Academic Conference on

BUILDING A NEW PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN INDIA AND CARIBBEAN: THE ROLE OF DIASPORA

ORGANISED BY 
HIGH COMMISSION OF INDIA
(31 MAY – 01 JUNE 2011)

Venue: Daaga Auditorium, University of West Indies (31 May)
Learning Resource Centre, University of West Indies (01 June)

IN COLLABORATION WITH 
THE UNIVERSITY OF WEST INDIES
CONFERENCE PARTNER
GLOBAL ORGANISATION OF PEOPLE OF INDIAN ORIGIN

Programme

31 May 2011 
Venue: Daaga Auditorium, University of West Indies

1400 – 1500 hrs Registration
1500 – 1600 hrs Inaugural Session

Master of Ceremonies: Prof. Kapil Kumar, Chair Contemporary Indian Studies

• Welcome Remarks by High Commissioner Mr. Malay Mishra
• Address by Hon’ble Vayalar Ravi, Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs & Civil Aviation, 
Govt. of India.
• Address by Hon’ble Dr. Surujrattan Rambachan, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Trinidad & Tobago.
• Vote of Thanks by Dr. Jerome Teeluck Singh, Deptt. Of History, University of West Indies

1600 – 1730 hrs 
1st Session
Theme: Presentation & Networking of Diaspora
Associations in the Caribbean

Moderator: 
Prof. Brinsley Samaroo – 5 minutes
Chair: 
Prof. Clement Sankat (TBC) – 5 minutes
Panelists: 
1. Mr. Kumar Moorjani, French Guyana
2. Dr. Arnold Thomas, St. Vincent 
3. Mr. Michel Narayaninswamy, Guadeloupe 4. Ms. Shadel Compton, Grenada
5. Ms. Sylvia Gilharry Perez, Belize
6. Mr. Sabir Nakhuda, Barbados
7. Mr. Pitamber Persaud, Guyana 
(10 minutes each)

1730 - 1900 hrs 
Reception hosted by Prof. Clement Sankat, 
Pro-Vice Chancellor & Principal, UWI at
Principal’s Office Lawns

1800 – 1900 hrs 
Cultural Programme (Bhangra Group from India)

01 June 2011
Venue: Learning Resource Centre, UWI

0900 – 1030 hrs 
2nd Session
Theme: Culture, Identity & Roots in a 
Globalising World

Moderator: 
Mr. Ravindranath Maharaj- 5 minutes
Chair: 
Ms. Leela Gujadhar Saroop – 5 minutes 
Panelists: 
1. Mr. Shamshu Deen, T&T
2. Ms. Christelle Gourdine, Guadeloupe
3. Dr. Prem Misir, Guyana
4. Mr. Maurits S. Hassan Khan, Suriname
(15 minutes each)

1030 – 1100 hrs 
Tea Break
1100 – 1230 hrs 
3rd Session
Theme: Building a Knowledge Economy: 
Role of Youth

Moderator: Mr. Ronald Chuckaree – 5 minutes Chair: Dr. Bhoendradutt Tewarie – 5 minutes

Panelists: 1. Ms. Amrita Priya Ramcharan, T&T
2. Dr. Terencia Joseph, Saint Lucia
3. Mr. Roberto Persaud, Suriname
4. TBD
(15 minutes each)

1230 – 1330 hrs 
Working Lunch

1330 – 1500 hrs
4th Session
Theme: Caribbean Diaspora: Role in Development

Moderator: 
Dr. Kumar Mahabir – 5 minutes
Chair: 
Mr. Ashook Ramsaran – 5 minutes

Panelists: 1. Mr. Fred Negrit, Guadeloupe 
2. Ms. Shundell Persad Jha, USA
3. Dr. Ron Sookram, Grenada 
4. Dr. Sherry- Ann Singh, T&T
(15 minutes each)

1530 – 1630 hrs 
Valedictory Address & Wrap up Session

• Valedictory Address by Dr. Kenneth Ramchand, President, UTT
• Wrap up by Chief Rapporteur Mr. Paras Ramoutar 
• Closing Remarks by High Commissioner Mr. Malay Mishra

1630 – 1800 hrs 
Presentation of Documentary Film on the Diaspora 
by Shundell Prasad Jha followed by discussions

BUILDING A NEW PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN INDIA AND CARIBBEAN: 
THE ROLE OF DIASPORA BUSINESS FORUM & ACADEMIC CONFERENCE 
ORGANISED BY

