1. Presented by the Honourable Christine Kangaloo Minister of Science, Technology and Tertiary Education at the 2 nd Meeting of Ministers and High Authorities on Science and Technology on Tuesday, October 28, 2008 Science, Technology, Engineering and Innovation as tools for increasing productivity: the case of Trinidad & Tobago

2.  The Caribbean context  The National Vision for Trinidad and Tobago  Education for human capacity building: Trinidad & Tobago and the Caribbean  Technological innovation and competitiveness

3.  Globalisation and its impact on economic, social, cultural, political and technological development  Growth and development: education and innovation  The international environment: the dynamic of competitiveness

4.  To achieve developed country status on or before the year 2020  To be a united, resilient, productive, innovative, and prosperous nation with a disciplined, caring, fun-loving society comprising healthy, happy and well-educated people and built on the enduring attributes of self-reliance, respect, tolerance, equity and integrity, in which …

5.  every citizen has equal opportunities to achieve his fullest potential;  all citizens enjoy a high quality of life, where quality healthcare is available to all and where safe, peaceful, environmentally-friendly communities are maintained;  all citizens are assured of a sound, relevant education system tailored to meet the human resource needs of a modern, progressive, technologically-advancing nation;

6.  Developing innovative people  Nurturing a caring society  Enabling competitive business  Investing in sound infrastructure and environment  Promoting effective Government

7.  Major investments in education at all levels  Encouraging standards of excellence at all levels  Curriculum development to inform improved standards of learning  Teacher training at the UTT  Expanding the number of graduates and post-graduates in science, technology and engineering

8.  Strong political will in support of the vision and attendant strategies  Active participation by the private sector  Popularisation of careers in science, engineering and technology-based professions and skills  Policies that facilitate the protection of innovation, and encourage entrepreneurship  A financial system that supports new ventures

9.  Limitations in human and financial resource capacity linked to population size and infrastructural readiness  Slow pace in creating interest in research and development  Developing strategies to transform new technologies into commercially-viable solutions  Building a community of entrepreneurs

10.  The establishment of the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT)  Financial support to UWI to improve its infrastructure  The establishment of training programmes driven by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Tertiary Education (MSTTE)  The institution of new [financial] incentives to increase tertiary education enrollment

11.  We have engaged in steelpan innovation  We continue to popularise science through exploration and exhibition  We continue to create hybrids in horticulture and livestock  Technological innovation

12.  Close to 100,000 students enrolled  The establishment of Evolving Technologies Knowledge Park (eTecK) and the InTeck Park

13.  Innovative approaches to the revival of agriculture and food production  The establishment, by the UTT of the Centre for Biosciences, Agriculture and Food technology (CBAFT)  The widening of access to tertiary education

14.  Trinidad and Tobago has seen rapid growth fuelled by an innovative, well-manned and productive energy sector  The country now has the opportunity, through improvements in technology and engineering, to follow that success in the non-energy, services and knowledge-based sectors

15. Thank you