Workforce Development for Communities in Crisis and Transition: a Case Study of the Windward Islands
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DOCUMENT RESUME ED 425 356 CE 077 799 AUTHOR Whittington, L. Alfons TITLE Workforce Development for Communities in Crisis and Transition: A Case Study of the Windward Islands. PUB DATE 1998-09-00 NOTE 18p.; Paper presented at the Africa-America Institute's Advanced Training for Leadership and Skills (ATLAS) Conference (Zimbabwe, September 21-25, 1998). PUB TYPE Information Analyses (070) Speeches/Meeting Papers (150) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC01 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Demand Occupations; Developing Nations; *Economic Development; *Educational Needs; Foreign Countries; *Futures (of Society); *Labor Force Development; Postsecondary Education; Secondary Education; Technical Assistance IDENTIFIERS *Windward Islands ABSTRACT The Windward Islands (Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines) have taken several approaches to educate the work force and prepare for the technology-driven society of the future. These approaches include government initiatives, such as the governments' commitment to primary education and more recently to secondary education. In addition, community colleges have been established, and citizens also have access to undergraduate and graduate education at the University of the West Indies with campuses in Jamaica, Trinidad, and Barbados. The governments have provided scholarships to higher education and access to training programs for youths who are not going to college. The European Union's Initiative is also designed to assist in the recovery of the Windward Islands' banana industry, as well as to upgrade teaching staff and evaluate and improve training programs. The United States Agency for International Development has worked in the islands to develop a program for academic and technical and vocational training, in both short- and long-term formats. For the Windward Islands' work force to remain competitive in any of the emerging sectors (such as tourism, information processing, banking), retraining must be conducted through a common vision. Planning is required for the year 2010 and beyond. (KC) ******************************************************************************** * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * * from the original document. * ******************************************************************************** WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT FOR COMMUNITIES IN CRISIS AND TRANSITION: A CASE STUDY OF THE WINDWARD ISLANDS L. Alfons Whittington Training Specialist, TLIU UWI/USAID Windward Islands Training Project U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUC ONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION PERMISSION TO REPRODUCEAND CENTER (ERIC) is document has been reproduced as DISSEMINATE TFIIS MATERIAL HAS received from the person or organization BEEN GRANTED BY originating it. 0 Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. +an Points of view or opinions stated in this LW document do not necessarily represent TO THE EDUCATIONAL OURCES official OERI position or policy. INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) 1 Running Head: Workforce Development for Crisis Communities Paper presented at the Africa-America Institute's Advanced Training for Leadership and Skills (ATLAS) Conference, Zimbabwe, September 21-25, 1998. 2 ABSTRACT This paper discusses the initiatives undertaken by the countries in the Caribbean in general and the Windward Islands in particular to prepare the workforce to meet the innovations and challenges of the workplace in the year 2000 and beyond. It gives a cursory description of the region generally and the Windward Islands in particular. It also presents a review of the initiatives undertaken by the National Governments alone or in collaboration with Non-governmental Organisations (NG0s) and bilateral arrangements witIi other regional and international governments. Further, it reviews the initiatives of the United States Agency for International Development (USMD) and the European Union (EU) with respect to the Windward Islands. Workforce Development for Communities in Crisis and Transition: A Case Study of the Windward Islands The Anglophone Caribbean The Anglophone Caribbean region consists of 18 territories:an archipelago of 15 islands (Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada & Carriacou, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent& the Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos) stretching from Florida in North America to Venezuela in South America; Bermuda, an island northeast of Florida; and two (2) countries Belize in Central America and Guyana in South America (see Appendix 1). The Anglophone Caribbean has an area of 99,700 