NUCLEAR INTERESTS IN THE CARIBBEAN
Dr.
G. C.
Lalor
Pro Vice-Chancellor, University of "West Indies, Jamaica.
lNTRODUCTlON
1 want first to thank the Organisers of this Conference for the invi–
tation which permitted me to be with you today join with so many
distinguished persons in this examination of the interaction of
Science. Technology, Economics and Politics in the development of
Nuclear Policy.
1 am most happy to be with you particularly since scientists in
the EngIísh speaking Caribbean have so far had little contact with
their counterparts in Latin America. Language presents one barrier,
distance a second, and the traditions of many lifelimes the third .and
perhaps strongest barrier.
There is much that we can learn from each other since our
problems will have certain similarities and 1 hope that increasingly
there can be built up close contacts between the scientists and Uni–
versities in this part
.Q,f
the world .and those of the Caribbean. Since
the Caribbean does not líe far off the main air routes from Chile to
North America and Europe, 1 would like to take this opportunity
of assuring you of a very warm welcome in Jamaica should
it
ever
be possible for you to stop over there.
lt seems appropriate to provide sorne very brief background in–
formation on tlle English speaking Caribbean regían, which in the
main is served by only one University
The University of the
West lndies. Fourteen territories, of which five are independent,
support the University. These territories are located in a far flung
arc from Belize in Central America down to Trinidad and Tobago
just off the coast of Venezuela. The most developed of these coun–
tries are Barbados, Jamaica and tlle Republic of Trinidad
&:
To–
bago. The population of the region is about four million al which
about haH Uve in Jamaica.
The islands are small, sorne are very small indeed, and with the
3
21
