Universities need to spearhead progress in Haiti

Universities need to spearhead progress in Haiti

Albert R Ramdin
Saturday, January 10, 2009


Sustainable socio-economic development and political stability in a country tend to reflect a high level of education among its population. All other indicators of progress appear to fall into place around the building of individual and collective capacity, that is, education.

In a globalised world economy marked by stiff competition and rapid scientific and technological gains, it is essential to promote knowledge and to carve out a niche based on comparative advantages.

It seems to me that tertiary education should take on the lion's share of any approach to building a better future. There need to be centres for higher education, think tanks, applied research centres, and laboratories to inform public policies targeting the needs of the population and generating customised solutions - rejecting an isolated approach, and instead embracing sharing and opening up to others.

Today, inter-university cooperation is becoming the preferred tool of centres of advanced studies for maintaining and consolidating their strengths and lessening their weaknesses.

When the University of the West Indies and Haitian universities expressed their desire to work together to spur integration and progress, I immediately committed the support of the Organisation of American States as a catalyst, in keeping with the mandate emanating from General Assembly resolution 2424 on support to Haiti.

How would they not benefit from exchanging students, professors, and shared research projects? What a positive impact it would have on policy-making and social welfare!

What a shot in the arm for the business community, which would take off, thanks to the development of new products and installation of new standards and norms, not to mention the cultural transformation that naturally would ensue!

I firmly believe that the Université d'Etat d'Haïti, Université Quisqueya, and others could spearhead progress in Haiti.

They are set to enrich Haitian thinking and become the bedrock of public policy. They will need to have the active support of the government and make a regular, sustained contribution to training private sector and civil service managers.

They will need to guide the path towards modernisation and standardisation. In short, they will have to build their capacity to help Haitians reach their full potential.

The meeting in Jamaica on November 6 and 7, 2008 on cooperation between the University of the West Indies and Haitian universities provided a glimpse of a sustainable path towards better integrating Haiti within Caricom.

In fact, we cannot speak of integration without there being interaction between institutions, peoples, and cultures.

Adherence to a minimum set of rules and standards becomes the norm and, for integration, the parties need to share values, principles, and ideals. That process can prove to be more complex when there are language barriers.

Against this backdrop, universities can become dominant benchmarks in this equation for facilitating integration. By internalising the new political, economic, social, and cultural contributions decision-makers could amend legislation, adapt procedures, and take full advantage of the community's experience.

And for ordinary citizens to understand their new privileges and responsibilities, there has to be outreach centred on strategies set with assistance from universities.

It is interesting that the first areas established for cooperation between the universities deal with issues of the utmost concern to Haiti, such as environmental protection, sustainable development, disaster prevention and mitigation, and reducing risks and vulnerability, as well as developing natural pharmaceutical products. These examples clearly illustrate the fertile ground on which a new Haiti will flourish within a strong, prosperous Caricom.


Ambassador Albert R Ramdin is assistant secretary general of the Organisation of American States.

This is a very interesting article, an eye opener for the rest of us who are more interested in the future of our country. Our universities need to be pro-active and for more think-tank groups, and pursue more studies related to economics and socials issues.

Li le pou universite nan peyi d'Ayiti jwe yon wol inpotan nan avnni peyi a. Se la pou sevo peyi a ap soti e se la pou fomasyon dirijan nou yo fet pou fet.

Zafe itilize etidyan ak professe nou yo pou pran la rie kankou vagabon pou renvese gouvenmam lejitim avek konplisite politisyen e lot peyi malonet, fok sa fimi.

Fok universite nou yo ranmase karakte yo e etabli yon plan de travay e de developman.

Fok universite nou yo mete ansamb pou oganize simpozyum, konferans, atelye de travay sou zafe politik, ekonomik, sosyal, environman etc.. pou sekte prive a, gouvenman e sevis international yo. Fok yo gen prop radyo ak televisyon yo pou yo infome pep la sou tout bagay nan peyi a. Komanse pa cyclon ki pral rive eki prekosyon pou chak zon pran, jiska elektion politik e bay infomasyon sou curikilum vite chak kandida e ki program ke yo genyen pou konstitiyan yo.

Fok yo fe demach kote gouvenman e oganozation international yo pou yo sa gen grant, kontra, sholaship, e tout lot kalite ed posib pou yo organize yo yon fason akademik e kiltirel pou rezoud pwoblem peyi a. Fok yo ta yon poin de kontak pou tout moun ki ta vle fe recherch e dokimantation sou kilti e vie pep ayisyen.

Tro souvan, le televisyon, radyo e tout lot media vinn an Ayiti, yo pa jwen yon scholar, ni yon etidyan fakilte, ni yon professe pou bayo bon infomasyon sou peyi a. Se moun nan la rie ke yap itilize ki pafwa bay move infomasyon ki baze sou vie folklirik e mistik olye sou realite vie pep ayisyen an.

Fok se universite ki pou oganize renkont ant chef deta, ansyen dirijan e met a panse nan peyi a.

Fok yo pa kite travay sa fet pa politisyen magouye, bandit, mesene etc..pou satisfe anbisyon pesonel yo.

Fok se sou yon plato akademik e univesite'r pou avnni peyi a chita.
Zafe inprovizasyon, devinet, naje pou soti, gade'm nan je, gress kochon ki kwit kochon, band pawol mistik e izoterik, lougarou, yon band rans, fok sa fini.

Revelasyon