CARICOM High-level confab kicks off today in Grenada...

CARICOM High-level confab kicks off today in Grenada…

Jul 04, 2017 News

Strategy to boost human resource development to be presented for approval
The Thirty-Eighth Regular three-day Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government

CARICOM Heads of Government during the 37th Meeting last year at the Guyana National Culture Centre.

of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) will open today in Grenada, under the Chairmanship of the Prime Minister of Grenada Dr. Keith Mitchell.
Following the Opening Ceremony this morning at the Grenada Trade Centre, the Heads of Government will move to the Radisson Grenada Beach Resort for the business sessions which will begin tomorrow and will conclude on Wednesday.
This meeting is expected to include the presentation for approval by the Heads, the Human Resource Development 2030 Strategy and Implementation Plan, to address the development of skills for the 21st century Caribbean economy and society.
Regional Education Ministers, senior education officials and other regional education stakeholders at the 32nd Meeting of the Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) examined the Strategy and would have given the greenlight for it to be presented at this meeting.
The 2030 Strategy has a number of proposals for action. Among them are hot-button issues such as male participation in education; skills required for 21st century demands; the use of technology within the learning environment; and capitalising on the Region’s innate creative skill to ensure it becomes a medium for personal and regional development.
Secretary-General of CARICOM, Ambassador Irwin La Rocque, earlier this year stated that it is critical to move Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics from concepts to real practical outcomes of the educational experience for life skills.
“The importance of getting this Strategy right cannot be overstated. The preparation of our young minds to confront the challenges and accept the opportunities, in the ever-evolving global environment is one of our primary tasks,” the Secretary General said.
The draft Strategy is the work of a Caricom Human Resource Development Commission, mandated by Caricom Heads, and is comprised of leading experts in education and training, along with representatives of the Region’s Private Sector; labour; health; Information Technology and Communication (ICT) and youth bodies. It is chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister of St Kitts-Nevis, Shawn Richards.
This Heads of Government Conference will also welcome its two newest Members the President of Haiti Jovenel Moise who was sworn into office on February 7; and the Prime Minister of The Bahamas Dr. Hubert Minnis who took his oath of office on May 11.
The Heads of Government are also expected to deliberate on outstanding matters related to the implementation of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) following the comprehensive review of the CSME’s performance presented to them at the last Inter-Sessional Meeting in February.
There is also expected to be an update on the preparations for CARIFESTA XIII to be staged in Barbados from August 17, under the theme “Asserting our Culture, celebrating ourselves.
Also, according to the CARICOM website, the work on the Commissions on Reparations and Marijuana are also expected to come under the spotlight. So too, the progress made with implementing the specified actions, agreed a decade ago, under the 2007 Port of Spain declaration to stop the epidemic of Non-Communicable Diseases (NDCs)”.
Regional Security issues are also expected to receive attention.
The Ceremony will be addressed by the outgoing Chairman and President of Guyana David Granger who will also brief his fellow Heads of State, on the Guyana/Border controversy.

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