(EMU) – St. Kitts, August 5th, 2013: Newly appointed St Kitts and Nevis Ambassador to UNESCO Dr. David Doyle has revealed that the Federation has distinguished itself as a nation which utilizes the resources of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to its advantage.
“This is a team effort between myself and [Secretary General of the St. Kitts and Nevis National Commission] Mr. Antonio Maynard,” he explained. …“to ensure that St. Kitts and Nevis as a sovereign, small island, developing state makes a stake for itself at UNESCO, ensures that its voice is heard and indeed, over the last three or four years, St. Kitts and Nevis has been leading the way with respect to initiatives on behalf of the English speaking Caribbean sub-region at UNESCO through multiple activities.”
Dr. Doyle who held the post of St Kitts and Nevis’ Permanent Representative to UNESCO since 2006 said that while many are familiar with the heritage aspect of UNESCO’s assistance, it is important to recognize other areas in which it is offering its assistance. He pinpointed advances in relation to the evolution of the focus from purely academic to technical and vocational subject areas.
“I accompanied the Prime Minister [of St. Kitts and Nevis] to meet the Director General of UNESCO Irina Bokova, in November 2011(familiarization visit),”he stated. “… During the course of the conversation … the Prime Minister raised his deep concern about the need for the Federation to boost its expertise and its involvement in policy development associated with the Technical and Vocational Education. As a result of which an expert team from UNESCO, with the TVET Unit have made two visits to St. Kitts and Nevis in order to identify some of the structural short comings in terms of policy and implementation. They have also looked at the TVET programme in its wider, Caribbean sub-regional context.”
Dr. Doyle said while it is important to focus on the advancement of Technical and Vocational subjects locally, it must be relevant in a regional and global context.
“We need to plug ourselves into an accreditation system across the Caribbean which recognizes the skills of young people from St. Kitts and Nevis and multi-laterally as well,” said Dr. Doyle. He revealed that the expert team is now poised to return to report its findings to the Minister of Education Hon. Nigel Carty and his TVET team in St. Kitts and Nevis. A series of training workshops will also be held towards the end of the year.
Dr. Doyle referred to advancements in the area of the protection of underwater cultural heritage, concerning which a regional workshop was recently concluded in the Twin island Federation.
More good news from Dr. Doyle came when he announced the likelihood of a local history text which was written in St. Kitts by a local historian Leonard Stapleton to be used as a template for other Caribbean Islands desiring to do the same. He revealed that UNESCO is keen to publish the text and is likely to do so within the next few months.
Ambassador Doyle referred to the benefits being experienced in relation to increased capacity to deal with climate change and rising sea levels as well as the intention to sign on to the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission .
“It provides actual training for experts on the ground to identify, more promptly and more quickly impending dangerous signs of natural disasters.”
He said, at UNESCO, the Caribbean representatives are lobbying with some of the key proponents including the Canadians, Japanese and French who have significant expertise and resources in this regard.
Secretary General of the St. Kitts and Nevis National Commission Mr. Antonio Maynard in congratulating Dr. Doyle on his new appointment as ambassador said he was pleased with the level of progress the Federation was able to achieve with his assistance.
Persons interested in contacting Dr. Doyle may do so via UNESCO’s National Commission at869-467-1417.