thebahamasweekly.com - Bahamas public and private sector collaborate to draft a National Policy Paper on Science, Technology and Innovation

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Bahamas public and private sector collaborate to draft a National Policy Paper on Science, Technology and Innovation
By Ministry of Education, Science and Technology
Feb 17, 2016 - 11:01:46 AM

Dr. Karen St. Cyr, Project Manager at the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, led the discussion at the STI policy workshop held at the Ministry of Education on Wednesday, February 3rd, 2016.

Nassau, Bahamas - Earlier this month, The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology hosted a workshop where members from both the public and private sector began discussions on the planning of a national policy paper on science, technology and innovation.

The group was led by Dr. Karen St. Cyr, Project Manager at the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and was comprised of members from the Ministry of Education along with representatives from The Bahamas Bureau of Standards and Quality (BBSQ), The Armory Company, The Bahamas Environment Science and Technology Commission (BEST), the Utilities Regulation & Competition Authority (URCA), the Bahamas Educators Managerial Union (BEMU), the Bahamas Engineering and Technology Advancement (BETA) Camp, Water and Sewerage and the newly formed "We Speak Science" Organization.

Mr. Gilbert Cassar, Harvard University Graduate and entrepreneur, spoke to the group about the newly formed "We Speak Science" Organization, at the STI policy workshop held at the Ministry of Education on Wednesday, February 3rd, 2016.

According to Dr. St. Cyr, the goals of the workshop were accomplished in that "the group was able to formulate and discuss priorities that we as a nation need to concentrate on as we craft national policy for STI (science, technology and innovation)." The group focused on aligning national priorities with those of the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals and the STI indicators of the Ordination of Economic Cooperation and Development (OEDC).

This workshop marked the second cross collaborative meeting. The first meeting was held in July in the form of a three day workshop which was organized by the UNESCO Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology. Some fifty representatives of various sectors in the community including government, education, business and industry, participated in the workshop which ignited the discussion of a national STI policy framework.

Dr. St. Cyr indicated that further collaborative discussions will take place during the next four months, where groups will "further concretize where we need to go as a country with the drafting of the national STI policy document." She further indicated that "The Ministry of Education will begin to formulate policy with the help of technical expertise and some sponsorship from UNESCO going forward."

Participants from the Ministry of Education, formed a group to discuss STI initiatives relevant to education at the STI policy workshop held at the Ministry of Education on Wednesday, February 3rd, 2016.

Under the leadership of former Assistant Director of Education, Ms. Beverly Taylor, who spearheaded the development of the country's strategic plan for science and technology entitled, "Roadmap for the Advancement of Science and Technology for The Bahamas," the Ministry of Education has been dedicated to the task STI development for many years.

The MOEST is taking seriously its mandate to mobilize the scientific and political community, the civil society and the private sector to develop and strengthen STI policy in order to tap into the best potential of STI for sustainable national development.