The Government of Antigua and Barbuda will be supporting the establishment of a Centre of Excellence for Oceanography and the Blue Economy at the University of the West Indies Five Islands Campus. The centre aims to advance intellectual progress and strengthen institutional capacity in the areas of marine science and the blue economy while capitalising on the economic opportunities for the Caribbean within this emerging sector.
According to the Honourable Dean Jonas, Minister of the Blue Economy, “Antigua and Barbuda is advantageously positioned to expand the offering of the University of the West Indies Five Islands Campus in this area”. Antigua and Barbuda is one the largest economies in the Eastern Caribbean, has the largest Exclusive Economic Zone in the subregion and its geographical location makes it ideally suited to serve as the home and hub of the region’s blue economy efforts.
Recently, Minister Jonas hosted a meeting in a Roundtable organized by the Antigua and Barbuda High Commissioner, Her Excellency Karen-mae Hill. The roundtable included representatives from the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC), the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) with senior faculty from the University of the West Indies, the University of Dalhousie (Canada), University of Southampton (United Kingdom), James Cook University (Australia), University of Queensland (Australia) and trade experts from Trade and Investment Queensland. The Roundtable explored the feasibility and opportunities available to establish a Centre of Excellence for the blue economy in partnership with the entities present. The objective is to gather leading academic experts, along with industry, to develop an action plan which will lead to the creation of the Centre of Excellence.
Sir Hilary Beckles, Vice Chancellor of the UWI, noted: “Given the vital role of the blue economy to the sustainability and competitiveness of the Caribbean, The UWI welcomes this proposal of the Antigua and Barbuda government and would be pleased to harness its diverse expertise while working closely with the ACU, CWEIC and other partners across the globe, in support of this very important initiative”.
Dr Joanna Newman, MBE FRSA, Chief Executive and Secretary General of the ACU indicated her pleasure “to endorse and support the vision of the Government of Antigua and Barbuda and The University of The West Indies to establish a Centre of Excellence for the Blue Economy in Antigua and Barbuda, within the overall development of a road map to economic sustainability through the blue economy”. Chief Executive of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council, Samantha Cohen welcomed this initiative as an “important step in the diversification of the economy of Antigua and Barbuda and the development of its natural assets to create a secure and environmentally sustainable economic future.”
Antigua and Barbuda, as well as the Caribbean region, stand to benefit from an emerging industry worth USD$2.5 trillion through the diversification of the economy into areas such as aquaculture, marine renewable energy, biotechnology and sea vegetable farming.
These meetings continue the dialogue that Antigua and Barbuda’s Blue Economy Minister has been holding with several organisations including the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Commonwealth Marine Economies Programme (CMEP) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development on developing a blue economy action plan for Antigua and Barbuda.
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You know this reminds me that Stanford was a visionary. One of his plan for Guiana Islands project was the setting up of a Marine Lab in Antigua. And for that to happen he signed contract with two of the renowned universities in the US. Texas A&M and Florida University. If I’m correct the demanded advance payment of $65million USD. In my opinion these two universities should honor their side of this agreement and now work with the UWI in establishing Centre of Excellence in Oceanography and Blue economy. They have been paid already for it anyway
@From The Sidelines…I do agree, that we need such a Department, to advance the study(s), uses and protection of Our marine waters.
Now, can you understand, the importance and significance, of #REDONDA, in terms of Our nautical miles?
Imagine, if a private owner(and, it’s alleged that this is the case, why #REDONDA is not included, in the National Anthem, and on #Official State documents); again, imagine if a private person, or conglomerate owned #REDONDA, they’d be in control of several square miles, of this important asset, to the Nation?
RA Stanford is not the only #Visionary that have graced, our shores. Many are born, and bred Nationals who no one, listen to!
Now, speaking of “advance payments,” our negotiators who’re responsible for the Whaling & Trawling Agreements, with the Japanese, should have at least secured scholarship agreements, in advance for Our students to study the Cultured Pearl Business, in Japan.
Notes From A Native Son Of The Rock! “RA Stanford is not the only #Visionary that have graced, our shores. Many are born, and bred Nationals who no one, listen to!” – Ras Smood, ANR 10192020! “O my body, make of me always a man who questions!” ― Frantz Fanon, Black Skin, White Masks!
