00:00The panel discussion, led by students from both tertiary and secondary education levels,
00:05serves as part of UE's 2026 Conference of the Economy,
00:09and was focused on the advancement of the blue, orange and green economies,
00:14as opposed to single-sector economies which rely almost entirely on one dominant industry or commodity.
00:21The blue economy uses ocean and aquatic resources for economic growth, job creation and improved livelihoods,
00:27while protecting the health of marine and coastal ecosystems.
00:31Anya Ibrahim, a Form 6 student of Ashter Girls College, San Fernando,
00:35says we need to see our oceans as more than just tourism and fishing opportunities.
00:40Opportunities would be to stop seeing our oceans as just a means of tourism and fishing,
00:46and instead look at it as a new source for technology, innovation and industries.
00:51So for example, going beyond the traditional fishing and tourism,
00:55we have opportunities for marine biotechnology,
00:58and this would involve using marine organisms and seaweed to create products like pharmaceuticals,
01:04cosmetics, fertilizers and biodegradable packaging.
01:07Priya Ramdeo, a Year 2 economics student at the university,
01:11backed her fellow panelists on the points of seeing Caribbean coastlines as assets.
01:16So the ocean economy contributes up to 18% of the Caribbean's aggregate production,
01:21so a healthy coastline is economic infrastructure,
01:24and a damaged coastline costs us money every single hurricane season.
01:29Restoring mangroves and reefs, which in essence protects us from storms,
01:34needs people to plant, monitor and maintain them.
01:38Sustainable aquaculture needs trained operators,
01:42offshore renewable energies require technicians.
01:46This is purpose.
01:47This is where young people are earning a living.
01:50The green economy seeks to improve human well-being and social equity
01:54while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities.
01:59Climate change has been a main topic of discussion in recent years
02:02and has affected agriculture across the Caribbean.
02:05D. Van Ganga-Pasad, a Form 6 student of Barakpo East Secondary School,
02:09had a potential solution to lower the region's food bill
02:12while creating jobs and cutting losses faced by traditional farms.
02:16And according to data from CARICOM Secretariat and the Food and Agriculture Organization,
02:23the Caribbean region actually imports over 60 to 80% of our food supply.
02:30So in consideration to this, we can launch more hydrophonic or even aquophonic farms,
02:37which uses 90% less of our water and even is more resilient to harsh weather climates.
02:48The orange economy is also known as the creative economy,
02:52where individual ideas, culture and intellectual property serve as the main resources
02:57to generate wealth, innovation and employment.
03:01One panellist is of the opinion that culture and innovation need to be seen as viable career paths.
03:06In Caribbean culture, we recognize creativity as part of our identity,
03:12but we don't always take it as a serious economic asset.
03:15Subjects like art, food and nutrition and technical drawing are often considered hobbies and extracurricular activities.
03:23And this would kind of deter our youth from developing the talents that actually make our Caribbean culture so distinct.
03:31So in the Caribbean, instead of viewing the orange economy and creativity as a hobby,
03:36we need to recognize it as a legitimate industry that we could capitalize on.
03:41The students agreed that more youth-involved discussions should take place in a bid to advance these aspects of the
03:47economy
03:47and charter a way forward that will see less dependence on this country's oil and gas sector.
03:53Dominic Ramroop, TV6 News.
