The Antigua and Barbuda High Commission in London recently hosted a panel discussion on the topic, ‘The Role of The Windrush Generation in Creating Economic and Social Growth in The Caribbean Region.’
The panel discussion formed part of the Voices of Windrush Festival (VOW Fest), a six-week calendar of events which featured discussions, panels, theatre, literature, spoken word and art organised to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the arrival of the HMT Windrush, the ship which brought 492 passengers from the English-speaking Caribbean to the United Kingdom.
Members of the high-level panel included economist Dr Jonathan Thomas, statistician and actuary Dr Godfrey Martin, and Her Excellency Karen-Mae Hill, Antigua and Barbuda’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. The panel was moderated by pupil-barrister Creanna Dodson, a release from the Antigua and Barbuda High Commission said.
The event was well attended by members of the Caribbean diaspora and academia in the United Kingdom and provided intellectual stimulation for the captive audience, it added.
During the discussion a range of questions were put to the panellists on possible economic development strategies that could be implemented in the Caribbean region. The answers explored the role of remittances, economic diversification into new sectors like the blue economy and how the region can revitalise existing sectors like agriculture and tourism.
Regional integration was also seen as an important pillar in any regional economic development strategy as it will allow for more intra- Caribbean trade, reduce the dependence on foreign imports and generate the economies of scale needed for small island economies to survive in the global economy.
Her Excellency made several interventions throughout the discussion, and spoke of the need to create more awareness of the Windrush generation and their link to the Caribbean.
She emphasised that the region, despite its small size, external limitations and youthfulness in terms of political independence, has managed to punch above its weight in several notable areas including in sport, industry and education.
Meanwhile, the founder and curator of the Voices of Windrush Festival, Partner and Head of Immigration at Leigh Day Solicitors, Jacqueline McKenzie, expressed her gratitude to High Commissioner Hill and the Antigua and Barbuda High Commission for hosting the event.
“It is important to recognise the arrival of the Windrush ship — which symbolically heralds the start of the mass movement of Caribbean nationals to the UK — on the 22 June 1948. It was important to celebrate the 75th anniversary in a big way, which is why I put on a six-week festival to discuss the history, experiences and futures of the Windrush Generation,” she said.
“I’m indebted to HE Karen-Mae Hill, High Commissioner of Antigua and Barbuda, for her support for the Windrush Generation, including those affected by the Windrush Scandal, and for hosting such an important event in the Festival, a discussion on the role the Windrush Generation can play in creating economic and social growth in the Caribbean region.”
The Antigua and Barbuda High Commission has played an active role in the Voices of Windrush Festival and continues to support the advocacy and public engagement efforts of the Voices of Windrush Ltd and other similar Windrush interest groups and causes, the release concluded.
