Human resource capacity building critical to surviving EPA – COHSOD

Nov 20, 2008 News

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The wider development implications of the recently signed Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) reside in the provisions for technological cooperation, technology and intellectual property.

As such, the major implications, particularly to the educational sector in the Caribbean, are in the ability to capitalise on initiatives for increased competitiveness, innovativeness, networking alliances, adaptability and flexibility.

In addition, there is need for giving priority to building human resource capability, marrying information and communication technology (ICT) and information and communication management (ICM), and constantly assessing the links between training and academic education, particularly as they relate to “background” skills required to keep pace in a variety of areas ranging from intellectual property to market access.

“In this way the negative consequences for public universities will be reduced, market commitments of EU suppliers stimulated, and permit education suppliers to respond more adequately to the requirements of the labour force of the second millennium.”

These principles are embedded in the communiqué issued by the recently concluded 17th meeting of the Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) at the International Conference Centre.

The EPA and its implications for the education sector in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) were featured during the opening ceremony of the forum. It took the form of a panel discussion led by Carl Greenidge, Deputy Senior Director, Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery (CRNM), Dr. Henry Jeffrey, local Minister of Foreign Trade and International Cooperation, and Celine Amerlone of the European Commission (EC).

The EPA was discussed in depth as it relates to the education sector.

The panellists identified the basic structure of the service, investment provisions that provide the framework for the services, and market access of particular relevance to educational services.

While different countries operate different educational sub-sectors at the primary, secondary, tertiary and continuing learning levels, it was pointed out that provision has been made in the EPA schedule for limitations on market access and national treatment granted to foreign service suppliers.

As such, this means, for example, that opportunities exist for Caribbean education and training institutions to supply services by either establishing them in the European Union (EU) or via the Internet, online or correspondence courses. On the other hand, the European Union citizens could acquire Caribbean education services if privately provided and paid for by individuals.

The discussion also focused on important opportunities beyond the education schedule that were relevant to the region’s educational agenda. These include the cultural protocol related to entry into the European Union by artists and other cultural practitioners, rules of services related to mutual recognition of educational qualifications within three years, training with respect to foreign languages, business techniques and measures, databases and access to independent professionals for legal advisory services, computer and related services, research and development services, market research and opinion polling and translation and interpretation services.

The opening ceremony of the COHSOD meeting was addressed by the CARICOM Deputy Secretary-General, Ambassador Lolita Applewhaite, who noted the achievements of the education sector over the past decade, underscored the important role of education in regional integration, and challenged the meeting to use education to build human capital, thus ensuring that people remain at the centre of development.

Bertrand Joseph, the Minister of Education of Antigua and Barbuda and interim Chair of the Council, drew reference to the strong connection between health and education, and pointed to the important role that education should play in creating awareness of preventive strategies and behaviour change necessary to improving wellness and maintaining healthy lifestyles.

He asserted, further, that the education agenda for the 21st Century must consider the diversity in the human experience, and must intersect with other disciplines, such as culture, cultural industries and edutainment, to reach the widest cross section of the population.

In delivering the welcome address, the local Minister of Education, Shaik Baksh, outlined the several challenges which he stated had evolved into a socio-economic crisis confronting the region.

He, nevertheless, expressed optimism that the regional education sector could facilitate a response by producing quality leadership for both the public and private sectors, which, in his estimation, were the engines of economic growth and development.

He also underscored the need for greater collaboration among tertiary level institutions as well as among Ministers of Education within the region.

Dr Edward Greene, Assistant Secretary-General, Human and Social Development, CARICOM Secretariat, who chaired the opening ceremony, had also emphasised the importance of expediting the implementation of education policies and programmes within CARICOM.

Notwithstanding, he enumerated several successes of the education system, noting that much had been done by way of implementation, chief of which, he cited, were the work of the CXC in providing quality standards and comparable certification at the secondary and post secondary levels; and the achievement by Member States of most of the targets for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

President Bharrat Jagdeo has long been a staunch opposition element to the EPA as is, citing that the country was not ready for reciprocity of the trade of services with the EU.

He had refused to sign with the other leaders recently in Barbados, but was forced to have the country sign the agreement, given that the alternative threat of tariffs on Guyana’s exports would have made it uncompetitive on the European market.

In October, Dr. Patrick Gomes, Guyana’s Ambassador to the European Union (EU), signed the Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union at the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, London.

The President, during a press briefing at State House following the signature, did express some amount of vindication at what he called an achievement of a milestone.

Jagdeo noted that one aspect of the victory was the five-year review of the EPA with a view to improving it as time progresses.

The EU had also agreed to take note of the Treaty of Chaguaramas as it relates to the conflicts with the EPA.

The EPA between the EU and the CARIFORUM group of Caribbean countries was negotiated between 2004 and 2007 after previous trade arrangements failed to stimulate development and were challenged as discriminatory at the WTO.

It is a binding international agreement that, according to the EU, fully complies with WTO rules and provides security for Caribbean traders and investors.

The deal includes chapters on trade in goods; trade in services; investment; competition; innovation and intellectual property; public procurement and development aid.

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