[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 86 (Friday, June 24, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1338-E1339]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      EXPLORING THE CARIBBEAN: THE INSTITUTE OF CARIBBEAN STUDIES

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 23, 2005

  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring to the attention of my 
colleagues the significant work of the Institute of Caribbean Studies 
(ICS), a magnificent organization that highlights and explores the 
linkages between the Caribbean and the United States. Today, 
Representative Barbara Lee, Representative Donna Christensen, and I 
hosted a meeting of the Institute of Caribbean Studies in the Rayburn 
Building. I thank these wonderful congresswomen for joining me in our 
effort to raise the awareness and provide an opportunity for this 
Congress to explore the dynamics of the Caribbean economy, culture, and 
global appeal.
  The Institute of Caribbean Studies works to find common links between 
the American public and the people of the Caribbean. It explores 
different avenues of change and development that are common to our two 
regions and seeks opportunities to nurture those developments to our 
collective best interests. This group is working to build a stronger 
economic, social, and cultural bond between two important regions of 
the world.
  At their legislative forum today, the panels addressed the growing 
importance of the border security, economic development, disaster 
assistance, and human security. Panelists such as Foreign Minister of 
the Bahamas Fred Mitchell, the Jamaican Ambassador Gordon Shirley, the 
St. Lucian Ambassador Sonia Johnny, and the Grenadian Ambassador Denis 
Antonie examined various causes, effects, and responses to the 
challenges of linking the Caribbean and the United States. Their 
discussion and assessments provided important insight into the 
solutions and opportunities for advancement in the region.
  I thank the panelists and participants for their thoughts, opinions, 
and wisdom on developing and encouraging a stronger linkage between our 
two parts of the world. I particularly would like to thank Dr. Claire 
Nelson, the President and Founder of the Institute, for her leadership 
and direction in the activities of the Institute of Caribbean Studies. 
I am sure that under her continued helm the organization will become a 
valuable resource for Congress and its deliberations on improved 
international relations.

  I submit for the Record a copy of the mission statement and goals of 
the organization. I hope my colleagues will put this organization to 
use in developing responsible policies toward the Caribbean.

       The Institute of Caribbean Studies (ICS) is a non-partisan, 
     non-profit 501(c)(3) organization established in 1993 and 
     dedicated to research, policy analysis, and education with a 
     focus on issues that impact the Caribbean and Caribbean 
     Diaspora. The purpose of the Institute is to provide a forum 
     for scholars, the private sector, the non-government 
     organization community and others interested in promoting a 
     dialogue on Caribbean issues. The Institute seeks to address 
     economic development problems facing Caribbean society, and 
     to adopt a thorough, systematic and coordinated long-term 
     perspective towards their resolution.
       Since its inception, ICS has been on the forefront of the 
     challenge to bring attention to the issues of critical 
     importance to the Caribbean American community, which numbers 
     over 3 million. ICS represents an important role in history 
     as the first Caribbean-American community organization in the 
     Washington, DC area devoted to the successful inclusion of 
     Caribbean-Americans in U.S. policy making, and the economic 
     development of the Caribbean region. ICS has built up a 
     unique network of knowledgeable and committed individuals 
     with expertise in a variety of sectors.
       ICS's location in Washington, DC makes it an ideal 
     interlocutor, advocate and intermediary between the U.S. 
     government, multilateral agencies, the private sector, 
     Caribbean-American communities, and Caribbean governments, 
     communities, and organizations in the region. ICS enjoys the 
     respect of a significant proportion of the Caribbean-American 
     community, as well as the Caribbean diplomatic corps. ICS has 
     established and will continue to develop partnerships and 
     collaborative relationships with local and national 
     organizations in the United States and the Caribbean, such as 
     the Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce and Industry, 
     Global Rights Law Group, National Minority Suppliers 
     Development Council, World Bank/IMF Caribbean Staff 
     Association, Caribbean Research Center, and the Caribbean 
     Policy Development Center to meet its objectives, 
     particularly those in the area of economic development and 
     policy making.
       ICS is dedicated to building bridges between Caribbean 
     Americans and the U.S. population at large and advocating for 
     the economic welfare of the Caribbean American community. 
     Together with partner organizations with industry, government 
     and civil society, we have built the foundation to make the 
     Institute of Caribbean Studies, the leading Caribbean 
     American organization in Washington, DC. Our mission is to 
     provide our partners with solutions to the challenges they 
     face, that will enable their survival, growth, and 
     prosperity in the ever changing global marketplace, by 
     providing world class research and action that supports 
     their missions.
       The organizational structure of the ICS provides an 
     established framework within which `Caribbeanists' can be 
     mobilized to address issues of concern and implement research 
     and/or program initiatives. This includes a Private Sector 
     Council and a Research Council.
       ICS program areas are designed to:
       To promote the increased participation of Caribbean 
     Americans in the U.S. economic and policy agenda.
       To facilitate increased educational exchanges between 
     Caribbean and American peoples.
       To foster increased cooperation between the Caribbean and 
     other developing country regions, such as Latin America and 
     Africa, as well as the developed countries of Canada and 
     Europe.
       To facilitate the participation of, and discussion with, 
     the Caribbean Diaspora around the world on issues pertaining 
     to Caribbean development.
       In keeping with its holistic philosophy of development, the 
     Institute develops and supports programs which serve a 
     multiplicity of interests--the community leader, the business 
     person, the policy-maker, and the scholar, across various 
     sectors. The program areas include: Economic Development, 
     Science & Technology, Education & Health, and Sociology & 
     Culture.
       Our goal for economic development is to increase the 
     participation of Caribbean Americans in the U.S. business 
     sector, to promote increased trade and investment between the 
     U.S. and the Caribbean, and to support entrepreneurial 
     development and micro-enterprise development in the 
     Caribbean. Our work includes creating linkages between U.S. 
     small and disadvantaged businesses and Caribbean businesses, 
     entrepreneurial development and skills training for youth 
     with particular reference to, and acting as an interlocutor 
     and facilitator for creating partnerships between U.S. 
     transnational corporations and the Caribbean American 
     community.

[[Page E1339]]

       Our goal in the area of science and technology is improve 
     the level and quality of technical assistance provided to the 
     Caribbean region, to support improvements in the access, 
     development and use of science and technology across all 
     sectors, and the increased access of disadvantaged 
     communities in the Caribbean to information technology. Our 
     current agenda is the support of Computer centers in 
     disadvantaged centers in the Caribbean and the development of 
     exchange and linkages programs to support science education 
     in the Caribbean such as support for the establishment of 
     children's science centers.
       Our goals in education and health include increasing 
     transfer of technology to the Caribbean region; ensuring 
     Caribbean Americans equity in health care; and supporting the 
     provision of increased educational opportunities to 
     disadvantaged populations in the Caribbean. This includes 
     assisting in the establishment of linkage programs between 
     historically Black colleges and universities.
       Our goal in sociology and culture include: assisting the 
     Caribbean-American community to participate in U.S. 
     democratic processes; promoting the conservation and 
     development of Caribbean arts and culture, and promoting an 
     understanding of Caribbean culture in the U.S. Our current 
     focus in this area is the establishment of June as Caribbean 
     Heritage Month in the Washington, DC metropolitan region and 
     the production of the DC Caribbean Film Festival.

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