By Audia Barnett, Ph.D.ContributorALTHOUGH MOST of us will scoff at the thought that science is within our personal reach and use, our daily lives and cultural heritage indicate otherwise. It really all depends on how we view the discipline of science. Simply put, science relates to a system of knowledge of living and non-living things. We, therefore, have heard of natural science, physical science, health science and social science, among others. It is from this concept of 'knowledge' that our Jamaican parlance 'science' evolved to where more than average knowledge is had on chemicals and their reactions, plant extracts, etc. It is felt by many that it is in this knowledge that resides the 'power'.
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER
We have heard that we are in a knowledge society, and that knowledge is power, but many of our local 'science men' and the like have not only known this for a long time but also managed to maintain prosperous livelihoods.
News recently broke of a tribe in Namibia currently living on the fringes of destitution, which now stands to reap millions of United States dollars as a result of their traditional knowledge. They have a long history of using a particular type of cactus to stave off hunger while they go on long hunting trips. The developed world, which is fighting obesity -- in stark contrast to developing countries fighting against starvation, has recognised the value of this plant and feverish work is under way to bring the active ingredient in this plant to market. This promises to be a real-life Cinderella story, where poverty is being wiped out as a result of the application of science. The downside of course is the fact that the ethnicity and cultural distinctiveness of indigenous peoples such as these are being eroded with the inevitable westernisation that comes with wealth.
SPORTS, MUSIC, TOURISM
Let us not lose sight of the big picture. The fact is that the prudent application of science is the single most likely action to position a country such as Jamaica in the race called survival. Speaking of race -- sports science is one which we need to pay a lot more attention to... and here we do not speak of enhancement drugs. Jamaica has managed to attract more than average attention in all sporting activities in which the country participates. Our consistency is less than desired though. Innovative work at the University of Technology (UTech) has demonstrated how computer-aided technology can assist performance in cricket. This and other initiatives should be encouraged. Taking a look at the developed countries, one will realise that application of scientific principles is being used to keep ahead of the game. We should take heed.
Music is another area in which we have an inherent claim. Due to the unprecedented strides made in the area of information and communication technologies (ICTs), persons can download music bytes and create rhythms indistinguishable from our own with little effort. Our whiz kids and information technology experts are being called on here to design ways to help us use this to our advantage. Protection of our intellectual property (IP) has been recognised as a priority area for our music. Stringent laws (with teeth) have to ensure that we reap the benefits of our creativity. Indeed, such a law was passed in 1993 and should be enforced without further delay. It must also be emphasised that since innovation is going to provide the 'edge' in whatever we do, our IP has to be protected for everything.
SCIENCE HAS A VITAL ROLE
Only a few artisans will recognise that science has a vital role to play in the quality of their work. But it does. Having an intimate knowledge and understanding of the nature of the materials being worked with, reveals then how science complements art. The results are guaranteed to add value.
We have already begun to reap the benefits of eco-tourism. Acknowledging our rich biodiversity, Jamaica has been capitalising on only a fraction of the possibilities to date. Imagination and foresight coupled with science can open opportunities to new businesses and support services with the potential to surpass the Costa Rican success stories. After all, we have the brand Jamaica! Exciting prospects also lie in health tourism, from our salubrious and relaxing hills to our natural springs and rustic villages and coves. Could they not be recuperating centres for the convalescent from the frigid climes? The possibilities are mind-boggling - but will only be sustainable with due exploitation of that system of knowledge we call 'science'.
TECHNOLOGY-DRIVEN
AGRICULTURE
The Scientific Research Council (SRC) has decided to highlight technology-driven agriculture and agro-processing this November Science and Techno-logy Month.
Notable contributors to the development of agriculture in Jamaica include T.P. Lecky, Ren Gonzalves, and A.J. Thomas, with several promising young scientists currently involved in exciting cutting-edge agricultural research. This should provide reassurance that Jamaica has a strong scientific discipline to address our agricultural challenges. Scientific research does not guarantee immediate benefits. While not advocating reinventing the wheel, we must recognise that we have to commit for the long haul. We have to identify our local priorities in the context of the potential for a competitive advantage and world trends. Then we need money! Investment in scientific research is a critical factor which is often overlooked. Recent initiatives such as the Government of Jamaica Technology Investment Fund, and the Inter-American Development Bank-funded Agricultural Support Services Project (ASSP) are two admirable examples of providing grant funds for scientific re-search. More is needed though. Since we are competing in a marketplace with technologically advanced countries, every effort should be made to ensure that our traders can indeed compete. This calls for financial support for research, product development, testing, validating and marketing.
Borrowing from the SRC's credo - let us make science and technology work for you!
