SIDS urged to strengthen institutions to withstand global shocks

Small Island Developing States must move past traditional boundaries and build the institutional capacity to anticipate global shocks if they are to thrive in an increasingly complex world.

​That was the central message delivered by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Innovation, Industry, Science and Technology (MIST), Claudette Hope-Greenidge, as she delivered the official welcome remarks at the opening of the inaugural Possibility Summit.

​Addressing the gathering that included Prime Minister Mia Mottley, Cabinet ministers, and members of the international diplomatic and scientific communities, Hope-Greenidge emphasised that isolated approaches to governance and development are no longer viable.

​”Today’s gathering reflects that the defining challenges and opportunities of our time can no longer be approached through isolated disciplines nor traditional institutional boundaries,” she stated. “Around the world, governments and societies are confronting profound shifts driven by technological accelerations, climate pressures, evolving geopolitical realities, and the restructuring of global economies.”

​The permanent secretary noted that for Barbados, adapting to these shifts is not optional but an immediate imperative. She argued that the island’s historical success has never been a matter of size or raw resources, but rather the strength of its foundational structures.

​”Our advancement has depended on the quality of our institutions, the strength of our human capital, the clarity of national vision, and the ability to act with foresight,” she noted, explaining that this exact philosophy inspired the creation of the Possibility Summit.

​According to Hope-Greenidge, the forum was specifically designed to bridge the gap between high-level ambition and practical execution in the fields of science and national readiness. She stressed that research and development must be repositioned at the centre of the country’s economic planning.

​”The ministry firmly believes that research and development must not be thought of as a marginal exercise, but as a critical component of economic strategy, governance modernisation, and, importantly, national resilience,” she said.

​Citing the presence of international partners, including Director General of the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Professor John Schellnhuber, Hope-Greenidge suggested a sustained, multidisciplinary collaboration across the public sector, academia, and civil society to secure the island’s future competitiveness.