[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 117 (Wednesday, July 16, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1473-E1474]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              COLLABORATION BETWEEN CARIBBEAN AND NEW YORK

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 16, 2008

  Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the efforts made 
by the Caribbean Community and Common Market, CARICOM, nations and New 
York City, to stimulate and promote new economic partnerships.
  The new relationships that were formed during this year's CARICOM 
conference have already begun to show prosperous results. Most notable 
is an agreement made between the University of the West Indies and 
Medgar Evers College in New York. The agreement was signed by the 
Honorable Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, Dr. Denzil L. Douglas 
and Dr. Edison Jackson, President of Medgar Evers College.
  Dr. Douglas has introduced the possibility of an exchange program 
between the two regions that would include educational programs in the 
areas of tourism, transportation, climate change, research and 
outreach.
  This newly formed agreement will not only boost economic development 
in the Caribbean, but it will bridge the gap between the region and the 
New York based diaspora. I would like to commend the work of all 
parties that played a part in the creation of this agreement.

              Collaboration Between Caribbean and New York

       Basseterre, St. Kitts.--St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister 
     Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas said a Memorandum of Understanding 
     signed between the University of the West Indies (UWI) and 
     the Medgar Evers College in New York would form the basis for 
     moving forward after the Carribbean-New York Conference last 
     week.
       Speaking at the signing, Prime Minister Douglas, the Lead 
     Head of Government for Education and Health matters in the 
     CARICOM Quasi Cabinet, said the engagement needed to arrive 
     at some concrete elements of a plan for collaboration.
       Among the priorities Dr. Douglas suggested that should 
     arise from the Conference were greater collaboration in 
     research and training through the establishment of CARICOM 
     New York Fellowships and a special Fund dedicated for 
     exchange at the staff and student levels; a concerted effort 
     to push the frontiers of knowledge by placing emphasis on 
     areas of Research and Development,

[[Page E1474]]

     especially in areas such as tourism, transportation and 
     climate change and establishing common areas of research and 
     outreach that are particularly aimed at improving the quality 
     of life of citizens in the Caribbean and New York in such 
     areas that connect education to health, trade, culture and 
     promote greater public awareness especially to reduce the 
     spread of HIV/AIDS, prevention of NCDs advancing cultural 
     industries and thereby capitalizing on some of the assets of 
     the Caribbean Diaspora.
       Prime Minister also suggested the involvement of the 
     private sector both in the CARICOM Community and New York to 
     sponsor goodwill tours to enhance the understanding of groups 
     and stakeholders that share common cultural and educational 
     objectives; placing greater emphasis on promoting courses on 
     Caribbean Studies and the American connections in the 
     region's Tertiary Learning Institutions (TLIs) and 
     establishing a Charles Rangel Professorship to commemorate 
     this momentous occasion in the annals of Caribbean-USA 
     relations.
       The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) will foster greater 
     ties between the two tertiary institutions in specific areas 
     of importance to the Caribbean and the Diaspora in New York.
       Professor Nigel Harris, UWI Vice Chancellor and Dr. Edison 
     Jackson, President of the Medgar Evers College signed the MOU 
     at the Education Symposium at the New York Marriott at the 
     Brooklyn Bridge. The signing came at the end of the Opening 
     Ceremony of the Symposium which was staged as part of the 
     two-day New York Conference on the Caribbean which began 19 
     June. The Symposium was held under the theme ``Strengthening 
     Collaborative Ties between New York and CARICOM Higher 
     Education Institutions.''
       The Conference is geared at boosting existing ties with the 
     United States in general and New York in particular, in the 
     areas of education, trade and investment.
       High level meetings were held between Heads of Government 
     and key officials included Congressman Hon. Charles Rangel, 
     Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee of the House of 
     Representatives, the Hon. David Paterson, New York Governor; 
     Mr. Michael Bloomberg, Mayor of New York; Mr. Marty 
     Markowitz, Brooklyn Borough President, and top executives of 
     Wall Street. In a brief statement Professor Harris extended 
     gratitude to Dr. Jackson for making the symposium possible 
     and indicated that though UWI and Medgar Evers had signed 
     other similar documents, this one was special since it was 
     aimed at building a relationship in areas of relevance to the 
     Caribbean and to the Caribbean Diaspora in New York such as 
     youth development and immigration. He expressed the hope that 
     the MOU would usher in a partnership that would serve as a 
     model for other relationships. The panelists at the two-hour 
     long Symposium were Professor Nigel Harris, Professor Frances 
     Negron Muntaner of Columbia University, Dr. Garrie Moore, 
     Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, CCNY, Ms. Myrna Bernard, 
     Director, Human Development, Caribbean Community (CARICOM) 
     Secretariat, and Dr. David Jones, President, Community 
     Service Society.

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