Technology boost for UWI, UTech and Ross Sheil
published: Saturday | June 4, 2005

Petrina Francis, Gleaner Reporters

THE GOVERNMENT will be pumping $20 million into the development of a research and innovation park at the University of the West Indies (UWI), as well as a biotechnology park at the University of Technology (UTech).

Phillip Paulwell, Minister of Commerce, Science and Technology, made the announcement during his contribution to the 2004/2005 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on Wednesday.

The minister noted that the parks at the universities would serve as a mechanism to link innovative products, which already exist, to capital investment.

According to Mr. Paulwell, the park at the UWI will facilitate research and innovation from local and global knowledge institutions and firms to foster the establishment and growth of science and technology-based enterprises in Jamaica and the Caribbean.

"It will also be the engine of an evolving innovation system for the region. Nine centres are proposed covering analytical services, mariculture, bioscience, eco-tourism/ ecology, web/software solutions, materials research, ICT and electronics, food technology and nanotechnolgy," he disclosed.

The minister noted that the UTech biotechnology park would be developed along similar lines.

UTech's President Dr. Davis told The Gleaner the park "will focus on ... the economic potential of plants that might have a medicinal or therapeutic value and bring in business interests through the JEA."

INDUSTRIAL CLUSTERS

Work on the Mona Research and Innovation Park could start in six to 12 months, said Dr. Howard Reid, director of Applied Sciences at UWI Mona. The initial phase, he said, would last five years, followed by a second five-year phase focused on establishing industrial clusters across based on the park's work.

"We have been able to grow tilapia fish in sea water at commercial levels and we are setting up a plant at the Port Royal Laboratory. We are looking also at commercial possibilities for lobsters and mussels", said Dr. Reid. Of particular interest, he added, was the commercial potential of Jamaica's 120 butterfly species.

Butterfly farming, he noted was worth US$1 billion annually, of which US$120 million was made by Taiwan with most of the Taiwanese producers being small farmers. It was, therefore, a model that could be replicated in Jamaica, he said.