By Petrina Francis , Gleaner ReporterPROFESSOR REX Nettleford, former vice-chancellor of the University of the West Indies, suggested on Wednesday that attempts at regional integration should rest on greater tolerance among the peoples of Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member states.
"I would hope that part of the preparation for regional integration is a policy of openness more openness that will discourage the xenophobia (hatred or fear of foreigners) that one still gets among a number of CARICOM members," he said, while speaking at the National Council on Technical Vocational Education & Training (NCTVET) Workforce Certification Conference. This was held at the Knutsford Court Hotel in St. Andrew recently.
"Much of this is a factor of history, admittedly, but we have to overcome it. Understanding is necessary on all sides," said Professor Nettleford. "The CSME (Caribbean Single Market and Economy) is designed, after all, to create a single
economic space that enables the free
movement of people, goods and services and capital across the Caribbean, with the Caribbean diaspora thrown in for good
measure where appropriate," he said.
TECHNICAL WORKFORCE
He noted that the workforce must be critical to this by way of the facilitation of its free movement and rational mobilisation across borders.
"Excellence in the holding of the skills needed is, therefore, paramount. Curricula must be geared to producing people who are more than technical practitioners capable of sprinting but not ready, as I have often said, for long distance running," Nettleford said.
He told the conference, which was held under the theme, 'Workforce Competitiveness for Regional Integration', that, although international tertiary institutions are cropping up, "the integration effort will be well served if other Caribbean young people were encouraged into programmes offered in any of our countries."
The CSME, with its emphasis on free movement of skills, labour, goods and services across the region, is due to be fully implemented by December 2005; but Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados and Jamaica will initiate the single market next January. A later phase of integration, the single economy, involving the setting of common economic targets is to be implemented in 2008.