HIGH COMMISSION OF INDIA
(31 MAY – 01 JUNE 2011)

IN COLLABORATION WITH 
THE UNIVERSITY OF WEST INDIES

CONFERENCE PARTNERS 
OVERSEAS INDIAN FACILITATION CENTRE

CONFEDERATION OF INDIAN INDUSTRY

INDIA - TRINIDAD & TOBAGO CHAMBER OF INDUSTRY & COMMERCE

GLOBAL ORGANISATION OF PEOPLE OF INDIAN ORIGIN

The Conference offers a unique platform to entrepreneurs, industrialists, businessmen, professionals, academics and the youth to interact and deliberate for strengthening ties, exploring new opportunities and forging partnerships in the areas of industry, trade and culture between India and the Caribbean. The Conference will be graced by dignitaries from India and Trinidad & Tobago and several eminent speakers from various parts of the Caribbean.

Venues:  (a) Business Forum - Ball Room, Hyatt Regency (8:00 AM onwards on 31 May).   

(b) Academic Conference, Daaga Auditorium, University of West Indies (3:00 PM onwards on 31 May & 9.00 AM onwards at Learning Resource Centre on 01 June).

Registration:  TT$200/- for (a) & TT$200/- (b), 50% for youth up to 26 yrs on production of proof for (b) only. Fee

Contacts: For (a) contact Mr. M.P. Bhardwaj (Tel: 6256220, High Commission of India), Mr. Bharat Patel

(Tel: 6253964/ 3351, Bank of Baroda) & Ms. Ena Maraj (Tel: 7558065, GOPIO).

For (b) Branches of Bank of Baroda & Inter-Commercial Bank at Port of Spain, Chaguanas and

San Fernando. Mr. Bhisham Toolsie, Convener, Know India Programme Group (Tel: 491-9678).

Registration: 04 - 25 May 2011 (Limited Registrations available. Registration on first-come-first- serve basis.

open from: No on-the-spot registration allowed.)

Exhibitors may note:  Space available for display of Diaspora related material and books opposite Learning Resource Centre, University of West Indies on 31 May and 01 June 2011. Interested persons may contact R. Shanker, Second Secretary by sending mail to ssci@hcipos.org by 20 May 2011.

2-Day Diaspora Conference (31 May – 01 June 2011)

On behalf of the Ministry of Overseas Indian affairs, the High Commission in collaboration with University of West Indies is organizing a 2 Day Diaspora Conference from 31 May - 1 June 2011. The theme of the conference is “Building a New Partnership between India and Caribbean: Role of Diaspora.

There will be two segments of the Conference - one exclusively dedicated to exploring possibilities of increasing trade and investment between participating countries and India and the other will be the academic part.  The event will be jointly inaugurated at Hyatt Trinidad on 31 March morning by Hon’ble Shri Vayalar Ravi, Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs and Civil Aviation, Government of India and Hon’ble Mr. Stephen Cadiz Minister of Trade & Industry, Govt. of Trinidad & Tobago. The inaugural Session will be followed by the Business Seminar on Investment & Entrepreneurship organized in collaboration with OIFC and India Trinidad & Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce. About 150 delegates from different island countries of Caribbean region including Trinidad & Tobago and India are expected to take part. Overseas India entrepreneurs from different countries will make their presentations followed by B2B meetings in the post lunch Session.

The same afternoon the academic part of the Conference will be inaugurated jointly by Minister Ravi and Hon’ble Dr. Surujrattan Rambachan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of T&T at Daaga Auditorium, University of West Indies followed by a panel discussion on “Presentation & Networking of Diaspora Associations in the Caribbean. Later in the evening Prof. Clement Sankat, Pro-VC and Principal of UWI will host a reception where a cultural troupe from India will perform

The next day proceedings will be held in the Language Resource Centre with three Sessions on “Culture, Identity & Roots: In Globalising World”, “Building Knowledge Economy: Role of Youth” and “Caribbean Diaspora: Role in the Development”. The proceedings will conclude with the Valedictory & Wrap up Session followed by screening of a documentary film on the Diaspora.

The High Commission will provide full hospitality to the panelists including return air fare, accommodation in UWI, meals, local transport and conference folder. Besides, HCI will also arrange accommodation in UWI for visiting delegates at subsidized rates. There will be a Registration fee for the delegates. The entire package will be available for TT$ 400/- and for the Business Seminar only the fee will be TT$ 200/- (details regarding registration will be advertised and also posted on Mission’s website www.hcipos.org)