Filling in Wallerfield’s blanks

Trinidad and Tobago with its embrace of a vision for 2020 will have to enter the post-industrial economy. Perhaps the Wallerfield Park will be an integral part of this vision.

The business world is fully familiar with the development of Silicon Valley in California, USA from which sprung the leading high tech firms operating today such as Microsoft and its competitors. In Trinidad and Tobago, the Pt Lisas project, based in our California in Couva, is built on natural resources extraction and conversion. The new high tech parks are based on the application of brainpower to create new technologies and products and finding solutions to economic and social problems.

The latest model from which we can draw lessons is from another so-called third world country — India, where Bangalore, the capital of the state of Karnataka, is the home of infotech companies and a biotechnology industry whose products offer tangible solutions for medical and agricultural industries. World leaders and corporate executives regularly make proposals for investment in Karnataka. The reason is simple. An enlightened government has displayed its comittment to improvement in the agricultural and industrial sectors and the brief is straightforward — get as much investment in the state in as short a time as possible. The state provides an atmosphere conducive for business. Investors know their investment is safe and a skilled and peaceful workforce exists. The climate, both industrial and natural, is highly investment friendly which explains the presence of acknowledged global corporate giants  in the automobile, power, steel and construction sectors.

Resident companies like Infosys Technologies and Wipro helped in putting the state and Bangalore on the international map. Concurrently, the massive recent growth in the IT industry has been assisted by government’s support for entrepreneurship, an approach which can lead to solid financial growth. These initiatives have been undertaken side by side with development of agriculture and rural communities. Land records have been computerised and more than two thirds of these records have been digitised for access by farmers on-line. The state has aligned and empowered local bodies and NGOs to successfully improve rural housing, one of the most pressing needs of the population.  The government is now considering introduction of a single window facility for housing to enable all paperwork relating to ownership of houses to be under one roof.
 
In the early conceptualisation, it was recognised that biotechnology was an emerging area of opportunity for Karnataka. The state already had a critical mass of biotech companies and good research institutions. The challenge was how to nurture that innovation, promote entrepreneurship and facilitate effective transfer of technology to the end users. The government gathered a cohesive team from industry, academia, MNCs and other stakeholders to implement programmes.  The state too was instrumental in expansion of infrastructure through development of three biotech parks, a biotech corridor in Bangalore, a centre for human genetics and an institute of agri-biotechnology.

Karnataka is also developing its garment industry potential as a major apparel sourcing destination with global appeal. Leading brands like Arrow, Allen Solly, Lacoste, Louis Philippe, Van Heusen, Dockers and Levi-Strauss are made in Karnataka because of the favourable infrastructure available ie a salubrious climate, reasonable housing costs, access to a quality workforce, professionally managed marketing organisations, affordable commercial accommodation. The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) provides world-class human resources for the apparel industry and because of Bangalore’s growing reputation for fashion design, two Apparel Parks are to be established specialising in high fashion, value-added export garments and denim-based garments.

Collaboration between government and industry towards education and training geared at specific industries are a priority. This is apparent in the apparel industry as well as in the biotech industry where government and ICICI established an Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology (IBAB) which will produce degree graduates as well as offer short-term training and run incubation centres for entrepreneurs. Free education has been offered for young women and a school adoption programme involved corporations with government in improving infrastructure in thousands of schools. In January 2003, a consortium agreement was signed for the construction of the Bangalore International Airport including the potential for future commercial development targetted at passenger traffic, retail and amusement sectors, as well as development in IT, transportation and distribution industries.

An international competitive bidding process and evaluation methodology was carried which identified Germany’s Siemens-led consortium in joint venture with the Industrial Investment and Development Corporation and the Airports Authority. The airport is to be completed by September 2005 at a total cost of US$230M, with no provision for time or cost overruns. The design is modular with a runway and terminal building to be built in the first phase to be followed by a second runway and terminal building in tune with demand. Can we fashion a similar vision and plan for Wallerfield learning from some of the lessons from the state of Karnataka?

The views expressed in this column are not necessarily those of Guardian Life. You are invited to send your comments to guardianlife@ghl.co.tt