BARBADOS AND THE REGION must be prepared to operate under a new economic framework.

After the recent opening ceremony, for the third cohort in the Master's in International Trade Policy (MITP) held in the MITP classroom, University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus, Senator Sandra Husbands told the DAILY NATION the region must be made aware of the new international environment.

"Small economies will be required to act differently as demands are being made. We cannot do as we did before. We must set up a framework in order for our strategy to operate in the new economic framework," she said.

Husbands, a member of the first cohort of MITP students, said the role of this year's students was to help explain the importance of the region working together so they would stop looking at adjustment issues and focus on the bigger picture.

"We are too small to operate on our own, even as a region we are small but much more efficient. We have a human resource which does not know how smart it is or how much it can achieve," she said.

Going strong

Programme manager Pamela Coke Hamilton said despite funding problems, the master's degree was still going strong.

Hamilton said the MITP programme came about as a direct response to requests for more advanced training in trade issues.

"There is no doubt that the global trade negotiations are presently in crisis. However, the Caribbean should not be lulled into a sense of complacency, rather we should use this hiatus as an opportunity to continue to strengthen the region's preparedness not only to negotiate but also to implement the agreements once negotiated," she said.

Hamilton noted the programme was now in modules and individuals could sign up for two-week classes instead of the entire 15-month course.

This year, 23 students made up the group, with members from the Caribbean and Venezuela. Over the three years, the programme has enrolled and placed 51 students and has trained 27 private sector representatives from around the region. (CA)