From Morris to Skye et al the cry was lamentably ignored! Some jeered derisively when the Nation was described as Antigua and Barbuda included Redonda and the islands of North Sound (the North East Management Area)! Nothing to see or hear! Move along Boys and Gals! UWI as the Premier Caribbean Higher Education Institution has now come to the rescue! Give Praise and Thanks to the Most Merciful and The Benevolent! The Cries have been heard! We Moving On Into The Deep Blue Atlantic and Caribbean Economic Zone!
“The Government of Antigua and Barbuda will be supporting the establishment of a Centre of Excellence for Oceanography and the Blue Economy at the University of the West Indies Five Islands Campus. The centre aims to advance intellectual progress and strengthen institutional capacity in the areas of marine science and the blue economy while capitalising on the economic opportunities for the Caribbean within this emerging sector. … These meetings continue the dialogue that Antigua and Barbuda’s Blue Economy Minister has been holding with several organisations including the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Commonwealth Marine Economies Programme (CMEP) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development on developing a blue economy action plan for Antigua and Barbuda.” – The Association of Commonwealth Universities October 16, 2020!
Let Us Pray for the Centre of Excellence Success at the UWI Five Islands Campus! Where is the Minister Of The MOEST! Anyone who seriously sees such a Centre as an Antigua and Barbuda initiative only being geared towards Antigua and Barbuda does not understand the Vision, Mission and Strategic imperatives of UWI and its modus operandi!
Is this the rehabilitation of the Minister of the Blue Economy! Some had suggested the need for Labour Market Analyses before rushing off into the deep blue! “No phenomena can be apprehended adequately without locating it first. A phenom must be studied and analyzed in relationship to psychological time and space. It must always be located. This is the only way to investigate the complex interrelationships of science and art, design and execution, creation and maintenance, generation and tradition, and other areas bypassed by theory.” – Asante!
Some had suggested creating a trades and technology environment where you can build an imaginable future with innovation and incubation to serve developing industries and workforce! Why the push towards an elite University Centre of Excellence! The “Intelligentia” from the UWI Professorship have convinced the Politicos that the Graduates, Scholars and Researchers, without having accomplished the initial phases of exploration and invention, will build the industry and workforce that are the assets of this social, environmental and financial space! Do you wonder why the People of African descent through out CARICOM do not control the means of Production in many industry sectors!
Some had suggested a merger of ABHTI and ABIIT into a Polytechnic Institute of Technology as the centre of training for the maritime industry in Antigua and Barbuda and the OECS offering programs in navigation, marine engineering, seamanship, fishery, and, maritime safety and security; and, aerospace technology including aircraft maintenance, mechanical engineering, airport operations, and airline and flight operations!
“It goes without saying that the Afrocentrist cannot function properly as a scientist or humanist if he or
she does not adequately locate the phenom in time and space. This means that chronology is as important in some situations as location. The two aspects of analysis are central to any proper understanding of society, history, or personality. Inasmuch as phenoms are active, dynamic, and diverse in our society, the Afrocentric method requires the scientists to focus on accurate notations and recording of space and time. In fact, the best way to apprehend location of a text is to determine where the researcher is located in time and space first. Once you know the location and time of the researcher or author it is fairly easy to establish the parameters for the phenom itself.” – Asante!
ADOMS was the envy of many! Once the second largest ship registry in the Caribbean! Yet neither it nor the Educational system produced mariners for its vast flotilla of vessels even as the numbers continue to dwindle so that it is now sixth in the Caribbean! The Ferry to Montserrat has just returned to SVN! With mega millions of capital investments in infrastructure for five berthing piers, wharves, container piers and logistics, built and proposed six huge yachting marinas, has the education programs kept pace with the labour market demands of a twenty first century technology enabled industry! There are ports which are totally automated and technology enabled! Not one human works the docks! On the Rock, Management has been ceded to other national educated professionals!
Will LIAT rise like the Phoenix from the death blows landed by Covid and the cut team from its Southern Corner! This mere voice in the wilderness having passed on comments to ABLP operatives for transmittal to Executive politicos is most confident of flying the Friendly Skies over Antigua and Barbuda and the North East Caribbean!
Some had suggested, since the Constitution does not require an Army, transform that body into an effective and efficient coast guard, modeled on the Costa Rican Coast Guard! If to appease the old colonial mentality that more muscularity is needed, the Cuban, Canadian or US model can be examined!
