Dr David Smith, Coordinator, Institute for Sustainable Development UWI

Research POLICY Here be Dragons!

 The Nature of Science  Public Understanding of Science  Religion in the Public Square  Data Collection, Management and analysis  Governance  Opacity  The Balance between public good and private enterprise

 Timely access to good relevant research evidence  Research collaborations with policy-makers  Building relationships between researchers and policy makers Oliver et al. 2014

SeychellesGrenadaMauritiusJamaicaSamoaNauruGuyanaBotswana Debt:GDP ratio (%) NA Debt service % of exports NA Energy use kg of oil equivalent /$1000 GDP NA23586 WB Loan category IBRDBlendIBRD IDANAIDAIBRD Population860,00105,0001,300,0002,700,000187,8209,800756,0002,000,000

SeychellesGrenadaMauritiusJamaicaSamoaGuyana Population860,00105,0001,300,0002,700,000187,820756,000 Government spending % of GDP # of 3° education students /100,000 NA Murders per 100, Corruption Perception Index 4.8NA HDI

CountryHDIHDI RankCPI RankSchool Years Singapore /10.2 Barbados /9.4 Bahamas /10.9 Cape Verde /3.5 Samoa /10.3 Cuba /10.2 Jamaica /9.6 Trinidad /10.8 Dominican Republic /7.5 Guyana /8.5 Haiti /4.9

 CHIK V ▪ At the end of October 2014 Jamaica had reported 700 suspected cases, compare to Antigua 1249, Dominica 3745 and Grenada ▪ As of last week Jamaica 1669, Antigua 1440, Dominica 3598 and Grenada ▪ Either Jamaica’s management of the disease was the best in the world or there are some problems with the data. ▪ DR 539,000, Haiti 65,000 PR 25,000 (from PAHO

 Free information from Government websites  NOAA  WRA Jamaica  Forestry Department

 Forge closer technical relationships  Government to fund research in areas it is interested in:  Create a Regional Science & Technology Development Fund  Funded by Governments (e.g. T&T Green Fund)  Private Sector  Universities  Caribbean Unis or scientists eligible

 Increase the amount of data available to the public  Change data sharing policies so that other Government agencies and academia have full access to data  Improve vastly the communication of research information to policy makers and the public

Thank You