We must focus on our ‘collective responsibility’, says Trinidad and Tobago PM

Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Patrick Manning, speaking during Commonwealth Week celebrations last week, pledged to be a “chief advocate” for promoting action on climate change and non-communicable diseases up until the next Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Perth, Australia.

Drawing on the ‘Science, Technology and Society’ theme for 2010, the Prime Minister – visiting the Commonwealth Secretariat’s headquarters in London for the first time since hosting the summit late last year – insisted that it was the association’s “collective responsibility” to ensure that scientific and technological advancements are deployed for wider public good.

Speaking to Commonwealth News, Mr Manning rejected claims that the failure to reach a legally binding agreement at the United Nations climate change summit in Copenhagen – despite scientific evidence of the need for action – had detracted from the Commonwealth’s climate change declaration in Port of Spain, capital of Trinidad and Tobago.

Climate change divide

“We are much more further advanced on the climate change agenda than we were prior to the meeting in Copenhagen. So it was a major advance,” said Mr Manning, pointing to the feat in getting 53 “diverse countries” on “different sides of the climate change divide” to agree the Port of Spain Commonwealth Climate Change Consensus. The final agreement at Copenhagen did adopt the fast-track financing mechanism first agreed by Commonwealth leaders, he added.

Mr Manning, barely four months into his 24-month term as Commonwealth Chair-in-Office, vowed to be a major advocate for the Commonwealth until he is replaced by Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in 2011. Priority areas will be pushing for action on non-communicable diseases, global warming and the Commonwealth’s fundamental principles, he said.

“My own view is that one becomes the chief advocate for Commonwealth positions in international fora,” Mr Manning said of his role. “Most important in the current agenda is climate change on the one hand and, secondly, in Port of Spain we agreed to advocate at the United Nations a summit in 2011 on non-communicable diseases. We are going to be pushing that agenda very strongly and already our CARICOM ambassadors in New York are doing that.”

Bridging ‘the technological gap’

“We hope to have the voices of the Commonwealth ambassadors in New York also raising that and advocating this position and other matters that are relevant to the Commonwealth, particularly the fundamental principles on which we brought together our association in the first place.”

Earlier on Commonwealth Day, on 8 March 2010, Mr Manning told reporters and high commissioners that Commonwealth member countries should work together to help build each other’s infrastructure and resilience and to bridge technological gaps.

He said: “This year’s Commonwealth Day theme, ‘Science, Technology and Society’, affords the opportunity to focus on our collective responsibility to ensure that the application of scientific and technological advancement is always for the wider public good. Science, research and innovation are important contributors to economic development, increased competitiveness and sustainable growth.”

Economic transformation

“As a Commonwealth family we must continue to strengthen our support network of countries and organisations to bridge that technological gap, build the resilience of all states, develop appropriate infrastructure, create an enabling environment and provide appropriate incentives in order to enhance the quality of life of all people,” he continued.

“Given the importance of science and technology as key drivers of economic transformation, Trinidad and Tobago will be very supportive of activities undertaken by the Commonwealth, aim at the creation of sustainable research and developmental institutions and the forging of strong partnerships and linkages with the public and privates sectors, and strengthen human resource training and development and a robust co-ordinated framework of innovation systems.”

Secretariat Links:

• Commonwealth Day
• Country Profile: Trinidad & Tobago