On May 23rd 2019, The University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT) welcomed The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship for the Government of Canada at the University's Business Incubator/Accelerator - uSTART. He was accompanied by Her Excellency Carla Hogan Rufelds, Canadian High Commissioner to Trinidad & Tobago; Her Excellency Marie Legault, Canadian High Commissioner to Barbados and Her Excellency Lillian Chatterjee, Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana. Ms. Tia Tariq, Special Advisor to the Minister; Mr. Daniel Vaughan, Regional Director, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and Mr. Andrew Maharaj, Senior Trade Commissioner were also present. UTT was represented by Professor Festus Addo-Yobo, President & Provost (Ag.) and Mr. Inshan Meahjohn, Assistant Vice President, Entrepreneurship and Technology Commercialization.

 

 

Ninth from left: The Hon. Ahmed Hussen - Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship for the Government of Canada, flanked by Prof. Festus Addo-Yobo, President & Provost (Ag.), UTT on the right and Mr. Inshan Meahjohn, Assistant Vice President, Entrepreneurship and Technology Commercialization, UTT on the left. Seventh from right: Her Excellency Carla Hogan Rufelds, Canadian High Commissioner to Trinidad & Tobago. Sixth from right:  Her Excellency Lillian Chatterjee, Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana. Fourth from right: Her Excellency Marie Legault, Canadian High Commissioner to Barbados. Seventh from left: Mr. Andrew Maharaj, Senior Trade Commissioner, High Commission of Canada, Trinidad & Tobago.

 

Minister Hussen travelled to Jamaica and Trinidad where he met with select government representatives as part of a cooperation-building mission. The visit to uSTART at UTT O'Meara Campus was the Minister's last stop in Trinidad before his return to Canada that very afternoon. It is no surprise that he wrapped up his visit this way, given his long-time advocacy of entrepreneurship as a powerful platform that can transform the lives of newcomers to Canada while at the same time allowing them to integrate and add value to their communities. The guests spent the major part of the visit meeting separately with each of the companies at uSTART and learning about their current projects and plans as well as their successes, challenges and needs. This session also provided the occasion for the guests to recognise the potential areas for cross-country collaboration. The identification of such, came naturally as one of the companies present had already completed work for clients in Canada.

 

The Minister explained to the audience at uSTART that the mobility of persons between territories enable powerful connections - not only across countries and institutions - but the real "people-to-people ties" and brain exchange that spark the boundless creativity, innovation and creation of intellectual capital necessary for solving global problems. One such issue the Minister remarked upon was climate change, the defining issue of our time. Professor Addo-Yobo highlighted the high calibre of pertinent work being conducted at UTT Point Lisas Campus including sustainable energy research and green energy projects. Minister Hussen was delighted by this information and remarked on the prospect of collaboration in this area in light of the fact that Canada is progressively transitioning to a green economy. Staying true to his philosophy of building connections, the Minister then apprised the entrepreneurs of opportunities available to them through his Ministry, including the Start-up Visa Program and the Global Skills Strategy (GSS). 

 

Earlier this year, UTT signed an MOU with the Canadian venture capital company - Dream Maker Ventures (DMV) and the first round of entrepreneur pitches have since been completed. Her Excellency Carla Hogan Rufelds, Canadian High Commissioner to Trinidad & Tobago, who was present at the MOU signing, reaffirmed that Canada remained a partner and friend to UTT. In a similar spirit of cooperation, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen engaged Mr. Daniel Vaughan, Regional Director, IRCC, to continue discussions with uSTART even after the visit with the intention to further illustrate the potential opportunities for the entrepreneurs through the IRCC's programmes and the processes involved in obtaining access to them.

 

 

The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship for the Government of Canada speaking to the audience at uSTART, UTT O'Meara Campus.