create the next Silicon Valley, with places like South Korea creating budgets for technology support. Jamaica, on the other hand, must not create a replica of Silicon Valley. It would be more appropriate to create Herbon Valley, which will be a research complex dedicated to discovering breakthroughs in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. However, Herbon Valley cannot be a success without academia, industry and government working together.
In order for this to become a reality, the Government must get its priorities right. For example, the CHASE Fund, which presently finances sports and other cultural activities, should be restructured. Parliament must repeal the law that established the CHASE Fund and replace it with new legislation creating a Science Foundation. Both the government and private partners could co-fund research projects and institutes, with the Government's share coming from the foundation.
The Science Foundation will also be permitted to distribute grants to any university that is interested in having an institute located in the Valley. By having a world-class research infrastructure, it may become easier to attract multinational corporations. Herbon Valley will also host a facility to house start-ups. Despite its name, it is expected that Herbon Valley will eventually diversify into other areas like biomedical research. The critics will argue that the CHASE Fund also provides health and education with funding, but both sectors already have ministries to provide budgetary support. We must get our priorities right and transfer resources from sports to a sector that really needs it, which is science and technology.
Lipton Matthews
lo_matthews@yahoo.com
Ja needs to innovate
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Despite years of failure, it can still be argued that Jamaica is on the cusp of greatness. The reason for this optimism is not the success of the economic reform programme, but rather the ability to exploit the resources at our disposal.
We are hearing about the economic benefits of several commodities from limestone to bamboo, but there does not seem to be a coherent strategy in place to maximise their potential, and creating advisory councils will not solve the problem.
Since Jamaica has over 84 of the 160 recognised medicinal plants in the world, and 27 per cent of the country's plants are only found in Jamaica, we can build on our comparative advantage in pharmaceuticals. It is interesting to note that many of these plants are also used in the production of cosmetics.
Presently, there is a big competition to see which country can create the next Silicon Valley, with places like South Korea creating budgets for technology support. Jamaica, on the other hand, must not create a replica of Silicon Valley. It would be more appropriate to create Herbon Valley, which will be a research complex dedicated to discovering breakthroughs in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. However, Herbon Valley cannot be a success without academia, industry and government working together.
In order for this to become a reality, the Government must get its priorities right. For example, the CHASE Fund, which presently finances sports and other cultural activities, should be restructured. Parliament must repeal the law that established the CHASE Fund and replace it with new legislation creating a Science Foundation. Both the government and private partners could co-fund research projects and institutes, with the Government's share coming from the foundation.
The Science Foundation will also be permitted to distribute grants to any university that is interested in having an institute located in the Valley. By having a world-class research infrastructure, it may become easier to attract multinational corporations. Herbon Valley will also host a facility to house start-ups. Despite its name, it is expected that Herbon Valley will eventually diversify into other areas like biomedical research. The critics will argue that the CHASE Fund also provides health and education with funding, but both sectors already have ministries to provide budgetary support. We must get our priorities right and transfer resources from sports to a sector that really needs it, which is science and technology.
Lipton Matthews
lo_matthews@yahoo.com
Ja needs to innovate
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