Some had suggested, developing a cadet corps for unemployed and at risk youth! Engage the many social development professionals of African Descent on the Rock to design and implement the strategy, structure, systems, culture, quality improvement, monitoring and evaluation protocols!
Some had suggested that Good Neighbourliness with Barbuda may encourage and persuade the scientific and technology enabled fishers to refrain from Inshore fishery and take up Deepsea Fishing within Antigua, Barbuda and Redonda’s Vast Economic Zones in the Caribbean and Atlantic to serve the CARICOM and North Atlantic Markets! The framework already exists within the Blue Halo Initiative! For those who miss it the Caption of this Article does not include Barbuda! GoAB is very clear! These are the little slights perpetrated by some that need to be corrected!
An initiative that did not go unnoticed by the North Atlantics was Grenada’s Blue Strategy under the Maurice Bishop Administration! Why the Mitchell Government with the most far reaching capacity, policies and institutions initiated and developed by Bishop has caused it all to lie in waiting is baffling to the fates!
CARICOM’s Big Three English speaking SIDS have seized the Time and Space for the Educational, Professional, Creative Arts and The Manufacturing Industries! It is of the utmost import that, post Covid, the Antigua and Barbuda Tertiary Educational system be used to develop industry, innovation, incubation and job ready graduates! Will UWI or a National Trades and Technology Institution geared to Antigua and Barbuda’s capacity development be the catalyst for that kind of transformation! Let Us Pray for Town and Gown cooperation to develop the job ready skills needed at all levels of this Strategic Initiative!
That there will be no constructive discussions on this initiative by the politicos, be they the governors or the oppositions, who have been cowed into submission due to their favoured caretaker role rather than a policy or shadow cabinet role, leaves the people with only complimentary press releases and announcements!
“The dynamic, pioneering aspect, the inventive, discoverer-of-new-worlds aspect common to every national bourgeoisie is here lamentably absent. At the core of the national bourgeoisie of the colonial countries a hedonistic mentality prevails—because on a psychological level it identifies with the Western bourgeoisie from which it has slurped every lesson. It mimics the Western bourgeoisie in its negative and decadent aspects without having accomplished the initial phases of exploration and invention that are the assets of this Western bourgeoisie whatever the circumstances. In its early days the national bourgeoisie of the colonial countries identifies with the last stages of the Western bourgeoisie. Don’t believe it is taking short cuts. In fact it starts at the end. It is already senile, having experienced neither the exuberance nor the brazen determination of youth and adolescence.” ― Frantz Fanon, The Wretched of the Earth!
You miss my point. All I’m trying to show here is Stanford as an investor, whom you claim that when they own things would do whatever they like, had more concern for the environment than many of the EAG. And his actions are many. You know how many reef balls he dumped in the sea by north sound. Just to bring back the sea live that our fishermen have depleted with their fishing. A reef ball is like a artificial reef, made from concrete. The operation to get these balls place in such ways on the sea bottom to ensure they don’t form a hazard for the ships was a tedious and costly undertaking. Was it not for the Blue HALO group the Barbuda fishermen would have depleted their fishing grounds long time. We have very irresponsible fishermen in this country. And most of it is because of ignorance. They just don’t know better. They don’t educate themselves about the trade they are in. They just get go out to fish and catch fish.
And apart from your scaremongering which you guys do best, you hardly have investors or developers destroying the very same environment that they will depend on to provide them a return on their investment. As I mentioned one of the studies that the universities would have been involved with is our dying mangrove which no one not even the EAG is talking about. Yes nature will eventually repair itselves but in the meantime we could give nature a little help. And since a mangrove is a plant you can grow it in nurseries and then replace dead mangroves. Many people talk a good talk about environment but look at their action. Not one penny will they spent to do something about it.
@From The Sidelines…your thoughts on this are as solid, as #DAGALOG swept out to sea, surging a hurricane. Not only are you off course, and bouncing haplessly around, not knowing which direction to turn, not even modern technology’s can locate your position.
Is that all your contribution. Wow. Very intelligent.
@From The Sidelines…in the indoctrination(s), of HUEmans as they are molded by #Society, they’re taught, that “…everything is black and white.”
I, recently realized, that even #Noise is categorized, as both #BlackNoise and #WhiteNoise.
