UK will support projects to bridge digital divide/TITLE> <script language="JavaScript" SRC="gyj11.js"></script> <script language="JavaScript" SRC="gyj12.js"></script> <script language="JavaScript" SRC="gyj13.js"></script> <script language="JavaScript" SRC="../gynews.js"></SCRIPT> </HEAD> <script language="JavaScript">  </script> UK will support projects to bridge digital divide <br> Brain drain assessment agreed </H3> </CENTER> <br> <font face="arial" size="2"> <FONT COLOR="yellow" SIZE="+1"><a href="http://www.stabroeknews.com">Stabroek News</a></FONT><br> April 6, 2002<br> <hr> <table> <tr> <td><b><i>Related Links:</i></b></td> <td align = "right"><a href="../gy3cuk.htm"><b>Articles on the Third Caribbean/United Kingdom</b></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td><a href="../gyltwrite.html"><b>Letters Menu</b></a></td> <td align="right"><a href="../gyextend.htm"><b>Archival Menu</b></a></td> </tr> </table> <hr> <P> <B> The United Kingdom is prepared to consider support for projects as part of a strategic plan to bridge the digital divide the Caribbean faces. <br><br> This came out of the communiqué forged after the Third Caribbean/UK Forum ended yesterday, where Caribbean ministers cited the impact of the continuing loss of public sector workers, especially teachers and nurses. <br><br> The forum recommended a meeting of Caribbean ministers responsible for information/communication technology and economic/industrial development be convened urgently to explore ways in which the region could take advantage of information technology and establish the strategic plan. <br><br> The communiqué said the UK has agreed to not only support an assessment of the brain drain situation facing the Caribbean, but to explore ways of addressing the underlying causes after Caribbean ministers expressed concerns about the effect on their development efforts. <br><br> A study will be done to quantify the loss of skills in the Caribbean to the more developed countries and to examine what could be done to attract them back to the region. <br><br> The Caribbean has also appealed to the UK to give favourable consideration to the request for further strengthening of representation of small states in the World Trade Organisation. <br><br> The forum recognised that special attention would have to be given to the adjustments needed by the Caribbean to build its internal economic capacity in preparation for the new global realities including the end of their non-reciprocal preferential access to the EU markets. <br><br> The forum noted the importance of the sugar industry to the economies of several Caribbean countries. It was agreed that adaptation to changes in the ACP-EU trading arrangements and the anticipated review of the Sugar Protocol should be carried out in the context of continued access to the EU market to sustain the industry and improve competitiveness. </b> </FONT> <script language="JavaScript">  </script> <script language="JavaScript">  </script> <SCRIPT src="lospfoot.js"></SCRIPT><P> </TD> </TR> </TABLE> </blockquote> </BODY> </HTML>