Monday, 14th March 2005 at 11:00 a.m.
Wyndham Crystal Ball Room – Cable Beach

I am pleased to be here today to launch this Science and Technology Careers Exposition whose primary aim is exploring opportunities for young men and women in science and technology.

I cannot overstate the importance of Science and Technology to the development of modern societies, including The Bahamas.  The most important function of science is to generate technological innovation, resulting in economic prosperity.  It is an integral component of the mosaic of civilisation, as it exists today.  Our dream for a prosperous nation will become a reality when enterprising young Bahamians successfully use science and technology to innovate new products and services.

My government’s commitment to encouraging innovation in science and technology has been further promoted, I am pleased to announce, by the development of a Road Map for the Advancement of Science and Technology in The Bahamas.

This Road Map is intended to provide direction and guidance for focusing and accelerating national development in these important areas.  As such, the Road Map places emphasis on building national and local capacity within the field of science and technology.  It also outlines the benefits of promoting innovation and undertaking the development and advancement of scientific and technological knowledge, capabilities and systems, on a broad, national scale.

In a recent presentation to the Rotary Club of Southeast Nassau, Mrs. Beverly J. T. Taylor (Assistant Director of Education, Science & Technology Section, Ministry of Education) noted “The conclusions of the UN Commission on Science and Technology for Development speak of the knowledge-based mode of competition as part and parcel of the widening of global trade, finance, investment and information in a single, integrated global market, such that how countries position themselves on the path to sustainable growth and development is how they apply Science & Technology to the production of goods and services.

Thus, the ability of a country to initiate and sustain economic growth over the long run is highly dependent on innovation, that is, the extent to which Science & Technology outputs are converted into increased wealth by the productive sector.  Further, a key to the capacity of business entities to innovate is access to a highly skilled, creative and adaptive work force.”  The wealth and prosperity of a nation depend on the effective utilization of its human and material resources.

In developing countries around the globe, science and technology are essential ingredients to eliminating poverty.  Unfortunately, small and disadvantaged states are less capable than developed ones to develop the infrastructure.  The needs of developing countries are also very different from those of developed countries.  Through science and technology, we will be able to bridge the gap between the developing and developed world.

The economic GDP of The Bahamas has grown significantly over the years and today sits at around $5.049 billion, or $16,700 per capita.  It is questionable whether this level of growth and productivity could have been possible without the prevalent use of Science and Technology. Look around you and you will see the impact that science, engineering, architecture and technology have had upon your daily lives and the meaningful rewards that they continue to afford you -- from the very cars you drive every day to and from work, most of the time without worry, your fancy new GSM telephones, computers, jet transport and fast ferry transport, to the water you drink produced nowadays with the convenience of modern technology through reverse osmosis, and also most of the food you eat, notwithstanding important medical and health science breakthroughs, and critical social reform based on social scientific scrutiny.

The need for science-based solutions in solving present problems is increasing every day. We need to address challenges such as the impact of hurricanes on our building structures and coastal areas, the vulnerability of our islands to sea level rise, HIV and AIDS, and the introduction of suitable technologies to improve food security and maintain adequate supplies of fresh water.

Science is the study of nature and Technology is the outcome of Science. “Technology is a major essential force of the modern era, and Science is the beginning of Technology.”  Many new and important scientific endeavours are being undertaken daily in our communities, and their impacts are clearly being felt and are considered vital to societal development.  Of note, we have recently seen how the Department of Fisheries has taken a science-based approach to assist with the conservation and protection of the Nassau Grouper, through the implementation of a short closure of the fishing season for the replenishment of this fish stock.

We have seen the impact of urban renewal, redevelopment and social reform on the social strata of our existence, and many other science-based revelations and discoveries that help to retard environmental degradation and promote sustainable development.  The continued operation of the Exuma Land and Sea Parks and other important protected and recreational areas have been especially rewarding to the quality of life enjoyed by so many, particularly by those directly involved in the fishing, hospitality and tourism industries, and by extension all other persons impacted by these sectors of the economy.

These best practices are all the results of careful scientific undertakings and the findings obtained through systematic scientific inquiry, conducted by researchers in higher educational institutions, community activists, environmentalists and concerned private citizens, and they bode well for good sound economic development, advancement and progress.

In order for science and technology to advance, it must become entrenched within our culture.  The popularisation of science and technology will play a crucial role in promoting the social and economic development of The Bahamas.  Science needs to be perceived as an integral part of our culture, and must be ingrained in our behaviour, and in the way we think and react to things.

Working together and armed with the knowledge of scientific matters, it becomes unquestionably clear that we can indeed build a better economy, maintain and sustain a clean environment, and nurture healthful living. As it stands now we in The Bahamas rely heavily on our natural resources for economic growth, whether directly or indirectly. In some cases this reliance is to the detriment of the precious resource being used. However, the creation and adoption of new scientific techniques can, make up for a deficiency in natural resources, and reduce the demands on capital.

To make all of this happen we need to continue to encourage scientific and useful, profitable, and environmentally friendly technological pursuits.  We need to continue to support education and learning in areas of Science & Technology, through curriculum development and improvement in the schools, student scholarships, and loan programs for higher education, career expositions such as this one, and by increasing the proportion of funds available for strategic research into matters most important to our economic and social development, with the ultimate and never obscure goal of maximizing quality of life, safety and cleanliness within our societies.

We need to establish a national agenda with respect to Science & Technology, affirm effective, comprehensive policies on scientific and technological issues, and develop the scientific, technological and educational infrastructure necessary to build capacity and advance the state of knowledge and application of Science & Technology.  There must be increased emphasis placed on education and research, the refinement and more extensive use of national indicators that measure scientific & technological progress and achievement, and the creation of the well-oiled machinery on a national level that will enable us to facilitate and enhance the promotion and popularisation of Science & Technology among the youth and protect and safeguard the environment for long healthy living and uninterrupted sustainable development.  In the end, our ultimate aim should be to develop a cadre of professionals that will propel The Bahamas into being an enterprising, creative and innovative nation.

As it has been recently said, “A sustainable future is one in which protection of the natural environment, economic prosperity and social justice are pursued simultaneously to ensure the quality of life of present generations and to secure the well-being of generations to come – education is crucial to attaining that future.”  Regarding the dissemination of useful information, we need to pay close attention to making information more widely available through the expansion of our library and information systems.

All of the foregoing initiatives begin really with you, the youth of the public and private school systems of today.  It is you who will become the technicians, practitioners, professionals, scientists and leaders of the future. Indeed, as noted by Mr. Richardson Andrews, a regional Science and Technology expert “The development of the scientifically knowledgeable and innovative citizen begins at the earliest stages of the education cycle when attitudes to inquiry and creativity are moulded.”

For the road ahead, it must be recognised that greater use of science, technology and innovation is essential in creating a better quality of life and a sustainable and healthy environment for present and future generations.

This Career Exposition, convened by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology Section, is designed to expose you, i.e., those of you who have shown the inclination, desire, ambition and aptitude towards Science & Technology, a broad outlook covering all the many different career choices and fields of study open to you in the immense arena of Science & Technology. Take advantage of it all and make good use of what is shown to you here, and in so doing prepare yourselves for a bright future in your chosen discipline of Science & Technology.

I am honoured to now declare this Science and Technology Careers Exposition officially open.