sq. miles (258,379 sq. kilometers). The largest territory (Guyana, 83,000 sq. miles) is about half the size of Zimbabwe and, with the exception ofJamaica and Trinidad and Tobago which would fit into Zimbabwe 38 and 80 times respectively,most of the others would fit in about 1,600 times (see Table 1). This would giveyou an appreciation of the small size of the individual territories. INSERT TABLE 1 ABOUT HERE The Anglophone Caribbean, named after the aboriginal Carib Indians, hasa population of approximately six million (see Table 2) which is about three quarters that of Zimbabwe's estimated 1983 population of 8.4 million. It has a mean annual rate of growth of 1.56, with the lowest being 0.06 (Grenada) and the highest 4.8 (Anguilla). Until the early 1960s, the Territories were British colonies. Now, most of the Territories are independent countries of the British Commonwealth: only Montserrat, the British Virgin Islands, Bermuda, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and the Cayman Islands are British dependencies. INSERT TABLE 2 ABOUT HERE The indigenous population of the Caribbean was the Carib and Arawak Indians. The Arawak Indians disappeared long ago. However, there are some Carib Indians in Dominica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The Caribs and Arawaks were replaced rapidlyas the Europeans settled in the islands. Later, the Europeans introduced African slaves to work on thesugar plantations. During 1842-1962 about 36,000 free Africans came to the Caribbean: 14,000 to British Guiana (now Guyana), 10,000 to Jamaica, 8,000 to Trinidad, and the remainder to Grenada, St. Vincent, St. Lucia, St. Kitts and Barbados.The descendants of these slaves have remained to claim most of the region. Besides the Europeans and their descendants, other racial minorities can be found in the Anglophone Caribbean. After the abolition of slavery in the West Indies, labourerswere brought under contract of five (5) to ten (10) years from other parts of the world, especially China and Workforce Development for Crisis Communities 2 India. During 1852-1893 about 20,000 Chinese were brought to the Caribbean: 12,000 to British Guiana (now Guyana), 5,000 to Jamaica, and 2,000 to Trinidad. The Chinese were imported to build roads and later to cut canes. However, they left the rural areas and moved to the urban towns where they started small businesses. The East Indians, hard working and more adaptable than the Chinese to the Caribbean climate, were brought in thousands from what is now India and Pakistan. During 1844-1917,416,000 East Indian were brought to the Caribbean: 239,000 to British Guiana (now Guyana), 134,000 to Trinidad, 33,000 to Jamaica, and 10,000 to St. Lucia, Grenada, St. Vincent and St. Kitts. The East Indians were imported to work on the sugar plantations. Their descendants can be found in Jamaica, Guyana, Trinidad and, to a lesser extent, in St. Vincent, Grenada and St. Lucia. In Trinidad, out of an estimated population of 1.3 million, more than one third (42.0%) is of East Indian origin, and in Guyana the Indians outnumber the Blacks. The climate of the region is tropical all year. During the months December to February the temperature falls at night to 19-21°C (66-70°F), but during the day it rises to about29°C (85°F). The hottest months of the year are July through September, but the trade winds keep the islands cool at about 32°C (90°F). In addition, the rains also help to keep the temperature down during these months. In these month and October and November, hurricanes may occur. The islands and countries of the Caribbean do not have an abundance of mineral resources, the notable exceptions being Trinidad, Jamaica and Guyana. Petroleum is found in Trinidad, bauxite, from which aluminum is extracted, in Jamaica, and bauxite and gold in Guyana. However, the fertile alluvial plains, abundant rain (except the dry season, March to June), and an ideal climate seems to combine to make the region a tropical haven forproduction of agricultural crops and exotic tropical plants and flowers. Historically, the economies of the Caribbean region have been agriculturally driven, with sugar cane being the chief crop. Other crops grown in the regionincluded banana, coffee, tobacco, tropical fruits and spices. While this continues to be true for most of the islands, tourism in particular, and industry and commerce are beginning to dominate. Since the early 1960's, through tourism, commerce, and industry to a lesser extent, the Caribbean has enjoyed a certain degree of prosperity. The average per capita income has risen and consequently the standard of living. The Caribbean region has a very high degree of literacy, ranging from 76% to 99%, with a mean of 92.2% (see Appendix 1). This has been achieved through universal access to basic (primary) education. However, the challenges due in part to the shift from agricultural driven