Our Nation produces both of course, and the #WhiteNoise is always around, versus the #BlackNoise which shows up once in a while. As with everything else in Nature, #Noise is used to describe HUEman behavior(“U rass no weary mek noise, and nar say nutten.” A term used by Our elders), and you, #FromTheSidelines already know, from your indoctrination(s), in “Black n White,” which category of noise describes you at your best!(U big, loud, Black mouth always a chat, rasishness! Translation…when you open your mouth, to speaks nothing but hot virus and bacteria air, and we know how funky that aroma can be, comes out).
Now, such is the case with your statement, of “…stanford was a visionary!” Just a friendly reminder, so too are crooks.
There is simply no need, to veer off into the RA Stanford saga, since, we all know the outcome, of this #Visionary.
Again, Antigua, Barbuda & Redonda have produced many untold, and unsung visionaries, John French II is one such, even though, he’s like the #FallingTree in the jungle, this case, the Antiguan HUEman concrete jungle.
As, for myself, I’ve learnt my lesson’s well in terms of #sharing ideas, concepts etc, especially with those charlatans and chameleons, #WHO’RE always ready and available to steal your ideas, and promote them, as their own.
However, I’ll leave you, with a synopsis, of one such idea. Your present Minister of Health is now promoting “healthy lifestyles” as in diet/nutrition, exercise(physical, mental, spiritual), to deal with things such as this #Pan? #Plan? #Epi? DEMIC, something which folks like myself, and the RastafarI Community’s have being promoting and advocating for for decades, prior to the arrival of the American Buccaneer, aka Stanford, aka a Double Agent Spy! This not even you can refute; therefore, one can easily ASSume, that the #BlackNoise which you continue to make, is nothing to be afraid of, it’s normal coming from someone like you.
Not, only were many of Us advocating and supporting higher education learning, in things such as Agriculture, We never got the support, of Our Government like the visionary, crook, thief, spy Stanford. Not from Vere C. Bird, Sr to Baldwin Spencer.
PM Browne have come to realize, the need and necessity for such a shift in how the Nation views, the three(3) basic staples of life, as in food, shelter and clothing; and, for this not only do I commend him, I hope these endeavors are successful, especially, for the youths forwarding into their future.
In conclusion, not only are #BlackNoises and #WhiteNoises necessary in life, like the yin/yang, positive/negative, they compliment each other; therefore, your loud, big mouth is necessary and welcome to spread the good of Our Nation, it only needs to be corrected, and control to utilize its effectiveness, to rass!
Wow. Wow Wow. How one sentence can provoke a whole epistle. While writing all of this were you stone. I mean you had to be on something. But I’m glad you got it out. Now you can go back lay in your hammock and enjoy yet another spliff. I think I’m gonna have one too. Never too old to get a height. Irie, Jah Rastafari. Forever Living forever fearing. Give Thanks.
By the way you know what you said is a whole lot of mumbo jumbo. But to each his own. Stanford was a visionary and his vision was perhaps not share by many at the time. Baldwin Certainly didn’t had a vision. But my present PM certainly also has a vision. And in a nutshell that is put into a mission statement ‘to make Antigua and Barbuda an Economic Powerhouse”. I guess his vision and Stanford vision would have complemented each other. We would have had university longtime. As Stanford had offered the UPP to build a school of excellence which he pledged to donate US$25million to build it. I could go on and on. But who cares its now all in the past. Never to be returned. Let move forward now with our new visionary leader the Honorable Dr. Gaston Browne. Blessed. And wasn’t that the point I was making that this University is doing something that someone else was trying to do some fifteen years ago.
Excuse me while I light my spliff.
@From The Sidelines…your utterances are typical, of a drunk #Garrat, at a Rum Shop after being served, several shots of Cavalier White Rum, of course paid for, by the enthusiastic #Foreigner, whose pumping you Rum, so that you can sell your own out.
Asot, taught many of you well, now you’re throwing him to the hounds.
Rest assured, still water runs deep! Be mindful, of reaping what you sow! It’s generational, and transitional when it comes, to HUEmans!
You’re not high enough yet, to reach these #Heights!
Know the difference….
Take your own advise. Sometimes taking your own medication is the best thing to do.
And remember it takes on drunk to know another drunk. Same goes for a junk. How can you know how high I am. As I say, excuse me while I light my spliff. Come over here let me show you.
(Rev. 1:10) What does it mean that John was “in the Spirit”
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