Seaga
DISTINGUISHED RESEARCH Fellow and former leader of the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), Edward Seaga, is calling on government and the University of the West Indies (UWI) to invest in a biotechnology park.
In his first address since taking on his new role at UWI, Mr. Seaga said the project has the potential to reap huge financial returns, adding that he is optimistic the project can bring career opportunities and foster a deeper interest in the study of science at the secondary school level.
Mr. Seaga was yesterday delivering the feature address at the annual Graduate Students' Conference.
Drawing reference to the Cuban biotechnology industry, he said its financial returns in 1992 stood at over US$800,000.
A Jamaican industry of any comparable size would be among the major foreign exchange earners in the Jamaica economy, he pointed out.
The former JLP leader noted that although the project would seem daunting in scope, his experiences had shown that good projects usually find funding, even if they need to be phased in over a period of time. He also pointed to the fact that the UWI already has an active biotechnology centre.
MORE THAN A PARK
"I would support it wholeheartedly but I would go further than it being a park," said Arnoldo Ventura, special adviser to the prime minister on science and technology. He said that he would recommend the development of a a research and development centre because Jamaica has a significant capacity to utilise biotechnology skills.
Mr. Seaga explained that Jamaica has some 827 plants, which comprise one of the largest numbers of endemic species in the world. This, he noted, opens possibilities for wider investigation of potential use in the development of marketable pharmaceutical and neutraceutical products.
"The fact that nearly 300 of this botanic group are already extinct, endangered or vulnerable, makes stronger efforts in this field imperative to both protect and conduct urgent investigations for development potential," Mr. Seaga explained. He warned that in the event efforts are not made locally to capitalise on the industry, the way will be left open for external interest to investigate and exploit the potential of these species.
A biotechnology park is often the focal point of technological innovation. It also provides sustainable linkages among industry, research institutes and academia.
